People news: Rome Memorial Hospital hires West as risk manager

ROME, N.Y. — Rome Memorial Hospital announced it has appointed Kristin West as its risk manager.

The job entails analyzing processes to identify areas for improvement and minimizing possible risks or losses for the hospital. The goal is to reduce potential medical errors, workplace injuries, and boost productivity, the hospital said in a news release.

“Kristin brings a wealth of experience in both clinical and non-clinical areas which gives her a unique perspective as she examines our policies and procedures,” Jennifer Bartlett, VP/chief quality officer, said. “She also possesses superior team-building skills which will be vital to planning and implementing improvements.”

West must be up to speed on all aspects of the hospital’s operations, from preadmission contact with the patient, to the nursing units and facility upkeep. In addition, she is responsible for educating hospital employees on steps to reduce risk and increase safety.

“By taking a close look at all of our processes, we can identify potential risk and anticipate problems,” she said in the release. “This enables us to take steps to prevent injuries or medical errors before they ever occur through staff education and by following best practices.”

West has nearly 20 years of experience in the health-care field, both as a clinician and in non-direct, patient-care areas. A certified therapeutic recreation specialist, with a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation from Utica College, she has worked in active therapy and treatment in both geriatrics and children with disabilities. West has also held positions in human resources in staff development, education and training, and most recently patient experience and quality compliance at Bassett Healthcare.

West holds a master’s degree in education with a concentration in adult learning theories and online learning from the University of Phoenix. West also holds a certification as a certified workforce career-coach facilitator from Thomas Jefferson University. She is a 2012 graduate of the Leadership Mohawk Valley civic-leadership development program and serves as a member of the organization’s board of directors and chairperson of the curriculum committee.

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