Operations Manager

About the role

Provides administrative oversight, business management, and program development for one or more ambulatory services. Ensures optimal patient access, customer satisfaction, and cost-effective management of the practice. Works in collaboration with the Medical Director(s) and the Nurse Manager in a matrix management team. Supervises all administrative and non-clinical support staff. Monitors compliance with managed care plans. Establishes work procedures and standards to improve efficiency and effectiveness in all practices. Identifies opportunities to increase patient volume and services while continuing to control expenses in the corporation.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements long and short range business plans for practices.
• Meets regularly with the appropriate clinical leaders in each practice.
• Analyzes information, develops strategies to improve operations and enhance service delivery; implements changes in conjunction with and advise from the management team.
• Acts as the liaison with other hospital departments to resolve problems that interfere with the efficient operation of the practices.
• Develops practice performance standards in conjunction with the management team.
• Makes decisions and implements changes to improve practice efficiency.
• Controls purchase and distribution of supplies in the practices.
• Develops and implements cost-effective operational adjustments as appropriate to enhance practice efficiency.
• Ensures that practices provide service/care that meets or exceeds patient care standards.
• Solicits patient feedback on service delivery for both providers and staff, takes immediate steps to respond to any complaints or indications of insufficient levels of service.
• Ensures that all staff recognizes that customers are both internal (employees, physicians, other departments) and external (patients, families, insurers) and demonstrates skills appropriate to good service (reliability, empathy, courtesy, etc.).
• Ensures that staff responds promptly and appropriately to customer needs.
• Ensures that staff effectively communicates with customers to address needs and problems.
• Ensures that staff maintains confidentiality for all patient interactions.
• Develops, monitors, and revises the practices’ schedules to ensure efficient patient flow and access.
• Works closely with the appropriate Medical Director and/or physicians to adjust provider schedules to account for planned absences.
• Reviews monthly statistical reports with information regarding numbers of patients scheduled for each practice, number of appointment no-shows, number of sessions cancelled by providers, etc.
• Prepares special and periodic reports for the management team.
• Develops and implements strategies to improve patient access, in collaboration with practices’ and hospital leadership.
• Provides close oversight and supervision of the registration process within the department.
• Hires, disciplines, and fires clerical support staff, within the prescribed policies of the hospital.
• Interprets and enforces hospital and practice policies for all employees; ensures conformance to Boston Medical Center labor agreements and grievance process.
• Represents the department at labor/management hearings; assists in preparation of materials for hearings and arbitration cases, as needed.
• Works collaboratively with Medical Director and/or physicians to ensure consistency and commitment to practices’ goals and policies.
• Establishes standards for an excellent customer service environment in which all patients and staff are treated with dignity and respect.
• Trains and evaluates staff in customer service techniques.
• Assesses the adequacy of staffing levels for non-clinical staff and makes recommendations to management regarding additional staffing needs or role changes.
• Assigns and monitors staff workload to ensure maximum productivity; creates an atmosphere and conditions that motivate employees to work at optimal efficiency.
• Maintains a good working relationship with billing vendor.
• Prepares monthly reports on accounts receivable for review and analysis.
• Works closely with billing vendor to evaluate areas of needed improvement.
• Makes recommendations for improvements and upon approval, implements and monitors account receivable status.
• Monitors coding requirements and submissions to maximize revenue and comply with regulations.
• Annually reviews fee schedule to ensure appropriateness of charge level.
• Keeps up to date on laws, regulations and healthcare trends that affect the practices’ business systems and operations.
• Develops the annual operating budget in collaboration with clinical leaders, and monitors expenditures regularly to ensure the practice’s compliance with budget.
• Provides financial analysis and benchmarking reports.
• Identifies opportunities for financial improvements.
• Develops the capital budget request for the practices with input from the management team and providers.
• Works with vendors to develop accurate specifications and cost for needed capital equipment and furnishings.
• Demonstrates cost consciousness by comparing and analyzing practice sites expenditures monthly and effectively utilizing staff, space, and supplies within budgetary constraints.
• Identifies opportunities to increase patient volume and services while continuing to control expenses in the corporation.
• Coordinates housekeeping, maintenance and repairs for the practices, ensuring that all areas, equipment, and furnishings are kept clean and in good repair.
• Program Planning and Development
• Develops plans for practice expansion and growth, including the identification of financial resources to fund expansions.
• Submits plans to management.
• Implements approved plans.
• Works with architects and contractors to develop plans which will maximize provider productivity and enhance patient and staff satisfaction.
• Covers all aspects of construction and moves with appropriate hospital departments.
• Quality Improvement
• Participates in practices’ and hospital-wide quality assurance activities.
• Leads practices, efforts in continuous quality improvement by involvement in teams as appropriate and by supporting changes recommended through the continuous improvement process.
• Ensures compliance with standards and regulations from federal, state and local governments, as well as other regulatory bodies such as The Joint Commission.
• Ensures that all staff attends mandatory BMC training sessions, receive annual TB testing, etc.
• Resolves patient complaints emanating from areas of responsibility.
• Ensures that all significant patient complaints are reported promptly to the Patient Advocate or Director of Quality Improvement.
• Other:
• Works with appropriate personnel within the practices and the hospital to develop and implement marketing strategies for the practices.
• Affirms representation of assigned practices at community events to ensure the practice’s presence in the community.
• Stays abreast of health care topics that may interest the community.
• Coordinates physician attendance at lectures and/or health fairs in the community.
• Utilizes hospital's behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to facilitate the department and the hospital’s mission.
• Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures.
• Performs other duties as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree of Arts or Science or equivalent work experience.
• Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related fields strongly preferred.
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent plus 5-7 years of related experience (Must have at least 3 years management and budget experience).

Skills

• Ability to work collaboratively in medical matrix team, and the ability to adequately represent needs of medical services, and work with multiple physicians of numerous specialties.
• Comprehensive knowledge of clinical operations, hospital financial and human resources processes.