System Chair of Radiology

Opportunity

Allegheny Health Network (AHN) is a seven-hospital system, employing more than 1,000 physicians and serving as the clinical site for Drexel, LECOM, and Temple Schools of Medicine. Together with Highmark, they have embarked on a five-year clinical integration strategy between all components of the enterprise that will heavily focus on physician leadership and input at all levels of the organization. The new System Chair will be instrumental in that process.

This position is best suited for an individual energized by leading cutting-edge change. The System Chair, Radiology, will drive an enterprise-wide strategy that implements the fundamental shift towards care provision driven through enhanced access and improved service/. Additional key components of the strategy will be a continued emphasis on quality and outcomes and a focus on bending the cost curve towards a model that ensures Highmark Health's vision of “All for Health – Health for All”.

In addition to a strong clinical reputation, necessary skills will be the ability to coalesce physicians from multiple institutions - employed and independent — into a cohesive group, creating a system identity that establishes commonality of standards and processes where necessary, reducing variations in outcomes, and maximizing patient access.

Summary of Position

The role is a physician leader, reporting directly to the System Chief Medical Officer/President, Physician Organization, in a multispecialty group practice and healthcare system. The role is responsible for managing services provided at seven AHN hospitals and 22 outpatient centers. The radiology team is comprised of 42 employed physicians, 28 residents as well as multiple physician extenders and fellows. In addition to managing the employed physicians and staff, the Chairs is responsible for coordinating with independent radiology groups at several of the community hospitals.

The System Chair works with other leaders to ensure that AHN provides outstanding medical care to its patients while servicing as a resource of healthcare excellence for the community. The Chair inspires trust, promotes collegial dialogue, and collaborates in planning and problem solving in an environment that values diversity and enables all colleagues to develop their talents and do their best work.

The position’s span of authority includes service line planning, departmental performance throughout the system, educational and research programs, development of new initiatives and care process improvement plans, safety, and outcomes and resource allocation within the Department.

The System Chair contributes clinical expertise in collaboration with all divisions and departments to achieve goals in clinical practice, research, education, and administration. The System Chair works with the Service Line Vice President as a team and is jointly accountable for the development and execution of the department’s strategic vision and day-to-day operations.

Role of the System Chair

As a physician leader in a multispecialty group practice and health care system, the System Chair works with other leaders to ensure that Allegheny Health Network (AHN) provides outstanding medical care to its patients while serving as a resource of healthcare excellence for the wider community. The Chair inspires trust, promotes collegial dialogue, and collaborates in planning and problem solving in an environment that values diversity and enables all colleagues to develop their talents and do their best work.

The Chair is expected to lead the Department in a manner that contributes to the success of AHN’s mission and exemplifies the qualities of leadership, collaboration, communication and fairness. The Chair will promote comprehensive care for patients to meet the needs of the growing clinical enterprise of AHN, including its hospitals, ambulatory centers, and affiliated medical practices. As a member of AHN’s physician leadership team, he/she remain fully engaged with colleagues from other departments in achieving the enterprise-wide goals related to clinical quality, population health management, effective integration of the clinical enterprise, market share and reputation of the integrated delivery system, regionally and nationally. As the Department’s business executive, the Chair will serve as the CEO for the Department across the health system.  He/She will evaluate the current strengths of the Department, identify areas for productive growth, and also provide strategic direction while monitoring volume and care alignment, clinical quality, operational improvement and financial performance. The Chair will collaborate with other departments, expand faculty, develop new clinical programs, provide effective mentoring, and significantly shape the Department’s future. It is anticipated that he/she will be a visible academic leader as well as a mentor who encourages and supports the professional development of the each faculty member, including her/his active participation in scholarly activities. As well, it is important that the Chair maintain a presence at all network hospitals and engage the physicians in their department to actively participate in medical staff activities at each of the network hospitals and ambulatory facilities.

The Chair’s span of authority includes service line planning, departmental performance throughout the system, educational and research programs, development of new initiatives and care process improvement plans, safety and outcomes and resource allocation within the department.

The Chair contributes clinical expertise in collaboration with all divisions and departments to achieve goals in clinical practice, research, education and administration.  The Chair works with the Service Line Vice President (VP) and the VPs of Practice Management as a team and is jointly accountable for the development and execution of the department’s budget, strategic vision, and day-to-day operations.

The Chair is directly accountable to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO)/President of the Physician Organization for clinical, professional, and administrative matters as well as education, research, and quality issues.

The Chair is responsible for a wide range of clinical, operational, and administrative outcomes.

Patient Care and Professional Practice:

• The Chair will be personally responsible for promoting and maintaining excellence and integrity in patient care and research while continuing to enhance the quality of training in his/her department.
• Ensures that the department demonstrates mastery of clinical field. Promotes and facilitates the sharing of information and advancement of medical knowledge to enhance clinical practice within the department and across departments. Works effectively as a part of an integrated system of care. Acts as a knowledge resource and referral source for his/her department, other departments, and the wider community.
• Ensures that all clinic, regulatory, and accreditation standards and policies are clearly communicated, and that each hospital department fully complies as applicable to their role.
• Develops and maintains an environment for successfully training and educating staff, residents, and students, supports the department’s research and education activities, and ensures that such activities are aligned with strategic objectives.
• Motivates and engages all department leaders in working collaboratively to deliver outstanding care that meets or exceeds the expectations of patients and their families.
• Collaborates with faculty of other clinical departments within AHN and in the community in an effort to create a cost-effective health system that raises quality, enhances outcomes, and preserves consumer choice while being accountable and responsive to patients throughout the care continuum.
• Reviews and recommends new and renewal contracts for physicians within the department.
• Appoints Medical Director/Vice Chair who serves at the discretion of the System Chair
• Ensures clear communication of expectations to all department leaders; conducts performance appraisals at least annually on all Medical Directors/Vice Chairs; creates individualized developmental plans for Medical Directors/Vice Chairs to promote and sustain performance excellence.
• Makes recommendations concerning medical staff rank, classification, appointment, reappointment, and delineation of clinical privileges for all applicants or practitioners within the medical discipline for the AHN and academic rank at the medical school.
• Reviews with the Medical Directors/Vice Chairs medical credentialing criteria.
• Recommends to the Compensation Committee annual compensation for physicians and professional staff that is based on a variety of performance metrics, yearly evaluations, and/or years of service and knowledge of competitive market trends.
• Ensures that the work environment is free from sexual harassment and discrimination for reasons of race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, or mental or physical disability consistent with the policies developed by AHN.
• Assesses colleague satisfaction; encourages conditions that foster satisfaction; promotes changes for improvement when dissatisfaction is indicated.
• Recommends corrective action to the CMO/President of the Physician Organization as part of the disciplinary proceedings for a department or section medical staff member according to the appropriate medical staff by-laws.
• Affirms AHN’s Values through personal example and by celebrating the Principles when observed in action among the patient care team.

Strategic, Operational, and Professional Planning:

• In partnership with the CMO/President of the Physician Organization and Allegheny Clinic management team, AHN is accountable to develop and implement operating and capital budgets for the system department. Monitor and track results and progress measures. Evaluate physicians performance within the department and provide regular feedback to the physicians, including the Vice Chair/Medical Director to ensure that targets are achieved, including but not limited to:

• Patient access/demand
• Patient satisfaction/outcomes
• Productivity
• Patient volumes, referrals, and care alignment
• Appropriateness of care
• Research, publications/extramural funding
• Staff satisfaction and retention
• Financial outcomes
  • Develops and articulates a shared vision for the future of the department that is aligned with the overall strategic plans and goals of the integrated delivery system to include staffing and budget with priority toward sustained enterprise-wide growth.
  • Identifies key performance measures for the department based on strategic objectives.
  • Tracks system departmental performance relative to objectives using benchmark and outcomes data.
  • Communicates results to all departmental members in terms that are understandable and actionable.

Quality Care, Culture of Safety ,and Patient-Focused Service:

• Establishes department quality metrics and the expectation that quality patient care outcomes are the highest priority for all services and processes.
• Promotes a culture of safety.
• Ensures quality customer service principles are applied to all encounters with patients, families, colleagues, suppliers, guests, and members of the wider community.
• Collaborates with hospital management, quality management, and risk management as appropriate to resolve complaints and deficiencies.