This role will work on creating consistencies in clinical operations while improving delivery of patient care using innovation. Previous clinical operation experience is preferred. Ideal candidates can juggle multiple projects at any given time while connecting those projects to bigger picture system ideas.

At Houston Methodist, the Senior Manager Operations position is responsible for the strategic and ongoing development, direction, supervision and administration of multiple assigned clinics. This position demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction, initiative, effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills. The Senior Manager Operations position is responsible for the efficient and effective practice operations for specialty and/or primary care practices and provides first level problem resolution in compliance with sound business practices. This position manages activities related to financial management, revenue cycle performance, personnel management, operations, clinical service, clinical practice analysis and other activities. The Senior Manager Operations position provides excellent customer service while maximizing clinical revenue through efficient, effective and compliant procedures.
The manager position responsibilities include managing the daily work activities of the work unit/department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency while assisting management in accomplishing strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position provides guidance to staff and is responsible for staffing, budget compliance, contributing to staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and assisting in the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also implements training, monitoring and operations initiatives that secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/ government regulations.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Performs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees in the department. Provides development and mentoring of staff. Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover. Develops direct reports to perform these same functions.

• Provides fair and consistent leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.

• Facilitates and promotes effective team dynamics and teambuilding strategies within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.

• Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.

• Ensures all practice sites consistently achieve desired clinical and management outcomes, including high degree of patient and physician satisfaction. Implements change, demonstrating the ability to motivate employees and follow through.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Plans and organizes day-to-day department operations, schedule and activities. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.

• Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.

• Participates in leadership meetings and committees of the Physician Organization or Hospital. Leads efforts to create an environment of personalized service and engages our patients, staff, and physicians. Manages patient concerns towards service recovery.

• Develops practice metrics to drive and optimize practice performance, including but not limited to staffing benchmarks, panel size, next third available, fill rate, no show rate, double booking strategies, wRVU by specialty. Explains to providers if necessary.

• Ensures primary responsibility for multiple clinic's operations for appropriate staffing levels, productivity, schedules, and assignments. Oversees schedule utilization and call distribution to maximize provider productivity. Conducts regular analysis to ensure that schedules are being utilized to the fullest potential resulting in increased patient access.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines.

• Uses and optimizes information systems to enhance operations; supports entity-specific performance improvement and data management/analysis functions.

• Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes by monitoring and improving the department workflow, using peer-to-peer accountability, and identifying solutions via collaboration. Adopts lean principles in driving process improvements. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.

• Monitors self and employee compliance with policies, procedures, and System HR Standards of Practice and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).

• Drives benchmarks consistent with MGMA industry standards and monitors effectiveness. Ensures appropriate skill sets relative to benchmarks and performance goals.

• Monitors each location's key operational indicators including financial and quality metrics e.g. in basket utilization, clinical close rate, etc. Assesses current performance and develops action plans to achieve optimal performance.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists in the development of department budget and ensures that the department operates in a cost effective manner. Manages/audits department expenses within approved budget parameters, ensuring that the department meets the budgeted/flex revenue and/or expense targets on a monthly and annual basis. Develops staffing plans and schedules to meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.

• Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, developing others to do the same, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.

• Conducts analysis on all clinic operation-related areas such as utilization, revenue enhancement opportunities, and cost-reduction opportunities across all practices. Prepares monthly reports for Administrator highlighting variances. Produces fee check analysis in compliance with provider contract.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department operations or other department-specific measures by leading unit projects and/or other department/system directed activities. Supports change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.

• Proactively evaluates processes; recommends and implements action plan(s) for change; follows through to ensure effective, sustainable change. Participates in the development and implementation of new procedures and the review and revision of existing procedures.

• Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals.

• Seeks opportunities to identify developmental needs of self and staff and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates My Development plan on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development.

• Actively works with department staff and Physicians to ensure electronic medical record (ERP) optimization, in addition to developing strategies to ensure patient satisfaction consistently meets or exceeds organizational goals.

• Seeks out service line growth opportunities, develops business plan including reimbursements, return-on-investment and proforma, and implements upon approval. Partners with Administrator on faculty recruitment, contract negotiations, and physician marketing efforts to increase visibility within the community and patient census.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Master's degree required, Business or Healthcare Administration preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Five years management experience; may consider HM employee with four years experience who demonstrates progressive leadership abilities

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate through a variety of channels with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles; engages the recipient(s) and helps them understand and retain the message

• Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization

• Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one's own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved

• Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills

• Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences

• Ability to work effectively in a fast paced environment

• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace

• Skilled at managing multiple projects with conflicting priorities

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group - As one of the nation’s leading hospitals and academic medical centers Houston Methodist has brought together some of the nation’s leading experts in multiple specialties to serve our patients.  As part of Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group (HMSPG), these specialists not only provide excellent clinical care, but are on the forefront of research, developing leading-edge technologies and treatments, and teaching the medical pioneers of tomorrow.  This combination of clinical service, research and academics ensures patients have access to the latest in treatments and technologies while providing the best in comprehensive patient care.  Established as a non-profit corporation and certified by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, HMSPG enables physicians to maintain autonomy with respect to their clinical practice while growing their practice within an academic environment.