Director - Surgical Services (Job ID: 4431)
Summary: The Director of Surgical Services – Outpatient Surgical Specialty Center (OSSC) is responsible for the strategic development of the OSSC surgical services program and accountable for the operational management of this program by developing high performance leaders who are focused in achieving best practice outcomes. Responsibilities include business planning, budgeting, facilitating physician relations, informing strategic market opportunities, delegating day to day workload and performance responsibilities, and directing these services in a cost effective and fully compliant manner. The director will work closely with the Director of Surgical Services - Inpatient and the Manager of the Gastroenterology Practice/Endoscopy Suite to coordinate patient flow and excellence in interdepartmental relations. The director will be responsible for cross-departmental and cross-divisional collaboration. Physician relations will be central to the success of program development. The Director of Surgical Services - OSSC works with the AVP Surgical Services/Vice President of Nursing & Patient Care Services to design, develop, and implement mission for patient centered care at Northern Light Mercy Hospital. The Director of Surgical Services – OSSC is responsible for mentoring and developing the management skills of the Managers and Clinical Leads reporting to her/him. The Director of Surgical Services - OSSC assists Managers/Leads to prioritize specific unit objectives, to plan for future program growth and development, to focus on quality improvement initiatives, productivity initiatives and to recruit and retain the nursing staff required to assure that patient care is delivered according to the Mission and Values of Northern Light Mercy Hospital.
The incumbent performs duties in accordance with performance standards. The incumbent may have access to highly confidential patient, employee, and Northern Light Mercy Hospital proprietary information, and must handle and protect the information in accordance with hospital and system policies, HIPAA requirements, and the highest level of ethical standards. The incumbent is responsible for reporting all security events, potential events, and other security risks to the organization. The incumbent is accountable for employee safety and will attend safety and loss-control training, engage in injury prevention, perform accident and injury investigations including conducting root cause analysis, and assist in returning employees to regular duty. The incumbent is responsible for participating in and completing all patient safety initiatives appropriate to the position and conducts all job responsibilities according to the Mission and Values of Northern Light Mercy Hospital.
Responsibilities:
Corporate Compliance
• Communicates and enforces the system-wide Corporate Compliance program for Northern Light Health.
• Reports any potential or real ethical, legal, or regulatory violations to the Corporate Compliance Officer.
• Encourages staff to report Corporate Compliance issues either directly or through the Northern Light Mercy Compliance Line (may be anonymous).
• Assists with investigations into alleged violations, and the development and implementation of disciplinary and/or corrective action as indicated.
• Continually assesses the department for compliance with all federal, state, local and other regulatory (The Joint Commission, OSHA, CMS etc.) requirements.
• Completes annual staff training, ensuring staff understanding of participation in the above.
Performance Management
• Delegates overall responsibility for personnel management issues, including employee relations, issue resolution, and discipline and advises the AVP Surgical Services/Vice President Nursing & Patient Care Services as problems arise. Works in advisory capacity to direct report leaders.
• Meets regularly with staff, peers, and physicians to plan, problem solve, and to promote collaboration across a multidisciplinary team.
• Encourages integration with the community through effective communication and public relations programs.
• Represents Northern Light Mercy Hospital with other health organizations, government agencies, and third-party payors.
• Reviews productivity indicators, monitors and holds direct report leaders accountable for operational indicators
• Ensures high performing staff teams in all areas.
• Provides appropriate training and develops leadership.
• Incorporates the organizational mission and goals into yearly written operating goals and objectives for the designated division (Surgical Services).
• Completes and administers assigned performance and salary reviews in a timely, fair, and consistent manner.
• Conducts performance evaluation conferences that are instructive, informative, and promote interactive communication and participation.
• Provides positive and constructive feedback to direct report leaders on an ongoing basis.
• Assists direct report leaders to assess and provide for the competency needs and the staff and assists them in planning to address staff learning needs.
• Assists direct report leaders to assess their own training and development needs, and assists them in addressing those needs – may provide direct training and development programs for direct report leaders when appropriate.
• Sets challenging goals with key outcome measures to develop best practice programs direct report leaders’ accountability.
• Demonstrates willingness to accept feedback from subordinates, peers, and supervisors, and to adjust and/or improve performance or behavior, absent or defensiveness.
Participative Management
• Participates with other leaders in the hospital’s decision-making structures and processes.
• Exercises leadership style that fosters collaboration to achieve consensus and cooperation.
• Participates as a Patient Care Services representative on multidisciplinary committees internal and external to the organization.
• Supports and integrates the role of the division into Patient Care Services, and into the strategic direction of the hospital’s goals and objectives.
• Takes timely and appropriate actions to resolve identified issues.
• Exercises patience and control, particularly in difficult or stressful situations. Resolves conflict, or assists direct report leaders to resolve conflict, in a creative, effective, and timely manner.
• Develops long and short-term division goals and provides direction for the development of new nursing initiatives or programs.
• Demonstrates an organizational perspective and concern about the impact of decisions and actions.
• Serves as a role model in promoting positive customer relations and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of various customers (patients, families, staff, physicians, and the community).
• Effectively handles or assists direct report leaders to handle, situations involving customer complaints or policy non-compliance.
• Ensures patients right to confidentiality/privacy.
• Develops multidisciplinary programs, systems, and processes that support the provision of excellent patient care.
• Delivers results on supply chain management targets by actively engaging providers and staff in cost reduction of supplies and equipment.
Quality Management
• Guides the development of policies, procedures, and standards, that clearly describe the patient care provided within the appropriate units and division of Patient Care Services.
• Hold direct report leaders accountable for the development and implementation of individual unit quality improvement plans.
• Ensures that division/department activities are coordinated with hospital quality improvement goals by participating with organizational leadership in planning, implementing, and evaluating quality improvement initiatives for the organization.
• Provides direction for direct report leaders in maintaining compliance with regulations, accreditation, and legislation affecting the units within the division.
• Balances creativity and risk taking with practicality and accountability for achieving quality outcomes.
• Supports multidisciplinary quality initiatives.
• Program quality metrics are identified, tracked and trended with results distributed to AVP Surgical Services/Vice President of Nursing & Patient Care Services, Surgical Service Steering Council, Quality committee, and other committees as appropriate.
• Facilitates achievement of the objectives of the Surgical Improvement Plan and Center of Excellence initiatives.
• Patient/customer satisfaction is tracked and trended with interventions taken as needed to improve scores.
Operations Management: Working collaboratively with the physicians and Program Managers determines desired outcomes, justifies costs and benefits; sets realistic goals and schedules. Structure department positions for the effective handling of work objectives.
• Develop with peers and AVP Surgical Services/Vice President of Patient Care Services vision and direction for Patient Care Services within the scope of organization wide priorities.
• In collaboration with direct report leaders, develops strategic direction, prepares individual unit operating and capital budgets, ensuring that they are consistent with organizational fiscal targets.
• Structure division and unit positions for the effective handling of work objectives within the financial parameters of the operating budget.
• Assists direct report leaders to trend and use financial information, identify variances, and understand the operational reasons for variances.
• Plans with direct report leaders to correct unfavorable variances to maintain budget objectives.
• Provides guidance and support for the implementation of programs that enhance operational effectiveness and/or streamline operations.
• Continually monitors operational and business plan goals and initiates appropriate changes.
• Achieves improvement in care delivery through critical review of systems and clinical standards to achieve measurable outcomes.
• Develops educational activities including unit or program specific orientation for staff, in-service education, and continuing education to meet licensing and regulatory requirements.
• Works with individual managers from applicable departments to identify and develop opportunities for revenue and/or service volume growth and/or limit expenses.
Change Management: Demonstrates a commitment to high standards and professionalism, which is reflected in leadership and initiative for the professional growth of staff.
• Explores and creates new opportunities for new services and developments across organization.
• Leads initiatives within the division to change structure, systems, skill mix, or processes to support the business strategy of the organization more effectively.
• Serves as a role model for change and cooperation for orderly change expected from others.
• Maintains effective relationships and communications system-wide.
• Incorporates knowledge of current issues and changes in health care into the decision-making process in planning for current and future patient care delivery systems within the division.
• Ensures that patient and provider relations are central to our success.
• Creates new opportunities to advance in competitive market arena.
Program Development: Assesses the programs, processes, and systems; evaluates the need for improvement, and facilitates the change process to meet the needs. Assesses the provision of patient care and evaluates systems that support the provision of patient care.
• Researches market and presents niche opportunities to develop within surgical program collaboratively with providers based on sound judgment.
• Conducts an annual assessment of the activities and programs within scope of responsibility.
• Develops multidisciplinary programs, systems, and processes that support the provision of excellent patient care.
• Takes active leadership role in exceeding expectations in program development and achieving measurable outcomes.
• Monitors outcomes of programs/system/process changes and provides organizational leadership for improvement initiatives.
• Prepares business plans utilizing program evaluation concepts to explore and develop new programs, including recommendations for space and other resources needed.
• Forecasts predicted growth in volume and revenue.
• Translates organizational mission and goals into written operating goals and objectives.
• Project management plan for achieving the objectives of Surgical Improvement Plan and Center of Excellence status is implemented with responsible parties and deadlines identified.
• Effective Physician/provider relations and coordination between various departmental processes based on application of sound process improvement, strategic business planning and focused on the delivery of patient quality of care and service.
• Works collaboratively, as point person for Providers and office staff, to ensure service expectations are defined and exceeded.
• Overall strategic direction of program is compliant with Norther Light Mercy Hospital’s Compliance Program, Strategic Plan, Mission and Values as well as The Joint Commission and other government and non-government rules and regulations.
• Marketing and promotion campaigns are planned and executed.
• Conducts satisfaction surveys with providers to continually improve relationships and collaboration in program results.
Professional Development.
• Actively seeks opportunities to further own professional growth.
• Actively involved in state and national associations to stay abreast of issues.
• Role model for professional leadership.
• Demonstrates an acceptance and ability to coach, counsel, motivate, and direct regarding job performance and work behavior.
• Maintains membership in and contributes to the work of professional organizations.
• Conducts evaluative research designed to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of patient care and publishes findings as appropriate.
• Supports staff development programs and promotes an atmosphere of continuing education and professional identity.
• Demonstrates a commitment to advanced education by serving as a mentor and as a preceptor to graduate students.
• Demonstrates proficiency in business planning and strategic program development.
• Performs additional duties as required or assigned.
Competencies and skills:
Essential:
* Minimum of five (5) years experience in supervisory/management role in acute care setting required. The Director of Surgical Services - OSSC is required to exercise a high degree of independent judgment and creativity to identify problems, analyze data, develop solutions, and meet program goals. Demonstrated ability to determine the key business issues and develop appropriate action plans from multidisciplinary perspectives. Demonstrated ability to lead professionals and manage others through influence and collaboration. Demonstrated ability to conduct and interpret quantitative and qualitative analysis. Experience with physician relations, group leadership, organizational services and financial planning required. Demonstrated ability to organize, direct and accomplish multiple tasks is required. Incumbent must have effective communication skills, ability to deal well with people, ability to problem solve, ability to appropriately confront issues, ability to motivate others as individuals and as a group, ability to plan, organize and direct the activities of others. Incumbent must be knowledgeable of healthcare laws, regulations, accreditation requirements, clinical practice standards, budget development and productivity management, leadership and management methods, and quality improvement concepts. Must be self-directed and innovative in their approach. Must have strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Must have excellent interpersonal skills, verbal and written.
* Achieves Results: Sets high standards for their own outcomes and seizes opportunities to engage others towards objectives. Consistently moves forward with direct actions in order to attain or exceed objectives. Manages their own time effectively to accomplish assigned tasks. Successfully prioritizes multiple projects and duties as needed.
* Acts Strategic: Creates effective plans that anticipate future consequences and opportunities and is able to connect the day to day operations to longer-term objectives, shifts in the industry, and system goals.
* Applies Business Acumen: Demonstrates knowledge of current and future trends that impact organizational success. Applies proven practices and business theories to get results that meet financial as well as other business goals. Recognizes opportunities for new services and products and acts accordingly, taking measured risks into consideration. Possesses a thorough knowledge of their field and independently carries out their work in accordance with professional standards of the profession.
* Behaves with Integrity and Builds Trust: Acts consistently in line with the core values, commitments and rules of conduct. Leads by example and tells the truth. Does what they say they will, when and how they say they will, or communicates an alternate plan.
* Cultivates Respect: Treats others fairly, embraces and values differences, and contributes to a culture of diversity, inclusion, empowerment and cooperation.
* Demonstrates Emotional Intelligence: Exhibits a high level of self-awareness, self-management, other awareness and relationship management. Conducts themselves in an empathic, appropriate way, with a sense of humor and stimulates a collaborative work environment. Is respectful of the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others and aware of the influence of their own behavior on them. Is aware of relevant social, political, system, and professional trends and developments and uses this information for the organization's benefit.
* Fosters Accountability: Creates and participates in a work environment where people hold themselves and others accountable for processes, results and behaviors. Takes appropriate ownership not only of successes but also mistakes and works to correct them in a timely manner. Demonstrates understanding that we all work as a team and the quality and timeliness of work impacts everyone involved.
* Fosters Innovation: Employs and encourages the use of meaningful creativity in solving challenges. Proactively identifies opportunities and uses new approaches to enhance processes, systems and services. When appropriate, suggests or initiates new strategies, products, services, and markets.
* Influences and Inspires: Builds enthusiasm and commitment among others to move in a desired direction and models it personally. Creates a compelling vision of success that motivates workplace initiative and energizes others to follow. Provides direction and guidance to encourage cooperation between team members in order to attain an objective. Has the ability to appropriately influence others' actions and decisions with and without express authority.
* Practices Compassion: Exhibits genuine care for people and is available and ready to help; displays a deep awareness of and strong willingness to relieve the suffering of others.
Credentials:
Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Maine required.
Education:
Essential:
* Undergraduate nursing degree required. Master’s Degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, or Business is required.
Working conditions:
Essential:
* Lifting, moving and loading less than 20 pounds.
* Continuous sitting.
Equal Opportunity Employment
We are an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, protected veteran status, national origin, genetic information or any other legally protected status