Region Director Cancer Operations

Overview

In 2020 united in a fierce commitment to deliver the highest quality care and exceptional patient experience Virginia Mason and CHI Franciscan Health came together as natural partners to build a new health system centered around the patient: Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. Our combined system builds upon the scale and expertise of our nearly 300 sites of care including 11 hospitals and nearly 5000 physicians and providers. Together we are empowered to make an even greater impact on the health and well-being of our communities.

Responsibilities

This job is responsible for planning, directing and evaluating the provision of a standardized delivery of clinical services for the assigned Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) service line in accordance with the professional standards of the clinical disciplines, applicable regulatory requirements and business/patient care objectives of the organization. An incumbent provides operational leadership in assessing, developing and implementing initiatives/activities which improve financial performance/productivity, maximize effective utilization of resources, enhance patient outcomes/service satisfaction of all identified customer groups and generate a competitive advantage for VMFH. An incumbent works in close collaboration with the Franciscan Medical Group and other regional departments/services lines with respect to business plan development and to coordinate services across the care continuum.

Work also includes: 1) developing/managing the operations/capital budgets for the assigned departments; 2) analyzing current/new service delivery models to develop change recommendations; 3) developing/implementing/monitoring quality improvement initiatives to enhance/streamline current procedures/processes and take advantage of system-wide synergies; 4) establishing and ensuring that overall objectives relating to consistency of standards and customer service are achieved; and 5) directly supervising subordinate service line management staff.

Job duties require considerable knowledge of the specialized principles and practices related to health care management in order to evaluate and make viable recommendations for the improving health care delivery system(s) and enhancing organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Also requires knowledge of service line clinical operations and considerable management expertise relating business development, process improvement, budget administration and personnel management. Performance improvement efforts cover a variety of processes, and an incumbent must be sufficiently knowledgeable to recognize important synergies and opportunities in clinical outcomes, cost containment, patient safety/satisfaction and regulatory compliance.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS INCLUDE:

Business Development:
Cultivates and maintains professional relationships with primary customers of the clinical area(s) including medical directors, physicians, physician groups, patients, supply vendors and external entities to foster opportunities for revenue enhancement, enhanced customer service and to positively impact core clinical measures.

Operational Accountability:
Plans, directs and evaluates, through subordinate directors/managers, the programs, systems, operations and resources of the service line to assure the safe and appropriate delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic patient care, achievement of clinical core measurement scores, and to ensure that all activities are conducted in a timely and cost-effective manner and in compliance with organizational values, professional standards, internal policies/standards/procedures and applicable regulatory requirements; produces and presents reports on key performance indicators and other significant benchmarking metrics.
Directs all aspects of patient care within the clinical area(s) and ensures the application of consistent practices relating to clinical/administrative operations, customer service, human resources activities and VMFH standards; collaborates with medical staff to develop and implement new clinical systems/programs to enhance existing services and raise the standard of care for the patient population served.

Collaborates with FMG and other VMFH management/staff in the common goal of standardization, integration and enhancement of the continuum of services available within the service line; participates in the system-wide evaluation of processes and practices to determine the need for change to accommodate shifting business priorities, conditions and objectives.
Directs the development, implementation and evaluation of new/revised standards, policies, procedures, guidelines, training materials and/or general communications in support of the service line to ensure consistency with the philosophy/values of the organization and compliance with applicable regulatory/accreditation requirements; reviews training materials prior to assimilation into training curricula; ensures that all clinical and related support activities are fully documented in accordance with the standards and practices of the organization; ensures that employees understand and apply internal guidelines appropriately, and monitors compliance with all regulatory requirements.

Short- and Long-Term Planning:
Anticipates and recognizes the evolving factors that affect current/future needs and address matter such as: provision of new services, standardization of policies/practices across the organization, maximizing revenues, cross-selling services, improving efficacy/cost-effectiveness of clinical services provided, enhancing patient outcomes/satisfaction and others of similar complexity and consequence; understands and ensures the full optimization of available information technology to achievement of overall business objectives; develops formal strategic/tactical plans, to include both short- and long-term business planning, with full accountability for achievement of plan objectives; presents and gains support for recommendations and directs project management efforts to develop/implement planning objectives.

Performance/Quality Improvement:
Develops, implements, monitors and evaluates systems/initiatives/programs to facilitate performance/quality improvements in keeping with strategic objectives and regulatory requirements; conducts ongoing assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the assigned clinical area(s) to better understand/identify future needs and challenges; evaluates existing systems/program/priorities and future potential to make recommendations for growth, expansion, new services and solvency of existing services based on market demographics and volume projections; develops and presents comprehensive recommendations regarding the viability of specific systems/projects; plans and directs quality process improvement initiatives/projects to ensure achievement of business objectives.

Relationship Development/Team Work:
Establishes and maintains a positive culture that fosters teamwork, creativity and innovation; models personal responsibility/accountability balanced with risk-taking and innovation; engages key partners so as to benefit from multiple perspectives and skill sets.

Cultivates and maintains professional relationships with primary customers of the clinical area(s) including medical directors, physicians, physician groups, patients, supply vendors and external entities to foster opportunities for revenue enhancement, enhanced customer service and to positively impact core clinical measures.

Resource Management/Budget Administration:
Determines resources needed to accomplish the performance objectives of the service line and oversees activities and resources in a manner that is fiscally responsible and in accordance with VMFH policies and standards; prepares, or directs the preparation of, the annual service line operating/capital budget; identifies, aligns and optimizes resources to positively impact organizational strategies towards achievement of goals; exercises effective cost control by monitoring and adjusting expenses as needed to stay within budget; ensures that administrative infrastructure is in place to maximize revenue capture; approves expenditures within defined scope of responsibility; identifies negative variances and develops action plans to document, address and effectively resolve in a timely manner; oversees the preparation of complete and accurate financial, budget, activity and productivity information, including variance reports, financial projections and other statistical reports; keeps President apprised of all issues with potential for budgetary impact.

Staff Management and Development:
Plans, directs and evaluates the work of administrative and clinical management/non-management staff in accordance with the content, spirit and intent of applicable internal/external regulations and standards for human resource management; ensures adequate staffing levels for appropriate coverage to meet budgetary and operational objectives; ensures that employees are qualified and properly trained to perform assigned job duties; holds regular management meetings and keeps employees appraised of all matters relevant to successful job performance; makes employment decisions, establishes performance standards and evaluates employee performance; educates, guides, counsels and develops staff and addresses performance management concerns and technical issues elevated by subordinates as beyond their scope of authority.

Regulatory Compliance:
Ensures full compliance with internal/external legal and regulatory standards and requirements, and that effective control procedures are in place and fully functioning to preclude improprieties from occurring; monitors the effectiveness of current practices in meeting expectations and producing desired results.

Keeps abreast of changing regulatory requirements/regulation, clinical/professional standards, changing customer demographics and competitive industry practices impacting assigned functions, as well as organizational initiatives/changes with potential to impact current strategies, programs and resources; determines nature/scope of impact on existing activities and determines effective response/solution while maintaining acceptable service levels and work quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration or related field and seven years of progressively responsible related work experience that would demonstrate attainment of the requisite job knowledge/abilities, including five years in a leadership/management capacity.
• Proven track record in achieving results through a highly collaborative leadership team (providers, clinicians and managers) is essential to success.

Preferred:

• Work experience in an acute care setting is preferred.
• Experience with multi-site, in- and outpatient operations is desirable.
• Master's degree in healthcare administration or related field, or enrollment in a related Master's degree program, is strongly preferred.