Externship Items | Department of Health - Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA)

Externship Description

The Department of Health’s mission is to protect and improve the health of people in Washington State. We have four divisions within the agency: Prevention and Community Health, Disease Control and Health Statistics, Environmental Public Health, and Health Systems Quality Assurance. This externship opportunity will be within Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA).

HSQA regulates licensing and discipline for over 370,000 health care professionals in 83 professions, and more than 7,000 health care facilities such as hospitals, ambulatory surgical facilities, residential treatment facilities and birthing centers. In addition, we oversee the Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System, and have programs related to injury and violence protection and rural health.

During an average legislative session, staff in HSQA analyze at least 250 bills that potentially affect our work, and complete about 150 fiscal notes. The processes for these activities are multi-layered and involve careful review at both the division and agency levels. During most sessions, HSQA also has agency-request bills that we shepherd through the legislative process. As bills pass, we must develop implementation plans to ensure our responses our timely and appropriate.

The bills we analyze deal with a variety of subjects including: new health care professions or changes to a current profession’s scope of practice; regulatory requirements for facilities; prescription drug monitoring and disposal; and medical marijuana. Although relatively few of these bills actually pass, we must treat each one as if it will, in fact, become law.

The extern will use analytical skills and critical thinking to identify issues related to these bills, including drafting bill analyses and participating in HSQA’s twice weekly bill review meetings. He or she will also draft talking points and testimony for agency leadership testifying before the Legislature during bill hearings. Clear, concise, non-legalese writing skills are critical to this externship.

Secondary tasks may include implementing bills passed in the 2012 session such as the creation of three new health care professions. This could include participating in activities related to rule making, fee setting and stakeholder outreach.

Health care experience is not necessary for this externship. Completion of Administrative Law is helpful but not required. The work is fast-paced and takes patience and excellent organizational skills. For the right candidate, this is an extraordinary opportunity to learn the legislative process from the perspective of a large, executive branch state agency.