Operations Manager - Cardiology

• Works with the practices and the management team to develop and implement 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.

• Monitors practice performance regularly against those standards and prepares and implements steps to bring the practice into conformance with those standards.

• Develops management reports to measure provider productivity, assesses patient demand for services, determines patient satisfaction and otherwise evaluates the effectiveness of the practices’ operations.

• Develops and implements cost-effective operational adjustments as appropriate to enhance practice efficiency.

• Controls purchase and distribution of supplies in the practices.

• Establishes and maintains inventory system of supplies.

• Works with providers and vendors to procure cost-effective purchases and provide inventory control.

• Attends management meetings, and participates in other hospital committees as required.

• Complies with BMC managerial expectations, such as regular attendance at managers’ meetings, safety training, annual diversity training, etc.

• Calls, prepares agenda for, and participates in monthly meetings with all practice personnel, in consultation with the management team.

• Prepares follow-up work plans to items discussed at the practice meetings, and monitors completion of identified projects and tasks.

• Communicates BMC and/or practice priorities and essential information to staff on a regular basis.

• Maximizes the use of physical space by coordinating the use and assignment of practices’ office and examination space.

• Creates and maintains the Policy and Procedure Manuals. 

Customer Service:

• Ensures that practices provide service/care that meets or exceeds patient care standards.

• Seeks patient feedback on service delivery for both providers and staff, taking 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.

• Ensure that staff effectively communicates with customers to address needs and problems.

• Ensures that staff maintains confidentiality for all patient interactions. 

Patient Access:

• 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. 

Fiscal Management:

• Provides close oversight and supervision of the registration process within the department.

• Ensures that all staff is adequately trained, and serves as the practices’ expert with regard to registration and billing functions.

• Monitors staff adherence to practices’ policies and procedures.

• Supervises the insurance eligibility verification process.

• Establishes controls to oversee the accuracy and completeness of information entered into the patient information systems by clerical staff.

• Performs frequent quality audits; runs registration quality and duplicate registration reports a minimum of once per week, and resolves errors immediately.

• Ensures that all requirements for billing third party payers are met.

• Monitors production reports on a weekly basis to ensure charges are submitted in accordance with organizational standards.

• Ensures compliance with corporate billing protocols.

• Develops and 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.

• Supervises the charge entry operation, and ensures that all charges are entered within twenty-four business hours of the service date.

• Monitors billing edit report on a daily basis, and is accountable for the immediate correction of errors.

• Establishes a charge reconciliation process to ensure 100% revenue capture; runs missing E & M and other financial reports on a regular basis.

• 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. 

Human Resource Management:

• 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.

• Monitors employee needs for training.

• Develops annual training and development plans and makes appropriate arrangements for training in conjunction with each employee.

• Communicates practices’ goals to employees and fosters a work environment that motivates employees to achieve these goals.

• Completes employee performance reviews within a timely manner, and in accordance with BMC policy.

• Provides ongoing assessment and feedback to all employees; develops performance improvement plans where appropriate.

• Evaluates and approves schedule changes and requests for time off, ensuring that the staffing needs of the departments are met.

• Works to resolve any wage, benefit or human resources related problems.

• Oversees payroll, and maintains system to document employee absenteeism. 

Facility Management and Regulatory Compliance:

• 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.

• Coordinates 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.

• Participates in establishing and implementing quality assurance standards.

• 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.

• Assures 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.

• Must adhere to all of BMC’s RESPECT behavioral standards.