Sterile Processing Manager - FT Days

At Houston Methodist, the Manager Sterile Processing position exists to provide leadership and direction within the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) in delivering quality service to physicians and patients, ensuring optimal patient safety, outcomes and customer satisfaction. This position is responsible for monitoring the activity related to case carts, processing/sterilization service and inventory control within the department as well as supply/support staff as appropriate. The Manager Sterile Processing position maintains accountability for department performance and results by reviewing and evaluating department performance reports, revenue reports, usage reports and other fiscal documents for adherence to hospital goals and directives, ensuring compliance with policies and procedures for inventory control and management of sterile supplies, assisting the Director in accomplishing strategic and operational objectives.

Manager position responsibilities include managing the daily work activities of the work unit/department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency while assisting management in accomplishing strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position provides guidance to staff and is responsible for staffing, budget compliance, contributing to staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and assisting in the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also implements training, monitoring and operations initiatives that assure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/government regulations.

Requirements:

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Performs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees in SPD as well as supply/support staff as appropriate. Makes and executes decisions within delegated authority. Provides development and mentoring of staff. Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover. Develops direct reports to perform these same functions.

• 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. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.

• Facilitates the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed. Surfaces issues to more senior leaders for resolution as appropriate.

• Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators: action readiness score, tier level.

• Functions as role model to staff, reinforcing principles of service orientation and ensuring that the focus is always on improving patient care and/or SPD services. Monitors and ensures staff maintain certifications that demonstrates competency per regulatory guidelines.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Plans and organizes day-to-day SPD operations, schedule and activities of the department. 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 score for customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various perioperative committees as a voice for the SPD.

• Troubleshoots and manages problems and/or issues regarding patient/family care, visitors, and facility department issues on all shifts and weekends as needed.

• Implements, monitors and improves tracking of owned & loaned instruments and equipment to facilitate instrument readiness at or above customer required levels. Collaborates with Supply Chain department to provide case readiness at or above customer required levels.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the Sterile Processing department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines.

• Uses and optimizes information systems to enhance operations; supports entity-specific performance improvement and data management/analysis functions.

• Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes by monitoring and improving the department workflow, using peer-to-peer accountability, and identifying solutions via collaboration. Adopts lean principles in driving process improvements. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.

• Monitors self and employee compliance to policies and procedures and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).

• Audits and reports IUSS per department requirements. Reports to a variety of councils and subcommittees monthly. Audits completion of sets, instrument availability as a quality control metric. Utilizes instrument tracking system to effectively manage the flow of work within the department, evaluate employees, and track inventory data.

• Demonstrates attention and acts upon stop-the-line to address critical errors or process mishaps impacting patient safety, reporting near misses immediately and identifying solutions by collaborating with the interprofessional health care team. Optimizes safe patient outcomes initiatives to improve quality and safety, through first case starts. Develops subordinates to perform these same functions.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists in the development of department budget and ensures that the department operates in a cost effective manner. Manages/audits department expenses within approved budget parameters, ensuring that the SPD meets the budgeted/flex revenue and/or expense targets on a monthly and annual basis. Develops staffing plans and schedules to meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.

• Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, developing others to do the same, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.

• Provides incident and historical analysis of equipment damage and loss to reduce equipment repair and replacement expenses. Collaborates with customers and vendors to improve instrument availability without increasing instrument expense.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department operations or other department-specific measures by leading unit projects and/or other department/system directed activities. Supports 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.

• Proactively evaluates processes; recommends and implements action plan(s) for change. Participates in the development and implementation of new procedures and the review and revision of existing procedures.

• Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals.

• Seeks opportunities to identify developmental needs of self and staff and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the individual development plan (IDP) on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development and IDP.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

Qualifications:

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree or additional four years of experience (in addition to the minimum experience requirements listed below) in lieu of degree

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Four years of progressively responsible sterile supply and processing, inventory, experience or within applicable field

• Previous experience in surgery environment preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• CHL - Certified Healthcare Leader (HSPA) AND
• Sterile Processing certification: CRCST or CSPDT

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - PREFERRED

• CIS - Certified Instrument Specialist (HSPA)

KNOWLEDGE, 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 with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• 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

• Ability to work effectively in a fast paced environment

• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace

• Extensive knowledge regarding instrumentation/processing/sterilization and case carts

• Expert knowledge of surgical procedures and the instruments necessary for certain procedures

• Skill in developing and maintaining interpersonal relationships as required in the operating environment

• Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office products, computerized materials management software systems and/or inventory control systems

• Skill in coaching, counseling and developing the functional and supervisory skills of others

• Ability to work independently; capable of handling challenging/difficult anesthesia procedures and patient care situations. Demonstrates sound judgment and executes proficient clinical skills

• Ability to analyze and solve problems

• Maintains professional growth and development through seminars, workshops, professional affiliations, etc. to keep abreast of the latest trends in healthcare and laboratory operations as relevant

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• 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 No