This Practice Director position is responsible for ensuring member service, quality of care, and efficient resource utilization within the Northwest Permanente Care Delivery Operations. This position supports the planning, organization, direction, and controls the operation of assigned areas as well as contributes toward the overall development of programs and services to provide for the needs of members, physicians, and clinicians. The Practice Director assists the Senior Practice Directors in providing strategic leadership to departments to ensure equitable distributions of resources and delivery of high quality, cost-effective healthcare and efficient management of staff in accordance with goals, objectives, policies, and applicable regulatory agency rules and regulations.

This position manages major change initiatives and represents operations within the Region with primary accountability for management of projects that cross departmental lines or have regional impact or significance. Additionally, this position will support strategic vision, leadership and oversight to key initiatives and/or teams, assist in definition of required outcomes and milestones, drive performance targets and monitor performance relative to targets, optimize resource utilization, participate in the development of proposals and recommendations, and ensure delivery of needed results.

The Hospital Services portfolio includes numerous on-demand service lines, many of which run 24/7, 365 days per year. This may require a Practice Director within Hospital Services to be available to support Northwest Permanente leadership teams through operational issues as they arise.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the day-to-day operations by facilitating the development, implementation and monitoring of service, quality and utilization standards; continually evaluating and improving delivery of service by initiating and promoting best practice models and monitoring individual and team performance levels to identify areas where improvements are needed or where high performance should be acknowledged.
• Works in partnership with other Kaiser Permanente hospital departments to develop department benchmarks and track against benchmarks. Understands and executes on area strategy and operational needs, including gaining expertise on external market and factors in the area. Manages physician and affiliated clinician professional services in partnership with the Chiefs and/or Physicians in Charge (PICs).
• Train/mentors new Northwest Permanente, Kaiser Health Plan and labor leaders related to leadership and operational goals, objectives, tools, and systems. Serves as key liaison and collaborates with Health Plan and Program-wide Constituencies. Represents NWP Operations in negotiations with OFN-Professional Union.
• Provides strategic analysis and business planning support to evaluate opportunities to reduce costs, improve member service, and improve quality of work life.
• Analyzes and creates systems to match appointment supply with demand and to create close collaboration with Regional Appointment Center to support clinic operational needs. Foster innovation in creating non-visit option for meeting member needs.
• Develops and implements appropriate reporting tools and training / communication activities within and outside the department through leadership and ensuring success of business strategies.
• Prepares special and recurring reports and analyses, internalization studies, business case development.
• Interfaces between Primary Care and Specialty Care and ancillary departments, identifying specific work to be done and resources needed to realize opportunities for improvements in efficiency, care experience, and work life.
• Accountable for project management, coordination, and/or facilitation for designated strategic and operational initiatives.
• Plans and executes department-based budgeting and identifies priorities to best manage both internal and external costs. Monitors department finances that contribute to the overall value metrics.
• Partners with departments on both internal and external financial indicators and develops processes to ensure total capture.
• Contributes to effective and accurate communications, operations, and planning by conducting studies and reporting findings, participating and presenting in special committees and/or projects.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Health Care Administration or related field OR a bachelor's degree AND six (6) years of experience in a directly related field.
• Three (3) years of experience managing business, healthcare administration, financial analysis, or another related field.
• Three (3) years of experience in financial management, budget development, program development, quality improvement and project management.
• Ability to lead in a culturally diverse environment and promote culturally competent care.
• Ability to analyze, integrate and use quantitative data informed decisions about quality improvement and collaborating with clinical staff, back office staff, and team to achieve expected outcomes.
• Ability to attend to details, prioritize and complete multiple tasks independently in a fast-paced environment and following agreed upon timeline.
• Demonstrated understanding of clinical and operational processes, staff licensure/certification, clinical competency requirements and scope of practice concepts.
• Must be able to work in a Labor/Management Partnership environment.
• Ambulatory health care experience preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience in supply-demand modeling and physician scheduling preferred.
• Ability to lead and implement change management and process improvement activities in a complex, healthcare environment.
• Ability to understand complex financial and data analyses and utilize these resources to improve performance.
• Ability to understand and utilize data to improve performance.
• Ability to clearly and effectively communicate, verbally and in written format.

For more information about this position, contact Courtney Johnson, courtney.l.johnson@kp.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Northwest Permanente is an equal opportunity employer committed to fair, respectful, and inclusive workplaces. Applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic or status.