OVERVIEW
What is a Healthcare Quality Director?
A healthcare quality director is in charge of ensuring quality healthcare is being administered to all patients. They are also in charge of managing risk, ensuring compliance, controlling infection, and improving overall performance. The healthcare quality director often reports to upper management. They are responsible for maintaining the good reputation of the facility, ensuring patients are satisfied and compliance is considered in every interaction. To become a healthcare quality director, you'll want to earn your RN license and even consider higher levels of education like bachelor's and master's degrees.
RESPONSIBILITIES
What Does a Healthcare Quality Director Do?
There are a few things that you can expect to do every day as a healthcare quality director. Some days, you'll be assessing the quality of the medical products that your organization uses; other days, you'll need to review the services provided by your medical providers and support staff and report on their performance. Some other responsibilities of a healthcare quality director include:
- Addressing issues about the quality of products and/or services
- Guiding best practices to organizational staff
- Developing programs and initiatives that promote quality
- Training staff as necessary on quality assurance initiatives
- Collecting and interpreting data that could affect the quality of your products
These are just a few of the major tasks that you will be responsible for as a director of quality in healthcare. Your main purpose and job within the organization are to maintain a high standard of quality when it comes to your organization’s patient care, prescription drug issuance, medical device usage, and other medical equipment usage.
EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES
What Education Does a Healthcare Quality Director Need?
To get started in your career, you’ll need to earn a nursing license or a BSN. This type of degree will allow you to gain experience in the healthcare field while also helping you understand what to expect from the quality and products inside a hospital or clinic. Gaining experience in a healthcare setting will be valuable in preparing you to move forward in your career.
An advanced degree is important for becoming a healthcare director of quality. For that reason, you may want to pursue an RN-to-MSN bridge program if you are already a registered nurse and need to earn a BSN as well as an MSN. If you already hold a BSN, a master’s in nursing leadership and management will help to equip you with the leadership skills necessary to take on a senior position like this. Beyond a master's degree, a post-master's certificate in nursing leadership & management can also be beneficial.
Either degree program will familiarize you with the workplace skills necessary in this line of work, including the inner workings of our healthcare systems, the leadership skills necessary to direct other healthcare workers, and the problem-solving skills that you will need to apply in your everyday work.
What Degrees are Best for a Healthcare Quality Director?
Health & Nursing
Nursing (Prelicensure) – B.S.
A one-of-a-kind nursing program that prepares you to be an RN and a...
A one-of-a-kind nursing program that prepares you to be an RN and a baccalaureate-prepared nurse:
- Locations: Due to in-person clinical requirements, students must be full time residents of Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin to enroll in this program. The coursework in this program is offered online, but there are in-person requirements.
- Tuition: $8,755 per 6-month term for the first 4 terms of pre-nursing coursework and $8,755 per 6-month term for the remaining 4 terms of clinical nursing coursework.
- Time: This program has a set pace and an expected completion time of 4 years. Certain coursework may be accelerated to finish faster.
- WGU offers the prelicensure program in areas where we have partnerships with healthcare employers to provide practice sites and clinical coaches to help teach you and inspire you on your path to becoming a nurse.
- If you don't live in one of our prelicensure states or don't qualify to apply, consider getting our Bachelor's in Health and Human Services instead. This degree allows you to work inside the healthcare industry, while also working directly with patients who need help.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Community Health
- Women's and Children's Nursing
- Pathology
- Physiology
- Research
Health & Nursing
Nursing (RN-to-BSN Online) – B.S.
An online BSN degree program for registered nurses (RNs) seeking the added...
An online BSN degree program for registered nurses (RNs) seeking the added theoretical depth, employability, and respect that a bachelor's degree brings:
- Time: The program is designed to be completed in 1 year.
- Tuition: $5,325 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 23 total courses in this program.
- Transfers: Students can transfer up to 90 credits.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Healthcare Policy and Economics
- Information Technology in Nursing Practice
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Applied Healthcare Statistics
If you don't currently have an RN and don't qualify for your nursing prelicensure program, consider getting our Bachelor's in Health and Human Services instead. This degree allows you to work inside the healthcare industry in a unique way.
Health & Nursing
Nursing – Leadership & Management (BSN-to-MSN) – M.S.
For registered nurses with a bachelor's degree who are ready for...
For registered nurses with a bachelor's degree who are ready for additional career opportunities.
- Time: 61% of grads finish within 23 months
- Tuition: $5,035 per 6-month term
- Courses: 15 total courses in this program
This program is ideal for current RNs who have a BSN and are ready for the next step in their education.
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program:
- Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care
- Nursing Leadership and Management
- Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations
- Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care
Compare degrees
This program is not the only degree WGU offers designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. Compare our health leadership degrees.
Health & Nursing
Nursing – Leadership & Management (RN-to-MSN) – M.S.
This program for RNs includes a BSN component and is a substantial leap...
This program for RNs includes a BSN component and is a substantial leap toward becoming a nurse leader.
- Time: 62% of RN-to-MSN grads finish within 37 months.
- Tuition: $5,325 per 6-month term during undergraduate portion and $5,035 per 6-month term during graduate portion.
- Courses: 32 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program:
- Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care
- Nursing Leadership and Management
- Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations
- Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care
If you're driven to lead, this online nursing degree will provide you everything needed to make that career a reality. This program is ideal for current RNs who are interested in earning both their BSn and MSN in an accelerated program.
Compare degrees
This program is not the only degree WGU offers designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. Compare our health leadership degrees.
Health & Nursing
Nursing Leadership and Management – Post-Master's Certificate
A certificate for registered nurses with a master's degree in nursing who...
A certificate for registered nurses with a master's degree in nursing who are ready for greater responsibility in a leadership and management role.
- Time: Students typically finish this program in 12 months.
- Tuition: $5,035 per 6-month term. The cost to sit for the NAHQ Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) exam is included in tuition.
- Courses: 8 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Strategic Planning
- Resource Management
- Business Case Analysis
- Evaluating Healthcare Improvements
How Much Does a Healthcare Quality Director Make?
$142,994
The median annual salary for a healthcare quality director is $142,994. To get a better idea of the range of incomes, on the lower end, 10% of people in this position earned $113,000 or less, while the top 10% earned over $170,000. These numbers can give you an idea of the range of salaries, but your salary will be dependent on geographical location, education, and experience level. For example, working in an urban area will most likely get you a higher salary than in a rural area. Having relevant certifications can also affect your salary.
What Is the Projected Job Growth?
32%
Providing quality services to patients is one of the most essential parts of healthcare. The role of a healthcare quality manager is expected to grow by an astounding 32% between now and 2029. As new technology and new treatment methods are developed, the need to ensure the quality of these devices, medications, and technologies will remain vital as well.
SKILLS
What Skills Does a Healthcare Quality Director Need?
There are skills that every director of quality in healthcare should have to be successful in their role. Because of the complexity and sensitive nature of this role, you need to have the right background and skills to land this position:
- Leadership skills. As a healthcare quality director, you will have a team of people that you manage. You should have experience in leading a team and delegating work.
- Extensive knowledge of healthcare operations. You should know the ins and outs of healthcare operations, including the types of medical equipment, treatments, and medications that you will be inspecting for quality.
- Excellent interpersonal skills. Since you will be working closely with a team, members of other departments, and vendors, you will need great interpersonal skills to succeed.
- Critical thinking skills. The healthcare industry as a whole can be very complex, but the role of quality management in healthcare can be even more challenging. You must be able to think critically in this position.
Depending on where you work, you may need other skills in addition to the ones above. Some employers may require you to know specific software or other programs that they use. Having additional skills can set you apart from the competition and increase your chances of landing the job.
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