Regional Administrator - Inpatient Hospitalist Program

At Houston Methodist, the Regional Administrator for Inpatient Hospitalist Services provides strategic, operational, and administrative leadership for the Houston Methodist Hospitalist service line across all network hospitals. In partnership with the Network Hospitalist Program Medical Director and executive leadership, this role drives program development, standardization, optimization, and growth while ensuring alignment of clinical and operational priorities. The Regional Administrator leads the integration of operational and clinical leadership structures and promotes the business growth of the Inpatient Hospitalist program including all functional activities in coordination with provider practice leaders, under the direction of the Executive Vice President Network Hospitals and the Physician Organization Vice President of Operations. The position serves as the trusted liaison between hospitalist physicians, executive administration, and leaders across the Houston Methodist system. The position serves as the primary liaison between hospitalist physicians, executive administration, and system leaders, overseeing financial performance, workforce management, quality outcomes, compliance, patient satisfaction, and operational excellence. The Regional Administrator is accountable for the administrative team supporting the hospitalist program, leads process improvement initiatives, partners closely with access and throughput teams to optimize workflows and coverage models, and represents the service line on key organizational committees to advance system-wide goals and performance.

FLSA STATUS
Exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Master’s degree or higher in Business or Health Care Administration

EXPERIENCE

• Six years of progressively responsible leadership experience in applicable field, with four years in people management role. For internal candidates, five years of progressively responsible staff experience in applicable field, with two years in project management/management role; or an Administrative Fellow with two years of experience
• Experience in a physician organization or clinical practice setting

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Preferred

• Fellow of American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially about activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
• Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one’s own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved
• Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills
• Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences
• Extensive knowledge of regulatory and accreditation agency requirements that impact department; stays abreast of industry changes
• Demonstrates highly effective communication skills—strong written communications and platform presentation abilities
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace
• Capable of leading teams/facilitating groups, building consensus and garnering highest confidence in professionalism and work product by senior leadership
• Ability to work under pressure and balance many competing priorities; highly responsive and solution/action oriented
• Proficiency in spreadsheet, word processing, and presentation software
• Maintains a positive and supportive attitude and demeanor
• Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information
• Advanced knowledge of EPIC

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Directs, develops and implements strategic and operational/high level projects and processes either through independent/highly autonomous work or through the facilitation of work teams to enable the effective and efficient completion of objectives.
• Oversees management of and ensures development for staff to meet overall objectives in terms of quality, service and cost effectiveness. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Directs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees.
• Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.
• Provides leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes.
• Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals. Drives the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.
• Works with multiple physician practice leaders and executive leadership on physician recruitment, promotion, credentialing, and practice plan administration.
• Serves as the liaison between the Region physicians and staff and HM/SPG executive administration and/or Department Chair.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Oversees department operations, designated projects, schedules and activities as needed to ensure that goals or objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.
• Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.
• Responsible for the administrative work force of the Region. Coordinates with operational staff within the region to facilitate staff activities including, but not limited to, development and process improvement. Proactively partners with access team to ensure physician schedules are optimized.
• Completes space and resource planning for the Region, working closely with each practice in identifying and prioritizing the Region's administrative, clinical, and resource needs, including addressing space allocation and renovation issues.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines. Responsible for staff maintenance of credentials and competencies, per accrediting/ licensing agency and/or department guidelines as applicable.
• Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes and information systems by monitoring and improving the department workflow and enhancing operations, using peer-to-peer accountability and identifying solutions via collaboration. Implements process improvements utilizing tools such as lean principles. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.
• Responsible for employee compliance to policies and procedures and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., licensure/certification compliance, focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).
• Leads strategic planning for the Region regarding operations and new program development. Gathers and manages market intelligence for the Region to facilitate new recruitment and business development. Develops short and long-range strategic and tactical business plans for the Region.
• Utilizes various dashboards and monthly financials to analyze practice metrics in order to optimize practice performance which includes, but not limited to, staffing benchmarks, call center metrics (if applicable), panel size, bump rate, no show rate, etc.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops and manages department operational and capital budgets, approvals, and ongoing maintenance of the department(s), ensuring operation in a cost-effective manner. Proactively identifies and plans for capital needs related to current equipment and future department projects. Ensures staffing plans and schedules meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.
• Creates department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.
• Develops the annual Regional budget, including revenue projections and justification of expenditures. Develops long-range projections and financial plans, maintains appropriate analyses, and recommends necessary adjustments.
• Assumes primary responsibility for the fiscal administration and integrity of the Region including purchasing, capital equipment, inventory management, monthly account management and reports, and grants management.
• Responsible for the creation of physician proformas (SPG), monthly fee check calculations, journal entries, salary allocations, and other key financial operational activities.
• Proactively manages the front-end revenue cycle for assigned practices within the Region. Works in collaboration with the Central and Single Business Offices to troubleshoot other revenue cycle-related activities, if needed. Ensures encounters are closed in a timely manner. Reviews monthly reports to provide analysis, feedback, and coaching to staff and physicians.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department, entity or system operations by leading unit projects and/or other department/ system-directed activities. Proactively leads task forces and committees. May represent HM at assigned community or professional organization meetings.
• Drives change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures. Partners effectively with stakeholders as appropriate.
• Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan (MDP) on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development and MDP.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• WORK ATTIRE
  • Uniform: No
  • Scrubs: No
  • Business professional: Yes
  • Other (department approved): No
  ON-CALL*
  *Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
  • On Call* Yes
  TRAVEL**
  **Travel specifications may vary by department**
  • May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
  • May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Master’s degree or higher in Business or Health Care Administration

EXPERIENCE

• Six years of progressively responsible leadership experience in applicable field, with four years in people management role. For internal candidates, five years of progressively responsible staff experience in applicable field, with two years in project management/management role; or an Administrative Fellow with two years of experience
• Experience in a physician organization or clinical practice setting

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Preferred

• Fellow of American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)