Strategic Director of Case Management & Social Services

At Houston Methodist, the Director Case Management & Social Services RN position is responsible for strategy, function and operations of the Case Management & Social Work department. This position is an integrated, interprofessional role which supports caregivers to provide the highest quality, most clinically appropriate care to patients while promoting the most cost-effective utilization of the hospital's resources. The Director Case Mgmt Social Svcs position deploys population-focused teams to enhance consistent clinical, service and financial outcomes through the implementation of exemplar practice. This position provides leadership and direction to Managers and Staff as appropriate. The Director Case Mgmt Social Svcs position is responsible for quality, functional excellence and accomplishment of strategic and operational objectives.

The Director position responsibilities include overseeing the activities of the department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency to accomplish strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position is accountable for employee engagement, adequate staffing levels, budget development and compliance, staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work-related performance, and developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also ensures training, monitoring and operations initiatives are implemented which secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/ regulatory/government regulations.

FLSA STATUS
Exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Master’s degree or obtain within two years; must be currently enrolled in a degree program at time of hire/transfer

EXPERIENCE

• Five years of people management experience in a healthcare environment; for internal employees, four years of people management experience in healthcare with HM performance that demonstrates leadership responsibility

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Required

• RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure - Texas Board of Nursing_PSV Compact Licensure – Must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days (if establishing Texas residency) and
• Magnet ANCC-recognized Case Management certification within 1 year

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing 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 about activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• 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
• Extensive knowledge of regulatory and accreditation agency requirements that impact department; stays abreast of industry changes
• Demonstrates highly effective communication skills—strong written communications and platform presentation abilities
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace
• Capable of leading teams/facilitating groups, building consensus and garnering highest confidence in professionalism and work product by senior leadership
• Ability to work under pressure and balance many competing priorities; highly responsive and solution/action oriented
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, InterQual preferred
• Maintains a positive and supportive attitude and demeanor
• Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information
• Excellent analytical skills
• Advanced negotiation and mediation skills
• Advanced time management and prioritization skills
• Expert collaboration skills

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Directs, develops and implements strategic and operational/high level projects and processes either through independent/highly autonomous work or through the facilitation of work teams to enable the effective and efficient completion of objectives.
• Oversees management of and ensures development for staff to meet overall objectives in terms of quality, service and cost-effectiveness. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Directs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees.
• Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.
• Provides 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.
• Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals. Drives the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.
• Drives and establishes relationships with medical staff, promotes teamwork while ensuring patient care issues are addressed.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Oversees department operations, designated projects, schedules and activities as needed to ensure that goals or objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. 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.
• Sets direction for Case Management/Social Services which supports strategic and operational plans, and overall healthcare trends, by establishing goals and outcomes that are aligned with performance expectations and establishing targets and processes to support initiative of clinical quality and length of stay.
• Address patient complaints, conducts physician education regarding discharge planning, progression of care, documentation of improvement, and Medicare Conditions of Participation.

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. Responsible for staff maintenance of credentials and competencies, per accrediting/ licensing agency and/or department guidelines as applicable.
• Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes and information systems by monitoring and improving the department workflow and enhancing operations, using peer-to-peer accountability and identifying solutions via collaboration. Implements process improvements utilizing tools such as lean principles. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.
• Responsible for employee compliance to policies and procedures and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., licensure/certification compliance, focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).
• Partners with physicians, quality, palliative care and other departments to identify strategies to improve the mortality index and readmission of patients.
• Identifies initiatives to progress patient care, work with the interdisciplinary team to ensure a safe and efficient discharge plan, as demonstrated by system goals, i.e., avoidable days.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops and manages department operational and capital budgets, approvals, and ongoing maintenance of the department(s), ensuring operation in a cost-effective manner. Proactively identifies and plans for capital needs related to current equipment and future department projects. Ensures staffing plans and schedules meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.
• Creates department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.
• Ensures that outcomes management activities are integrated and maintained in a clinically appropriate manner. Identifies and plans strategies to reduce length of stay and resource consumption while providing excellent customer/patient service.
• Plays a leadership role in utilization review committee which includes identification of opportunities for appropriate utilization of resources to avoid denials and resource management as it pertains to delivery of care.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department, entity or system operations by leading unit projects and/or other department/system-directed activities. Proactively leads task forces and committees. May represent HM at assigned community or professional organization meetings
• Drives 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. Partners effectively with stakeholders as appropriate.
• Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates My Development Plan (MDP) on an ongoing basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development and MDP.
• Creates and maintains an effective and innovative care management program by staying abreast of new innovations and trends in the areas of care coordination, evidence- based practice, utilization management, and service excellence. Disseminates information and focuses the efforts of the organization on skills required and critical milestones for advancing outcomes-focused care.
• Partners with community providers to address quality of care, social determinants of health, and population management.

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

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Master’s degree or obtain within two years; must be currently enrolled in a degree program at time of hire/transfer

EXPERIENCE

• Five years of people management experience in a healthcare environment; for internal employees, four years of people management experience in healthcare with HM performance that demonstrates leadership responsibility

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Required

• RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure - Texas Board of Nursing_PSV Compact Licensure – Must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days (if establishing Texas residency) and
• Magnet ANCC-recognized Case Management certification within 1 year

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