Description
The Associate Chief, Quality Officer provides strong, enterprise strategic leadership for Denver Health's system's quality, safety, and performance improvement initiatives. In partnership with the Chief Quality Officer, this role is responsible for designing, implementing, and sustaining programs that drive measurable outcomes across all care settings. The Associate Chief collaborates with executive leadership, physicians, nursing, residents and staff, and operational leaders to ensure high-reliability care and continuous improvement to advance Denver Health's vision of being the Most Trusted provider in Colorado.
Denver Health is seeking a strong candidate for this role, with consideration given to individuals from non-clinical, nursing, or physician backgrounds. The salary range is intentionally broad to allow flexibility based on the selected candidate’s experience and qualifications.
Please note the application period for this role will be from 9/2/2026 to 9/25/2026.
Essential Functions:
- Strategic Leadership
With the CQO, develop and drive system-wide quality and patient safety strategy aligned with organizational goals
Serve as a subject matter expert in quality improvement, patient safety science, and high-reliability healthcare
Advise and influence executive leadership and the Board on quality, safety, and performance trends (20%) - Quality and Performance Improvement
Lead large scale change initiatives to improve outcomes, reduce variation, and enhance value across settings and organizational units; including care transitions and value-based care.
Drive attainment of key performance indicators for Ambulatory and Acute Care Quality
Advance the deployment of evidenced-based practice across Denver Health. (20%) - Patient Safety & Risk Reduction
Support the patient safety team in developing and deploying initiatives to promote patient and workforce safety which may include teamwork communication, just culture and proactive system-based approach to error prevention
Support reactive patient safety and risk reduction programs, including event reporting, root cause analyses, and corrective action plans
Sponsor or lead efforts to reduce harm events (20%) - Data, Analytics & Reporting
Partner with analytics teams to use data for quality improvement and decision-making
Translate data into actionable insights for leaders and frontline teams
Make proactive, data-driven strategic recommendations (20%) - Leadership, Mentorship & Collaboration
Lead and mentor quality and safety leaders and staff in the department of Patient Safety, Quality and Experience and across the system;
Collaborate with clinical, operational, and support service leaders to integrate quality into daily operations
Engage physicians, nurses, and frontline staff in improvement initiatives
Lead meetings and initiatives, including support of organizational leadership and governance. (15%) - Accreditation & Regulatory Compliance
Support accreditation readiness and survey activities
Ensure policies, processes, and practices meet regulatory and accreditation standards (5%) - May maintain an active clinical practice. Lead by example in achieving own clinical practice organizational productivity and quality goals. (0%)
Education:
- Master's Degree in healthcare administration, nursing, public health, quality, or related field with clinical background (RN, PharmD, or other licensed clinician) Required or
- Doctorate Degree MD or DO. Graduate of an approved medical school and completion of an approved residency. Further research training, such as an MPH/MSPH or primary care fellowship desirable. Required and
- Post Graduate Diploma or Certificate Program MD/DO and Board Certificates in their area of specialty. Patient safety training and/or certification (e.g. CPPS or related coursework) Preferred Required
Work Experience:
- 10+ years progressive leadership experience in healthcare quality and patient safety Required Preferred
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale quality improvement initiatives Required
Licenses:
- CPHQ-Certified Professional Healthcare Quality - NAHQ - National Association for Healthcare Quality
- LEAN-Lean Certified - SSGI - Six Sigma Global Institute Preferred
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Communication skills to interact effectively with Denver Health’s current service/client base, prospective customers, and all levels of DH management
- Ability to interpret and analyze financial and statistical information
- Ability to systematically gather information from a variety of sources, analyze information, identify implications of data, draw appropriate conclusions, generate viable alternative solutions to a question or problem and evaluate the consequences of choosing each alternative
- Knowledge of scientific and medical literature, standards of medical care and professional care established by various task forces and accrediting agencies
- Strong public speaking/presentation skills
- Skill in facilitating a collegial relationship between practicing clinicians, healthcare workers, and hospital administration
- Knowledge of ongoing activity in a clinical area of expertise
- Working knowledge of general hospital operations, the Joint Commission, Medicare COP, and state requirements, preferred
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
Aaron Ortiz, Director of Provider Recruitment
Denver Health & Hospital Authority
W: 303-602-4992
C: 207-232-5294
