See Health Care Investigator 1.

Supervises professional health care investigative staff.

This is the supervisory-level working under administrative direction. Supervisors are delegated by management to perform ongoing and regular functions in hiring, training and developing staff, assigning and evaluating work, and taking corrective action.   

Plans, assigns, directs, coordinates and supervises the workload and operational requirements of health care investigations. Assigns official investigations to Health Care Investigators, reviews and supervises their work. Establishes performance expectations and assesses if expectations are achieved. Develops recruitment criteria, hires staff, and evaluates work. 

Provide guidance to investigators in the investigation of complex and detailed major investigations which are most likely to go to hearing/trial or have the greatest impact on the boards, commissions, or Department of Health as needed. 

Makes recommendations regarding the filing of legal actions, based on evidence accumulated, Board policies, potential impact on the public, and the manpower resources of the office. 

Works on organizational improvement projects, based upon knowledge of organizational and operations for improvements and initiatives such as strategic planning, agency policy and procedures, best practices, performance measurements, agency mission, goals and values and other improvements.

Participates in the planning, development of a statewide investigative program and coordinates departmental, interagency, interstate, or other governmental and nongovernmental activities with regard to health care investigations.

Investigates cases having the highest sensitivity due to the nature of issue or persons involved possible political impacts and/or media interest.

Conducts the most difficult, complex, or discrete investigations involving multiple health care issues, complainants, or respondents; conducts detailed investigations regarding standard of care issues as well as conduct related issues. 

Conducts the most complex conduct practice reviews involving multiple health care issues and/or assists other investigators in conducting difficult or complex practice reviews. 

Provides oversight and assists the Chief Investigator in the development of guidelines and procedures for inspections of regulated facilities. Examples of regulated facilities include those providing massage or reflexology services, dental facilities and ambulance services. Providing oversight includes occasionally accompanying investigators on these inspections to ensure uniformity of inspections, track trends in violations and monitor the relationships with the regulated community. 

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge of:  Investigative techniques and practices, health care provider and case laws, Uniform Disciplinary Act, Washington Administrative Procedures Act, leadership and supervisory principles and practices, human resource and collective bargaining agreements, agency mission, values and strategic plan, related court proceeding and processes, legal documents and correspondence, statutes regulating practice and licensing of the health care professions;  rules of evidence; principles, standards and techniques of investigations; practices, procedures and standards relevant to the health care professions; principles of biological, physical, and social sciences; principles of supervision, education and management.

Ability to:  Understand complex medical and personnel documents related to health care providers; cope with stressful situations and difficult clients, exhibit professional tack and diplomacy and client confidentiality, focus issues and behaviors according to standards of acceptable health care provider practice, conduct discreet and sensitive investigations without alarming practitioners, interview and solicit information effectively, work in subject areas that may be controversial, such as sexually transmitted diseases or alternative lifestyles, understand and interpret laws and court decisions relating to the health care professions; conduct complex investigations regarding highly technical health care issues; gather, preserve and present  material relevant and pertinent evidence; supervise and train other investigators; organize and manage an investigative office.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Six years of experience as a Health Care Investigator 2 within state service.   

OR

 Two years of experience as a Health Care Investigator 3 within state service.   

OR 

Eight years of experience as an investigator with a criminal justice agency or a directly allied field, ,  six of which must include field experience preparing evidence and interviewing witnesses, respondents or suspects.  Three of which must have been  leading, supervising, or managing professionals, developing investigation programs or functioning as an expert in health care investigations.   

AND 

A four-year college degree in a health care field, Business Administration, Public Administration, Criminal Justice, or a related field.   

A Master's degree in one of the above disciplines will substitute for two years of the required management experience. 

Additional investigative experience will substitute for education on a year for year basis.

New class:  9-13-91.
Revised new class code, formerly 46954, effective July 1, 2007.
Revised salary range, definition, typical work, distinguishing characteristics, knowledge and abilities and desirable qualifications; adopted June 30, 2017, effective July 1, 2017.
Salary adjustment, revised category concept, definition, distinguishing characteristics adopted 8/23/2017, effective 7/1/2017; previously range 58.

 

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.