HOUSTON METHODIST Risk Attorney Salary in the United States

Overview

JOB SUMMARY

At Houston Methodist, the Risk Attorney position is responsible for risk, claims, and litigation management. These duties safeguard Houston Methodist’s (HM) interests by providing risk management-driven guidance to internal clients, and acting as the organization’s agent in litigation and claims management. The Risk Attorney provides sustainable counsel to prevent, reduce, and extinguish asset losses. The Risk Attorney engages with clients to achieve measurable outcomes.

The Risk Attorney shepherds claims to an equitable resolution in a financially prudent manner. To achieve this, the Risk Attorney applies legal theories of civil litigation (including personal injury and premises liability), commercial/business litigation, employment litigation, criminal, and federal and state regulations to the matter at hand. The Risk Attorney generates and maintains sound legal analysis, and reports anticipated losses to department leadership. For litigation management, the Risk Attorney coordinates HM witnesses and defendants, leads discovery, and participates in strategy planning and mediations. The Risk Attorney is responsible for ensuring a suitable balance is struck between the degree of risk tolerance and the successful delivery of healthcare services.

Houston Methodist Standard

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVEDRefer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
• INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
• COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
• ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
• RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
• EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.
• Focuses on patient/customer safety
• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards
• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)
• Intentionally rounds with patients/customers to ensure their needs are being met
• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports byenabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

Responsibilities

PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Job responsibilities labeled EF capture those duties that are essential functions of the job.

PEOPLE - 25%

SERVICE - 25%

QUALITY/SAFETY - 20%

FINANCE - 20%

GROWTH/INNOVATION - 10%

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

Qualifications

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

o Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

o Two years experience as an attorney focused on a docket primarily comprised of medical malpractice or personal injury

OR

o Two years experience providing direct patient care in an acute care setting as a Physician’s Assistant (PA), Registered Nurse (RN), or Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP)

License/Certification

CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES AND REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED

o Member of the Texas State Bar in good standing within six months of hire.

o If previously licensed as healthcare professional, (PA, RN or RCP) license must be eligible for reactivation within six months of hire.

KSA/ Supplemental Data

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

o Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

o Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

o Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

o Ability to process large volumes of data from multiple disciplines and discern key legal-risk issues and thoughtfully communicate recommendations based on information collected that creatively support the client’s business mission, while ensuring the means are risk-averse

o Working knowledge of litigation financing and the ability to direct outside counsel to ensure legal reserves are prudently used

o Ability to create a plan for, and execute, accurate claim evaluation

o Exceptional communications skills and ability to interact effectively and politely with people of varying backgrounds. Ability to maintain composure and invoke confidence in difficult situations

o Strong analytical skills and ability to make thoughtful decisions and provide risk-avoiding, legally-sound directions that comports with HM’s I CARE Values, the risk and litigation management strategic plan, and the circumstances as they present

o Baseline knowledge of case law, statutes, and trends related to medical malpractice

o Ability to creatively solve complex medical-legal-social issues

o Basic comprehension of operational structure necessary to support optimal healthcare delivery and working knowledge of hospital operations in the U.S.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

Work Attire Yes/No

Uniform No

Scrubs No

Business professional Yes

Other (dept approved) No

On-Call* Yes, on a regular basis (for Non-Exempt or Exempt jobs)

*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Event, etc) regardless of selection above.

Travel**

May require travel within Yes

Houston Metropolitan area

May require travel outside Yes

of Houston Metropolitan area

**Travel specifications may vary by department.

Please note any other special considerations to this job: participate in a rotating call schedule. While on-call, cannot travel beyond 50 miles from City of Houston-so as to remain within pager range, and must be ready and able to travel to any HM location.

Company Profile

Houston Methodist (HM) is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers.  HM consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, and seven community hospitals throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area.  HM also includes an academic institute, a comprehensive residency program, a global business division, numerous physician practices and several free-standing emergency rooms and outpatient facilities.  Overall, HM employs over 25,000 employees.   Houston Methodist is supported by a wide variety of business functions that operate at the system level to help enable clinical departments to provide the best patient care and service in a spiritual environment.

In 2019 Houston Methodist and its physicians treat more than 6,333 international patients from more than 76 countries. Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services’ consulting and education divisions also provide advisory services and training and development to health care organizations around the world.