Outreach Operations Manager

POSITION SUMMARY:

This is a new role that will work closely with the VBC Network Engagement Team and under the supervision of the Director of Value Based Care. The Manager plans, supervises, coordinates and directs the day-to-day operations of the VBC Network Engagement Team (outreach specialists and patient navigators) and identifies new patient engagement opportunities to develop. The Outreach Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring the delivery of outstanding customer service, resolving issues, providing accurate information to both patients and internal departments and creating a world class patient experience.

The Manger is responsible for participating in the recommendation, development and implementation of short- and long-term quality service strategies that improve patient engagement and experience. The Manager is also responsible for proactively identifying and resolving barriers and working with partnering departments as needed to do so. Additionally, the Manager is responsible for collecting and analyzing the necessary data to ensure outreach targets and productivity standards are achieved.

Position: Outreach Operations Manager

Department: Pop Health

Schedule: Full Time

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Service Quality

• Implements department policies, procedures and standards and manages day-to-day VBC Network Engagement team operations to achieve productivity targets, quality standards and operational goals to ensure the team is delivering impactful and patient-centered outreach.

• Ensures outreach staff recognize patients are both internal (employees, physicians, other departments) and external (patients, families, insurers) and demonstrates skills appropriate for good service (reliability, empathy, courtesy, etc.). 

• Ensures outreach staff respond promptly and appropriately to patient needs.

• Ensures outreach staff effectively communicate with patients to address needs and problems, with a view to care of the Whole Person. 

• Manages performance at the department and individual levels to ensure goals are met. 

• Monitors performance in real-time to ensure staff are adhering to schedules and responding quickly to volume spikes and trends.

• Quickly identifies performance trends and develops strategies to address them, acting independently or with the leadership team as appropriate.

• Participates in the training and onboarding of new staff as well as in the training of additional skill sets for seasoned staff.

• Identifies representatives in need of refresher trainings and acts quickly to ensure they receive needed support.

• Analyzes department data and recommends and develops strategies to improve operations and enhance service delivery; implements changes in conjunction with and advice from the management team.  

• Partners with Primary Care practices to ensure coordinated outreach efforts and resolves problems that interfere with the efficient and effective patient engagement.

• Reviews daily, weekly and monthly individual and department reports regarding volume and efficiency of calls handled by outreach staff, including their productivity and availability to handle patient contacts (phone, email, chat, other)

• Develops and implements strategies to improve overall call quality and performance.

• Monitors staff to ensure compliance with established workflows and maintains confidentiality for all patient interactions.

• Works with the VBC leadership and Primary care practice management teams to develop and implement plans that will support and promote positive patient experience and satisfaction of the practices.

• Attends management meetings and participates in other hospital committees as required.  Complies with BMC managerial expectations, such as regular attendance at managers’ meetings, safety training, annual diversity training, etc.  

• Participates in bi-monthly meetings with all outreach staff personnel, in consultation with the management team.

• Prepares follow-up work plans to items discussed at these meetings, and monitors completion of identified projects and tasks.    

• Works closely with staff to ensure they are engaged and motivated at all times.

• Communicates BMC and/or practice priorities and essential information to staff on a regular basis.  

• Is knowledgeable of all ambulatory practice scheduling guidelines and all software and technology used to support the VBC Network Engagement team

• Creates and maintains scheduling guidelines for each practice supported by VBC.

• Performs other tasks as needed as a member of the VBC management team

Program Planning and Development

• With department management, develops plans to ensure that the VBC outreach team is positioned for additional growth and ensures that staff is prepared to handle additional services. 

Quality Improvement

• Participates in practice and hospital-wide quality assurance activities. 

• Leads efforts in continuous quality improvement by involvement in teams as appropriate and by supporting changes recommended through the continuous improvement process. 

• Participates in establishing and implementing quality assurance standards.

• Implements and ensures quality using recording system to listen to, score and provide feedback to outreach staff on methods to improve the quality of their response and achieve a high quality of service to patients.

• Uses all available tools and metrics to develop targeted coaching plans tailored to the needs of the individual in an effort to help staff develop and achieve department goals.

• Ensures compliance with standards and regulations from federal, state and local governments, as well as other regulatory bodies such as The Joint Commission.   Ensures that all staff attends mandatory BMC training sessions, receive annual TB testing, etc.  

Other:

• Utilizes hospital's behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to facilitate the department and the hospital’s mission.

• Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures.

• Performs other duties as needed.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• Requires a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts or Science or equivalent plus 5-7 years of related experience (Must have at least 3 years management and budget experience. 

• Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related fields strongly preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Ability to work collaboratively in medical matrix team, and the ability to adequately represent needs of medical services, and work with multiple physicians of numerous specialties.

• Comprehensive knowledge of clinical operations, hospital financial and human resources policies and procedures.

• Excellent understanding of hospital and physician reimbursement as well as applicable external regulations and legal requirements.

• Outstanding interpersonal relationship building skills; ability to mentor, guide and motivate direct reports through demonstration of best practices and leading by example.

• Able to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and produce expected results.

• Highly developed skills using personal computer tools including computerized healthcare information system, word processing, spreadsheets and presentation applications.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Demonstrated critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans