Summary:

The Assistant VP reports to the Vice President, Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute (SVHI) with dotted line responsibility to the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Executive of the Health System and is responsible for providing leadership and oversight for designated operational and management activities within the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute. The Assistant VP of SVHI assists in developing the patient care delivery system and operations across the clinical enterprise, collaborating effectively with staff, physicians, and other healthcare team members. The position provides cohesive management, supervision, and leadership in the assigned areas such as Cardiac Cath Lab, Electrophysiology, Echo Lab, Cardiac Rehab, and Cardiology Clinics, including by closely communicating with staff, Directors, and Clinical Enterprise leadership, implementing the visions and directions provided by Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute Leadership, and advising them of plans and initiatives based on clinical experience and knowledge in services and day-to-day observation in the areas.

Scope:

UTMB Health System - responsible for all nursing services, procedure areas, and clinics provided by the institute and collaborating with cardiac imaging.



Responsibilities:

• Ensures that the areas within their span of control are meeting and/or exceeding external benchmarks for performance.
• Implements strategies collaboratively with direct reports to achieve objectives.
• Analyzes and monitors the operational performance of assigned departments.
• In collaboration with staff, Physicians, and Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute Leadership, leads, designs, and implements efforts to improve operational performance.
• Provides project management leadership as needed and assigned.
• Ensures safe, high-quality care/service for areas of responsibility.
• Ensures that patient-and family-centered care principles are incorporated into operations and seeks opportunities to incorporate the patient's voice into service designs.
• Enhances operational effectiveness, emphasizing cost containment without jeopardizing patient care priorities, improvement, innovation, or quality of care.
• Ensures targets for improvements in patient services, productivity, and cost management are met.
• Assists in new program/service development from an operational perspective.
• Manages and provides status reports regularly to the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute Leadership.
• Participates in implementing the strategic plan for the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute.
• Contributes to establishing a conducive learning environment by providing educational and research experiences to students, residents, fellows, faculty, and staff.
• Provides training and staff development through ongoing in-services.
• Organizes and maintains a formal course of development in cardiac & echocardiography laboratory techniques for trainees, technicians, and support staff.
• Performs procedures as required and assists Medical Directors, physicians, and other professional medical staff with complex technical problems.
• Gathers data and leads the department's quality assurance and improvement plan to achieve a defined quality and appropriateness of quality care services.
• Maintains knowledge of, observes, and enforces the safety measures in the Environment of Care.
• Contributes to the institutional knowledge of the latest trends, practices, and state-of-the-art technology applicable to Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute.
• Ensures that areas of responsibility are managed according to industry best practices, regulatory standards, Joint Commission standards, etc.
• Maintains a continuous physical presence within the service areas and responds to requests for assistance.
• Creatively identifies opportunities for improvement in all aspects of the service areas.
• Facilitates patient flow communication and problem resolution.
• Develops plans and policies for efficient workflow to improve quality and productivity.
• Develops and implements policies and programs.
• Serves as a resource person and role model for staff.
• Encourages participation in all service activities.
• Develop clinical protocols for procedures within Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute.
• Identifies appropriate internal controls for Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute processes and provides mechanisms to monitor and enforce compliance.
• Participates in the selection and purchase of equipment, monitors the status of equipment repairs and preventative maintenance, and gathers data on equipment malfunction and associated downtime.
• Promotes teamwork.
• Demonstrates a high level of productivity and dependability.
• Adheres to internal controls established by the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute.
• Serves, as requested, on task forces, work groups, or committees.
• Networks with other departments and services to further program development.
• Works with projects to a timely resolution, completes assignments according to agreed-upon deadlines, and updates the appropriate persons on the progress of the project(s) as applicable.
• Works diligently with other departments on various projects as necessary or as assigned.
• Assists Medical Directors with accreditation processes.
• Assists the Medical Directors and the hospital administration in advancing the services' personnel professionally.
• Assists the Medical Directors in maintaining quality control of the procedures.
• Assists the Medical Directors in implementing new and advanced techniques for patient care.
• Represents the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute when meeting and working with other components of UTMB.
• Accepts responsibility for personal professional development and demonstrates desire for personal growth.

Resource Management

• Capital budget control.
• Works collaboratively with the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute and Business and Finance leadership to monitor capital expenditures against budget and regularly reconcile with purchasing and fiscal in areas of responsibility.
• Participates in developing a 5-year capital plan for the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute.

Operational Budget Control

• Develops and implements mechanisms to forecast, prepare, and manage annual operational budgets across the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute, including revenue and margin projections.
• Monitors and reports operational and financial management by monthly analysis of actual versus budgeted operating margins to ensure the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute is within budget guidelines.
• Ensures appropriate information is gathered and transmitted in support of billing functions.
• Works with the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute Leadership to develop/modify supply, personnel, capital equipment, and special program budgets under the guidance of the Administration.

Strategic/Business and Program Planning

• Participates in developing and implementing the long-range goals and objectives of the UTMB Clinical Enterprise of Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute. In collaboration with the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute, leadership develops and implements strategic plans for areas of responsibility within areas of responsibility.
• Develops and facilitates consensus among clinical and medical staff for strategic and annual operating plans to achieve UTMB's and Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute's goals.
• Assists in the execution of operationally focused tactics of business plans.
• Participates in appropriate service line activities in collaboration with other institutional leaders.
• Develops a process to ensure timely communications to stakeholders about the status of projects being planned or implemented.
• Monitors performance of services and departments against plan goals.

Service Provider

• Establishes strong collaborative relationships with the Clinical Enterprise Leadership team members, peers, School of Medicine leadership, Business and Finance Leadership, and other constituencies throughout the institution.
• Provides a high standard of customer service to staff, Administration, physicians, and representatives of external organizations.

Personnel Management

• Oversees human resource management within Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute.
• Supports, counsels, develops and evaluates subordinate staff.
• Evaluate staff, monitor performance, and provide guidance to influence staff morale constructively.
• Assures the completion of employee performance evaluations.
• Maintains professional affiliations and enhances professional development to keep current with the latest healthcare trends and developments.
• Assures adequate staffing and optimal human resource performance.
• Provides mentorship and professional development for direct reports.
• Defines all personnel requirements and position competencies for the service jointly with the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute Leadership. Continuously monitors staffing levels and adjusts as appropriate to meet various clinical care and financial objectives.
• Works collaboratively with staff, Physicians, and others to interview, hire, and orient all personnel in conjunction with the Physicians and approval from the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute.
• Objectively evaluates/documents the performance of personnel and takes corrective action as appropriate.
• Assures that staff in the area is trained and competent and documents the effects on patient care.

Communication

• Works with a wide variety of internal and external contacts, including all members of the UTMB administration and employees at all levels of the Clinical Enterprise, to ensure the efficient operations of the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute.
• Collaborates with all members of the leadership team required; provides support for Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute Leadership on projects as assigned.
• Works with the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute to ensure external and internal communications are appropriate, complete, transparent, and professional. Assists by drafting routine communications and assisting in the development of various presentations.
• Effectively communicates with patients and visitors to resolve inquiries (billing, scheduling, etc.).
• Communicates regarding environment and security.
• Identifies and promptly addresses unsafe practices and other safety issues in the service areas.
• Ensures staff participation in all fire safety, infection control, and other mandatory training.

Marginal or Periodic Functions

• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Gathers data and participates in the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute quality assurance and improvement plan.
• Performs related duties as assigned by Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute Leadership.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in management, Health Care Administration, Business Administration or related field plus seven (7) years of relevant experience in administrative leadership of an academic medical center with a focus on Cardiovascular Medicine.
• Registered Nurse. Must possess and maintain a current RN license or valid temporary permit to practice in Texas.
• Nursing specialty certification, such as CVRN, CCRN, or NEA-BC.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in healthcare administration, business administration, or related field.
• Experience in managing physician group practices, including oversight of multiple locations.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

Business knowledge:

• Key knowledge of modern health care administration, principles, and practices within a managed care environment and/or an academic medical center.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of supervision and Administration as applied to the management and direction of personnel within Cardiovascular Service Lines and Heart Hospitals.
• Practical managerial and administrative abilities as applied to the complex environment of an academic health center and Heart and Vascular Institute.

Leadership abilities:

• Ability to implement change in a positive, sensitive, and forward-thinking manner.
• Strategic thinking, planning, and problem-solving.
• Developing goals and objectives and establishing priorities.
• Self-starter with a willingness to try new ideas.
• Sound judgment and the ability to act decisively at the right time.
• Effective problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of and ability to function in a participatory management environment, which involves clinical department chairperson, division chiefs, administrators, and various levels of management.
• Results-oriented.

Human Resources abilities:

• Ability to build collaborative alliances and teams.
• Effective persuasion and negotiation skills.
• Effective interpersonal skills.
• The ability to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction.
• Flexibility and receptiveness to new and different opinions/ideas.
• Ability to create win/win solutions and relationships.
• Ability to effectively deal with conflict management and the skill to anticipate and bring issues to resolution.

Analytic Skills:

• Organization, planning, scheduling, and project management skills.
• Ability to develop and analyze options and recommend solutions to solve complex problems and issues.
• Ability to identify and resolve problems with a minimum of direction.

Communication Skills:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a high degree of professionalism and competence in dealing with multidisciplinary teams, including physicians, Administration, and financial staff.
• Effective verbal, written communication, and group presentation skills.
• Design and implementation of a communication program for the management team.

Equal Employment Opportunity

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.