Associate Director, Clinical Affairs - Simmons Cancer Center
WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION.
The UT Southwestern Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC) is a matrix cancer center which builds upon the research strengths of UT Southwestern Medical Center and a broad network of research and clinical care partners to generate new cancer discoveries and treatments. SCCC is a member of the elite network of 53 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers supported by the NCI P30 Cancer Center Support Grant. Our mission is to ease the burden of cancer through ground-breaking discoveries, transdisciplinary research, impactful community engagement, education, diversity, equity, and exceptional patient care in our catchment area in North Texas and beyond.
The Associate Director of Clinical Affairs in the SCCC is the senior clinical leader driving strategies designed to advance preeminence in cancer care at UT Southwestern Medical Center and regional locations. The Associate Director will create and sustain a culture of patient centeredness emphasizing quality, safety, and efficiency. He/she will partner with the Associate Vice President for Clinical Cancer Programs in the design and implementation of novel models of care, alternative payment model programs, and equitable distribution of resources (space, personnel, funding).
This position will also act as an advocate for and liaison to referring physicians, ensuring that the SCCC is responsive to their needs and concerns. The Associate Director will actively promote the SCCCs multidisciplinary approach to patient care as a local, regional, and national leader in innovative and collaborative models of care.
The Associate Director of Clinical Affairs in the SCCC will have a Direct Reporting relationship to the Director of the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and CEO, UT Southwestern Health System or her/his designee. He/she will have a faculty appointment in the SCCC and in the Department aligned with his/her specialty training and practice.
Key Responsibilities
Physician/Faculty/Staff Engagement
- Partners with Department Chairs and Division Chiefs in the operational leadership of Cancer Center physicians and works with them to support the provision and recruitment of appropriate physician/provider coverage to meet demands for service in a timely fashion, to maintain/promote a multidisciplinary, disease-oriented team model of cancer care and to provide exemplary customer service in all SCCC regional locations.
- Directs SCCC clinical operations working with the AVP of Clinical Cancer Programs and other professionals, including pharmacy, clinical laboratory, advanced practice provider and cancer nursing leaders, to ensure maximum quality, access, new patient volumes, efficiency, and effectives.
- Meets with physician team leaders regularly and evaluates their performance against performance metrics. Monitors and ensures optimal clinical performance metrics relative to patient access and satisfaction as well as employee engagement and referring physician satisfaction. Takes and/or recommends remedial action in consultation with Division Directors and Department Chairs, as appropriate.
- Serves as a SCCC liaison with all Clinical Departments, Health System Leadership and Ambulatory Administration regarding operational and clinical issues.
- Works with SCCC administrative leadership to oversee applicable budgets, recommend capital purchases, and to monitor resource allocations.
- Has the authority to assemble committees related to clinical operations and quality of cancer care at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Patient and Family-Centered Care
- Actively promotes an environment to improve processes, optimize the quality of care, enhance patient satisfaction while maximizing margins, and reduce waste and expenses.
- Oversees coordination of care (inpatient and outpatient, among providers and across services rendered), including clinical trials support, to achieve optimal clinical outcomes that reflects the SCCC’s commitment to patient and family-centered care.
- Continue to practice his/her clinical specialty part time in addition to providing leadership to others.
- Champions quality assurance and quality improvement; takes action to promote patient and staff safety. Identifies quality of care deficiencies and leads/participates in quality improvement initiatives including CMS OCM Quality Measures and ASCO, QOPI, ACOS – COC, and other national benchmarks.
Community and Practice Development
- Consistent with the SCCC strategic plans, seeks, collaborates, and capitalizes on new business development opportunities for improving or expanding the cancer center service line in response to the needs of the community and the patients served.
- Participate in planning activities as a key representative for the SCCC and UT Southwestern Medical Center.
- In collaboration with the Associate VP for Clinical Cancer Programs and other relevant parties (e.g., Budget/Finance, Marketing/Communications, Development, Clinical Research Office, etc.) actively participates in development of strategies that utilize market assessments to make recommendations aimed at higher margin growth, effective marketing/branding campaigns, and national rankings.
This position performs other related duties incidental to the work described herein.
Qualifications
The individual in this role should hold an M.D. degree with board certification in Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Gynecological Oncology, Radiation Oncology or other oncology specialty, and an unrestricted state medical license.
Further qualifications include:
- Strong leadership and consensus building skills with the ability to advance and develop a superior clinical service that, consistent with the academic mission, would include integration of clinical trials.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills for both clinical and nonclinical audiences, in group settings, or one-on-one.
- Expertise in establishing physician relationships combined with the ability to collaborate with and manage in an interdisciplinary team.
- Effective supervisory skills, including clinical mentoring, faculty development, and coaching expertise.
- An advanced management degree (MBA, MPH, Management Certificate, etc.) is desirable but not required.
For more information or if you have a recommendation to share, please contact Abby Walsh at abby@grantcooper.com .