Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner - Thoracic Surgery, Quality, Clinical Documentation (Outpatient), Full-time, Days

Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner - Thoracic Surgery, Quality, Clinical Documentation (Outpatient), Full-Time, Days

Northwestern Medicine has an exciting opportunity for either a Nurse Practitioner or a Physician Assistant to work in our outpatient Thoracic Surgery, Quality, Clinical Documentation department.

This role is part of the Clinical Performance & Documentation Integrity Program, an integrated initiative between the Canning Thoracic Institute (NMG) and Clinical Documentation Improvement (NMHC). The program was established after a thoracic surgery pilot demonstrated that targeted, clinician-led documentation improvement meaningfully strengthened the alignment between coded data and clinical reality and produced measurable gains across multiple quality platforms with no change in clinical practice, surgical technique, or patient selection. The improvement came entirely from ensuring the record reflected conditions that were already being clinically managed.

Schedule: M-F, 5x8s

• No nights, weekends, holidays, or on-call

The program is now scaling across the full thoracic surgery service line. APPs are the operational linchpin of this model clinically credentialed documentation experts who make documentation improvement part of the workflow rather than a retrospective coding correction.

• Maintain professional engagement & collaboration with the following:
• Active, valued participation in M&M and multidisciplinary review.
• Effective and reliable performance on the periodic occasions when clinical coverage is requested.
• Engage with respective CDI party (inpatient v. ambulatory)
• Engage with PB Coding, Inpatient coding, and Rev Cycles at NM
• Engage with Physician and APP Support Staff (PASS) Team
• Engage with NM & CTI Quality Committee
• Collaboration with relevant peers within DoS

Performance Expectations:

• Documentation accuracy and integrity
• The medical record for assigned cases reflects the conditions clinically present, the complications encountered, and the procedures performed with the level of specificity supported by the chart.
• Concurrent and retrospective chart reviews are completed on the agreed cadence with consistent, reproducible methodology.
• Documentation queries follow AHIMA/ACDIS standards and are clinically grounded, non-leading, and well-substantiated.
• Sustained Present-on-Admission accuracy and clean PSI/HAC handling on assigned cohorts.
• Quality and benchmarking framework alignment
• STS, Vizient, US News, CMS Star Rating, Leapfrog, and HCC/RAF inputs are populated completely and consistently for assigned cohorts, with data definitions correctly applied.
• Risk-adjusted outcome metrics for the program reflect the true clinical complexity of the patient population i.e., the chart, the coded data, and the reported metric tell a single, coherent story.
• Audit and second-review findings on assigned cases demonstrate documentation that is defensible against external scrutiny.

Program Development:

• Onboarding curriculum delivered and used for every new program hire.
• EHR templates, SmartPhrases, and dot-phrases live in production for thoracic surgery, with documented adoption.
• Clinician-facing documentation reference materials (clinical indicator sheets, framework cheat sheets) maintained current.
• Demonstrated knowledge transfer: subsequent APPs reach independent competency within the agreed onboarding window.

Essential Functions:

• A. Comprehensive Mortality, Morbidity, and Severity Capture
• B. Independent Documentation Refinement After Physician Consultation
• C. Application of Expert Clinical Judgment to Documentation
• D. Education, Training, Onboarding, and Mentorship
• E. Performance Analytics and Continuous Improvement
• F. Compliance and Professional Conduct
• G. Clinical Coverage (As Needed)

Qualifications

Required:

• Master's degree from an accredited school/college of nursing OR master's degree from an accredited Physician Assistant Program
• Current license as a Registered Nurse in the State of Illinois. Current license as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in the State of Illinois. Certification as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse by a national certifying body as approved by the Illinois Department of Regulation APRN Board. Once licensed may apply for a controlled substance license and DEA number OR Master's degree from an accredited Physician Assistant Program/Current license as a Physician Assistant in the State of Illinois. Once licensed may apply for a controlled substance license and DEA number
• Privileged and credentialed through the Medical Staff Office (MSO)
• Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation BLS, issued by the American Heart Association
• Minimum of three (3) years post-licensure APP experience

Preferred:

• Cardiothoracic surgery, cardiothoracic critical care, or surgical critical care experience

Additional Information

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) 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.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.

Sign-On Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.

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