Chief of Body Imaging

Denver Health, the premier safety net institution for the city of Denver and the entire Rocky Mountain region, in collaboration with the University of Colorado, is seeking a Chief of Body Imaging. We are seeking a skilled, visionary, and impactful radiologist leader to define and execute a vision for a world class body imaging section. Responsibilities for the role include growing an efficient, productive, cutting-edge clinical service; nurturing a robust and growing educational program for students, residents, and fellows; and spearheading a research portfolio for the section including clinical, health care delivery, and/or basic science research.

The Organization

Denver Health is an integrated, efficient, academic health care system that is considered a model for the nation. As Colorado’s primary safety net institution, Denver Health provides the full spectrum of medical services from primary to oncologic care. Serving one third of the city of Denver, as well as patients from outside Denver, Denver Health provides primary care services via a citywide network of community health centers, school-based health clinics, and a soon-to-open 7-story 293,000 square foot outpatient medical center. Inpatient services are housed in multiple campus buildings with 555 adult, pediatric, and OB/GYN beds. Denver Health is committed to serving all patients, regardless of the ability to pay.

Denver Health’s Emergency Medicine program is nationally renowned, with over 120,000 patient visits per year, and with a nationally recognized stand-alone emergency medicine residency. Denver Health’s Level 1 Trauma Center is one of the world’s leading trauma centers and has amongst the highest survival rates in the country. The trauma center sees 18,000 patients annually, 2700 of whom are admitted, and many of whom arrive as transfers from any one of 60 regional hospitals. The trauma service is extraordinarily academically productive with millions in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and United States Department of Defense (DoD). The seminal text “Trauma” was authored by Denver Health faculty.

Denver Health is affiliated with the University of Colorado School of Medicine. All faculty at Denver Health have University appointments and are valued participants in University and Department of Radiology functions. Faculty have access to the academic and cultural resources of Denver Health, the University, and other affiliate institutions.

Position Summary

The Chief of Body Imaging will be a nationally known leader in the field of body/abdominal imaging, one capable of vision setting and execution. She or he will have a personal reputation for excellence in clinical care, teaching, mentoring, and scholarship.

The Chief of Body Imaging will execute on the three essential missions of this academic, mission-driven department.

Clinically, the Chief will ensure the body imaging service line is productive, cutting-edge, and collaborative. Imaging of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis comprises the largest share of Denver Health’s Radiology Department’s volume. With our newly opening Outpatient Medical Center, there will be a net expansion of imaging equipment, services, and imaging volume, particularly involving body imaging. Radiologists covering this service interpret inpatient and outpatient CTs, MRs, PET/CTs, radiographs, and ultrasounds, as well as perform targeted fluoroscopy examinations. The Chief will help develop new services and hone those already in existence, with an eye towards continuous improvement, patient satisfaction, and meeting our patients’ and the institution’s needs. In particular, the Department is interested in expanding and advancing our body MRI service line. The Chief will collaborate with executive leadership, department heads, and division leads to develop new services, innovate, and collaborate. A superb working relationship with surgery, internal medicine services, and other referrers is expected.

In the education realm, the Chief will define goals for developing a world class educational environment. The department aims to have robust programs for University of Colorado medical students, including shadowing programs, junior and senior student rotations, and participation in longitudinal integrated clerkships. Denver Health is one of the most highly rated sites for student and trainee education overall, and the Department of Radiology is no exception. University of Colorado radiology residents rotate through the Denver Health Radiology Department, and we would eagerly support expanding the rotational offerings and number of trainees.

In the research realm, the opportunities for the body imaging abound. As a national leader in serving the underserved and caring for trauma patients, there are ample opportunities to publish and speak on the innovative programs and cutting-edge imaging occurring at Denver Health. In particular, we have an almost completely new fleet of imaging equipment across the board, including the latest generation dual energy, wide detector CT scanners and multiple new MRI machines. Collaboration with other productive researchers at the institution is an immense opportunity. Denver Health and the University Colorado are able to provide basic science research resources for physicians interested in that form of research. The Chief is expected to be academically productive with a focus on educational, operational, clinical research, and/or basic science scholarship (depending on the candidate’s interest or background). The Chief is also expected develop and support her or his team in their scholarly endeavors and help set the scholarly vision for the section. Enlisting students and residents in academic endeavors is highly encouraged.

Overall, the Chief must have the ability to engage and inspire others, including physician colleagues, department staff, and others throughout the institution.

Reporting Structure

The Chief will report directly to the Director of Denver Health’s Radiology Department. The Department benefits from extensive administrative support. All radiology staff (technologists, radiology RNs, transporters, clerks, etc.) report within the Department, not to an external hierarchy, so there is alignment of the staff and faculty towards the goals of the Department.

Candidate Qualifications: 

Education/Academic Credentials

• MD, DO, or foreign equivalent medical degree; board certification in Radiology; fellowship training and/or extensive experience in body imaging including body MRI prefered; eligibility for licensure in Colorado
• Academic credentials ideally qualified to be appointed to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor of Radiology; have a demonstrated local and national reputation of excellence in scholarship, teaching/mentoring, and clinical care.

Experience

• Demonstrated success within an academically oriented radiology department.
• A track record of delivering strong results in mission-driven organizations, including demonstrated ability to grow clinical volumes, meet budgets, measure and improve outcomes, and optimize throughput and clinical efficiency
• A history of academic excellence in education and scholarly work.
• Participation in national societies and organizations, preferably with service commitments and experience in local, national, or international speaking/teaching
• Experience mentoring others, including junior faculty, trainees, and students

Position Details, Salary, and Benefits

Diagnostic radiology salaries are highly competitive, and the Chief will also receive an administrative stipend.

Denver Health offers full benefits, including an attractive 401(a) Social Security replacement savings program, a 457(b) retirement savings program, and employer matching contributions. Full details are available online and from human resources.

The Chief will be supported with administrative (non-clinical) time, as well as academic (non-clinical) time commensurate with the Chief’s scholarly experience and qualifications.

Dedicated academic funds cover licensing fees, Board MOC fees, conference attendance, and other academic needs are provided.

Procedure for Candidacy

All candidates will need to submit an application through the Denver Health HR website or candidates can email in a cover letter and CV. If e-mailing, please send a CV and cover letter to: David.Naeger@dhha.org and: aaron.ortiz@dhha.org. All successful received CV/cover letters will result in an e-mail confirmation. 

Nominations of others, expressions of initial interest, or questions can be submitted to Denver Health’s Director of Radiology and/or Denver Health’s Manager of Provider Recruitment. All discussions about this search will be handled in strict confidence.

David M. Naeger, MD

Director of Radiology, Denver Health

Professor and Vice Chair, University of Colorado SOM Department of Radiology

David.Naeger@dhha.org

Aaron Ortiz

Manager, Provider Recruitment

aaron.ortiz@dhha.org

Interviews will proceed over the winter of 2020/2021 with an intended start at the candidate’s convenience, though ideally in late spring or early summer of 2021. Interviews will be conducted remotely, with no required travel, though an optional in-person visit may be considered depending on the candidate’s interest, local laws and regulations, institutional policies, the status of new Covid-19 infections, and other factors.

References will be checked before selecting a final candidate, though reference checking occurs later in the process and will proceed after discussing with the candidate(s) first.

Denver Health values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by law.

Minimum Requirements:

Education: Graduation from an accredited medical school and completed accredited residency programs and fellowships for specialist, or equivalent. Equivalent training for those physicians who are not U.S. residency trained. New finishing residents generally are not expected to be board-certified but should be board-certified within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the Office of Medical Administration. Experience: Requirements will be determined on a position-by-position basis.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of and ability to apply professional medical principles, procedures, and techniques.
• Thorough knowledge of pharmacological agents used in patient treatment.
• Able to effectively manage and direct medical staff support activities while providing quality medical care.
• Able to receive detailed information through oral communications; express or exchange ideas by verbal communications.
• Excellent written and verbal communications, listening, and social skills.
• Able to interact effectively with people of varied educational, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, skill levels and value systems.
• Performs in a tactful and professional manner.
• A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected.
• Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.

Certificate/License/Registration: Medical license to practice in State of Colorado. All physicians must\ be board-certified within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the Office of Medical Administration. BLS/CPR. ACLS, PALS, or NRP as outlined in HR Principles and Practices #2-110

Appendix, maintaining licensures, certifications, and registrations. All certifications and licenses required for this job must be kept current as a condition of continued employment.

All job applicants for safety-sensitive positions must pass a pre-employment drug test, once a conditional offer of employment has been made.