Counsel, Associate
The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education
Summary
This position works closely with SVP & General Counsel to coordinate all activities linked to the detection, identification and mitigation of legal risk. In addition to handling various legal matters on behalf of the corporation, this position also oversees all non-clinical legal compliance and risk management for WCGME and TWCCH, including but not limited to HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance and Safe Event Reporting. This position is also responsible for implementing and/or conducting all related staff and contractor trainings to promote our culture of accountability and high integrity in everything we do.
Job description
Job Summary
This position works closely with SVP & General Counsel to coordinate all activities linked to the detection, identification and mitigation of legal risk. In addition to handling various legal matters on behalf of the corporation, this position also oversees all non-clinical legal compliance and risk management for WCGME and TWCCH, including but not limited to HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance and Safe Event Reporting. This position is also responsible for implementing and/or conducting all related staff and contractor trainings to promote our culture of accountability and high integrity in everything we do.
Reporting Relationships
Associate Counsel reports to the SVP Enterprise Integrity, Chief Legal & Governance Officer. This position has no direct reports.
Essential Job Duties and Functions
- Gain and maintain in-depth knowledge of both organizations and their respective activities to ensure adequate non-clinical compliance, insurance and risk management oversight and resources as the organization evolves
- Develop solutions and lead any required remediation of compliance or integrity gaps to completion
- Oversee training and/or educational programs for all staff on a yearly basis (e.g. courses, videos, and conferences) for all required areas of focus (such as HIPAA, HITECH, OSHA, etc.)
- Ensure that any matter potentially requiring external reporting is communicated to SVP & General Counsel
- Support litigation matters in conjunction with In-House Counsel and General Counsel
- Spread the culture of transparently and courageously reporting all safe events and champion the PDSA process to continually enhance quality improvement and quality assurance efforts
- Ensure that all requests for protected health information are legally valid and produced by TWCCH in compliance with legal obligations
- Create/implement policy and training programs for staff who access and enter information in MEDENT about proper documentation in patient charts
- Ensure medical malpractice insurance coverage and medical licenses are current for all providers
- Establish and maintain a mechanism to track access to protected health information (PHI) within the company, and as required by law, to allow qualified individuals to review reports on such activity; develop a random audit process and report template
- Maintain current knowledge of applicable federal and state laws, including but not limited to privacy laws, and monitor advancements in information privacy technologies to ensure organizational adaptation and compliance
- Collaborate with department leaders in solving problems involving legal or risk management implications
- Oversee the administration (investigation, conclusion and reporting) of the incidents submitted through the SAFE Reporting system along with the organization-wide spread of learning from each report
- Collaborate with appropriate departments to ensure the regular and systematic reporting of SAFE events to Executive Management, the GMEC and Patient Safety & Quality Committees of the organization(s) and Boards of Directors
- Other duties as assigned
Requirements
- Juris Doctor degree required
- Member of the Pennsylvania Bar
- Minimum of 2 years relevant experience required
- Buy in and experience working in the EOS model (strongly preferred)
- Additional advanced degree in Health Care Administration, Business Administration or related field preferred
- Healthcare experience in a law firm or in-house preferred; clinical experience a plus
- HIPAA Privacy Certification preferred
- Compliance experience preferred
- Proven track record of strong negotiation, communication, organizational and people management skills
- Superb organizational, time management, and multitasking skills
- Strong leadership capabilities with demonstrated ability to motivate staff toward change
- Excellent problem-solving and improvement skills, leading and coaching others, verbal and written communication
- Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and the Google platform
- Must be a team player who is responsible, reliable, task oriented and punctual
- Must be able to perform effectively in a fast-paced environment with many changing priorities
- Must be professional and customer service oriented
- Ability to work independently
- Willingness to work a flexible schedule
- Some regional travel required
Company overview
The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education is a prominent healthcare provider and educational institution specializing in graduate medical education and public health services. As a leading organization in medical training, it focuses on developing the next generation of healthcare professionals through comprehensive residency and fellowship programs. The center operates as a community-based academic medical institution that integrates clinical practice with medical education, serving diverse patient populations across multiple locations. Its mission centers on providing high-quality, accessible healthcare while advancing medical education and research. The organization plays a crucial role in addressing healthcare workforce shortages by training physicians in various specialties, with particular emphasis on primary care and underserved communities. Through its innovative educational models and community health initiatives, The Wright Center contributes significantly to improving healthcare delivery and public health outcomes in the regions it serves.