Associate Risk Manager - Clinical

Associate Risk Manager – Clinical

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is the world’s leading cancer center, dedicated to exceptional patient care, innovative research, education, and prevention. Within the Risk Management program, the Associate Risk Manager serves as a trusted, self-directed partner to clinical teams, nursing leadership, and healthcare operations, owning assigned risk matters from intake through resolution to support safe, high-quality patient care and reduce organizational risk.

The Associate Risk Manager independently manages a caseload of potential and actual claims, incidents, and risk issues, exercising sound judgment to investigate/assess, prioritize, and resolve matters with minimal supervision. The role carries a strong emphasis on patient safety, patient advocacy, clinical event investigation, and risk mitigation. The Associate Risk Manager works closely with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to identify opportunities for improvement, investigate adverse events, resolve patient concerns, and promote a culture of safety across UT MD Anderson. The Associate Risk Manager also serves as a go-to resource for reviewing medical records, evaluating potential medical negligence matters, and advancing institutional risk management initiatives, escalating to leadership matters that exceed delegated authority.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter who has worked directly with healthcare providers, nursing teams, patients, and operational leaders in a hospital or academic medical center environment. Preference will be given to candidates with a graduate degree in a health-related field and demonstrated healthcare risk management experience involving patient safety, clinical event investigations, medical record review, medical malpractice claims, root cause analysis, and regulatory compliance. Candidates should possess strong analytical and critical thinking skills, curiosity, sound judgment, and a proven ability to independently manage complex clinical risk matters, make timely decisions, and know when to escalate.

Minimum $88,000 – Midpoint $110,000 – Maximum $132,000

Work Location\: Primarily remote with onsite presence required as needed for meetings and other work

Why Us?

This position offers the opportunity to make a direct impact on patient safety, quality of care, patient advocacy, and organizational excellence within one of the nation’s premier healthcare institutions. You will have real ownership of your work, the latitude to make decisions, and meaningful collaboration with clinical and operational leaders while preventing patient harm, resolving complex care concerns, and advancing a culture focused on safety and continuous improvement. The primarily remote structure provides flexibility while maintaining engagement in critical institutional initiatives.

• Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week, plus optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance. • Accruals for PTO and Extended Illness Bank, plus paid holidays, wellness, childcare, and other leave options. • Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service and access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups. • Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System, voluntary retirement plans, and employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs.

Responsibilities

Patient Safety, Clinical Risk Management & Patient Advocacy • Provide leadership, guidance, and consultation to healthcare teams and hospital leadership regarding patient care risk management issues • Independently identify, assess, and mitigate risks that may impact patient safety and quality of care, partnering with clinical teams • Lead investigations of patient safety events, incidents, complaints, and potential liability matters • Drive resolution of patient care concerns and other risk-related issues • Participate in institutional efforts to improve patient safety outcomes and reduce organizational risk • Serve as a Risk Management representative on committees assessing patient safety policies and procedures • Collaborate with Performance Improvement teams on root cause analyses and event reviews • Participate on the Institutional 2-STOP committee and conduct investigations related to threats involving patients and employees

Claims Management & Incident Investigation • Review incoming reports alleging claims against UT MD Anderson resources, employees, officers, or agents • Reviews of claims, incidents, and reported problems within 24 hours of receipt • Evaluate complex claims with a particular focus on medical malpractice and medical negligence matters • Independently assign priority ratings and determine appropriate next steps for each case • Determine when investigations are warranted and independently initiate and complete investigations • Conduct investigations through correspondence, telephone communications, electronic messaging, and onsite inspections • Document investigative findings and maintain complete case records • Manage an assigned caseload, reviewing all open files at least every 30 days and actively driving cases toward resolution • Recognize matters that exceed delegated authority and escalate them promptly with a recommended course of action

Medical Record Review & Legal Support • Conduct detailed reviews of medical records, billing records, consultant reports, witness statements, project files, and correspondence • Identify relevant risk issues and prepare comprehensive case summaries • Investigate risk issues and develop detailed chronologies of events • Identify key events, witnesses, and participants associated with risk matters • Develop litigation files and timelines to support attorneys handling claims against the institution • Identify portions of patient medical records to be submitted to the UT Office of General Counsel in accordance with established guidelines • Provide information to designated negotiators and legal representatives • Negotiate settlements only within authority delegated by the Managing Legal Officer, People Education & Operations

Regulatory Compliance & Program Operations • Maintain working familiarity with medical committee privilege, peer review privilege, and quality protections • Support compliance with The Joint Commission, CMS Conditions of Participation, Texas Medical Board, Texas Board of Nursing, HIPAA, EMTALA, and Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 74 requirements • Prepare Safe Medical Device Act reports within required timeframes • Review reports submitted through the institutional incident reporting system • Maintain, update, and organize physical and electronic risk management files • Manage document retention for reports, correspondence, photographs, equipment records, notes, and other case materials • Apply knowledge of emergency management and business continuity principles in risk management activities

Program Development & Strategic Support • Contribute to the development and implementation of institutional risk assessments • Support strategic and tactical planning initiatives for the Risk Management program • Conduct educational presentations throughout UT MD Anderson • Lead special projects supporting departmental and institutional objectives • Participate in the Risk Management on-call program, independently responding to after-hours risk issues as part of 24-hour coverage rotation • Assess healthcare risk management trends through continuing education, literature review, and professional development • Collaborate with Risk Management, Patient Care, and Healthcare Operations support teams Recommend and help implement improvements to institutional policies, processes, and procedures • Prepare special reports and analyses as requested

The Associate Risk Manager independently manages an assigned caseload of potential and actual claims, incidents, and risk issues for UT MD Anderson’s Risk Management program, with an emphasis on claims related to injury or medical negligence, which will involve medical record review, analysis, and critical thinking. The incumbent is expected to identify, assess, and resolve risk issues with limited supervisory intervention.