DENISE EVELYN JOYCE, RN, JD

1683 Michael Way, Yuba City, CA 95993; Ph: 530-790-7859

SUMMARY
This multi-specialty nurse has over 35 years experience in healthcare and has be
en licensed continuously as a Registered Nurse in California. Much of that time
has been spent designing and delivering positive system changes via the specialt
y of Quality, Clinical Risk Management and Compliance; the other focus has been
spent in the clinical areas of Psychiatry and Psychology.
Her life's work speaks of excellence, dedication, measurable results, and colleg
ial relationships in both the short and long term. She has effected measurable i
mprovements in the quality of clinical care in every organization in which she h
as worked.
CORE SKILLS
* QI, Risk, Compliance Regulations, Privacy, HIPAA, , Ethics
* Risk analyses; medical-legal issue identification; Plans of Correction
* Scientific background for designing meaningful data collection, assessment and
interpretation
* Regulatory expertise: The Joint Commission; CA Title 22; CMA guidelines, etc.
* Managed Care, Medi-Cal, Medicare, PPOs, Grievance Procedures
* Applied statistical methods, including analysis of variation
* Computerized medical records; clinical informatics-outpatient and inpatient
EXPERIENCE
Consultant, Healthcare Quality Solutions
(3/2010-present)
Services include full Risk, Quality and Compliance consulting for hospitals, cli
nics and integrated health care systems. Open to additional consulting contract
s--short and long term--or possible permanent placement.
Regulatory Compliance Officer/Director Quality & Risk Management (5/2009-3/2010)
Sierra Vista Hospital, Sacramento, CA: For-profit Corporation with a 120 bed ac
ute psychiatric hospital in South Sacramento. Responsibilities: Analyze and tren
d Incident Reports ("unusual occurrences"); coordinate with legal counsel on cas
es; coordinate with CADPH, JCAHO, and other agencies; perform root cause analyse
s, data abstraction and analysis; safety training and implementation of data col
lection tools for Patient Safety Goals such as Critical test results, Hand hygie
ne, and much more. Left to complete Master's Degree and begin independent consu
lting services (certification in Compliance expected this year).
Nursing Supervisor/Manager/Director of Nursing Services (2006-2009; per-diem to
present)
Yuba-Sutter Mental Health Services/North Valley Behavioral Health: Worked as an
acute Inpatient Psychiatric Health Facility nursing supervisor in Yuba City, fir
st for a private enterprise then, moving just a few feet away, for Sutter-Yuba M
ental Health Services (Sutter County) while pursuing a Master's degree in Psycho
logy with a Marriage and Family Therapy emphasis. Responsible for all regulatory
, quality, and risk activities and reports as well as direct supervision; able t
o effect a significant reduction in the use of restraints and seclusion (78%-ach
ieved). I left this rewarding work in order to meet my financial obligations wi
th a larger facility.
Quality and Risk Manager, Clinics Manager, DRG Reviewer (2003-2005)
Fremont-Rideout Healthcare Group (F.R.H.G.): Concurrent Quality, Risk, and Clin
ics Manager with Gridley Memorial Hospital, a division of Fremont-Rideout Health
care Group. Transitioned to Quality DRG Review nurse at Rideout Hospital (still
part of F.R.H.G.) when global reduction in force at Gridley Memorial Hospital oc
curred. Left to work in inpatient psychiatry in furtherance of pursuit of Maste
r's Degree in Psychology with Marriage and Family Therapy emphasis.
Quality and Clinical Risk Manager for 90 bed acute hospital, SNF, and Multispeci
alty Clinics:
San Mateo Medical Center (1994-1998): Created and implemented Quality Management
Program that took the Hospitals and Clinics from seven (7) "Type I" deficiencie
s with the Joint Commission to No "Type I" deficiencies in under two years (term
inology at that time). Taught scientific standards for data collection and analy
sis of variance to Department Managers and Board of Directors. Left to work as c
onsultant and work in private enterprise until move to North Central California
in 2002.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts Psychology 1973
Associate Degree Nursing 1977
Doctorate Jurisprudence 1983
Master of Arts Psychology-Pending 2010

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, HONORS

Healthcare Compliance Association of America Member in good standing Exp. 3/2011
California Board of Registered Nursing License #BRN282583 Exp. 3/2011
Behavior Specialist, CDCA Vendor #P11265
Exp. 1980
Association of Healthcare Quality Specialists CPHQ
Exp. 1998
California Board of LVN/Psychiatric Technician LPT #L-17062 Exp. 1977
American Bar Association Certified law Clerk 1983
Western State University American Jurisprudence 1983
National Institute of Biofeedback Therapy National Certification 1985-88
Saint Joseph Hospital, Orange, CA Vice-Chair, Bio-Ethics 1
988