Director-Perioperative Services Palos Hospital - Northwestern Memorial Healthcare

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

The Director, Perioperative Services is an RN who reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Director, Perioperative Services serves as a department leader with goals of optimal patient outcomes, top decile patient engagement scores, engaged employees and fiscal stewardship.

The Director, Perioperative Services maintains operational and programmatic responsibility for assigned business units and associated projects with the target of advancing the goals of the NM strategic growth plan with an emphasis on institutional level initiatives that integrate people, process and technology. This role is responsible for modeling effective leadership behaviors to achieve organizational outcomes.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborates with Medical Directors, department leaders, staff and members of inter-departmental multidisciplinary teams to optimize patient care and outcomes for the all the perioperative services departments, holding/recovery, surgery, and anesthesia, peri-informatics and preadmission testing patient populations.
• Helps all employees make the connection between NM values, their daily work and patient/customer satisfaction.  Holds leadership teams and staff accountable for modeling service standards and behaviors.
• Demonstrates ability to communicate effectively and respectfully across departments and sectors of organization; within all levels of management; with patients, visitors, other customers, etc.
• Collaborates with hospital leaders in developing, implementing, reviewing, revising and monitoring hospital-wide performance improvement activities.
• Collaborates with the RMG Director(s) of Operations regarding the needs of the outpatient clinics and physician medical group practice patient populations.
• Participates in, or chairs, committees, work groups, and meetings as necessary. Able to demonstrate measurable results and meet target dates.
• Encourages diverse perspectives and solutions, drawing from staff, peers, physicians, patients and other stakeholders.
• Promotes teamwork through effective, professional communication.
• Uses timely, effective communication methods to update staff on departmental and organizational priorities and progress.
• Provides real-time, ongoing and scheduled feedback in a constructive, supportive manner.  
• Develops, measures and monitors budget and business development plans; provides ongoing updates to staff. 
• Participates in product advisory committee(s) to evaluated new products and cost impacts to the surgical departments, orthopedics, neuro, spine, and surgery.
• Practices fiscal accountability. Encourages staff and team accountability by involving them in budget preparation, identifying ideas for increasing efficiency, cost savings, developing and growing the business and existing services. 
• Responsible for capital planning, projects and expenditures for all of surgery, holding/recovery, anesthesia in collaboration with capital sourcing, construction, IT, CE, facilities and other ancillary departments.
• Responsible for financial oversight and performance management of assigned departments/cost centers.
• Directs leadership teams to manage resources efficiently and effectively.
• Effectively represents Palos Hospital and participates in system level initiatives: NM system development, program affiliations, joint ventures, physician alignment initiatives.
• Oversees construction for any planned or future strategic construction projects. 
• Thinks and acts in ways that support NM/Palos Hospital strategy, vision and plans.  Identifies opportunities for new business growth and development, expansion of current services, etc.
• Supports ongoing learning and skill development for self and staff; provides coaching and mentoring; assigns goals, cross-training and other opportunities for professional development within Palos Hospital/NM.
• Creates an environment of partnership, collaboration, seamless quality and service enhancement across teams, departments and divisions of the organization.
• Engages in a formal process seeking feedback regarding one's own practice from peers, professional colleagues, direct reports and others as identified.
• Oversees and directs clinical practice guidelines according to current best evidence.
• Promotes culture of safety and holds teams accountable for using safety tools and behaviors to promote patient and staff safety.
• Serves as a role model in professional behavior, leadership skills, problem-solving ability, coaching, mentoring, risk taking behavior, and interpersonal skills.
• Stays informed of current and emerging issues/trends for areas of accountability within NM and healthcare industry. Communicates and educates leadership team and staff on requirements, changes, advances, opportunities, directions and projections for the future. 
• Collaborates with physicians and hospital leaders in developing, implementing, reviewing, revising and monitoring hospital-wide performance improvement activities.
• Directs and mentors leadership team to facilitate and participate in process/quality improvement activities with measurable outcomes.
• Sets clear expectations for continuous quality and service improvement. Uses internal and external benchmark data and best practices to establish specific targets, timelines and metrics for improvement projects.  Encourages those who identify problems, potential solutions and opportunities.
• Acknowledges and celebrates individual and team contributions and successes. 
• Encourages those who identify problems, potential solutions and opportunities for improvement. Supports and empowers staff in piloting new ideas and solutions.
• Engages leadership team in promotion of shared decision making in a formal structure and informal by involving front line staff in providing input whenever possible.
• Facilitates change readiness and agility among staff and teams. 
• Holds leadership team and staff accountable to provide excellent care to the surgical, holding/recovery, anesthesia patient populations.
• Collaborate with department leadership to identify staff's individual skills and interests; provides timely, positive, constructive feedback; addresses performance gaps and they occur with clear action plans and timelines for improvement.
• Involves staff in planning and decision-making as appropriate. Holds staff accountable for follow-through and results.

Required:

• Minimum of 5 years of healthcare management and/or clinical experience
• Master’s degree in Nursing, MBA, MHA or related healthcare leadership field or current enrollment in aforementioned Master’s Program with completion of said program within 3 years.
• Current Registered Nurse license in the state of Illinois
• BLS certified
• Proven skills in administrative, interpersonal and management skills, excellent judgment and quality assessment skills and a working knowledge of trends in healthcare management, staff issues and economics.

Preferred:

• 10 plus years relevant leadership experience
• Advanced certification in relevant subject area

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.