The Vancouver Island Health Authority seeks a part-time Medical Director for the Quality, Safety, and Improvement portfolio. This position works in partnership with the Director of Quality/Accreditation and Clinical Governance and reports to the Executive Medical Director of Quality and Safety. The geographic location for this position is flexible and may be tailored to suit the successful candidate. The preferred candidate is a practicing physician with at least 3 years practice experience, and has training and/or experience with quality improvement/safety.
The required hours for this position will be completed either in non-sequential days, spaced during the week for optimal team access. i.e. Monday and Thursday, Tuesday and Friday; or preferably with hours spread flexibly through the week to meet the needs of their specific teams as events arise.
SCOPE:
- Works in partnership with the Director in a co-management model to advance the goals of the portfolio.
- Provides overall medical leadership and direction for the program.
- Responsible for supporting the Island Health quality structures through the lens of continuous improvement. This includes navigating quality and patient safety events through the clinical and organizational structure for system improvement.
- Strong linkages within the clinical governance structures including HAMAC/HAMQC, ICGC.
ACCOUNTABILITY:
Ensures services of the program are:
- Aligned with Island Health strategic goals and objectives.
- Consistent with the Quality Strategy.
- Benchmarked and measurable to ensure movement towards a goal.
- Effectively communicated to all stakeholders.
- Integrated within and across programs and services.
- Delivered in an effective and efficient manner.
SERVICE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Program Management
- Work to remove barriers in communication pathways to support continuous improvement.
- In partnership with the Quality Director:
- Participate in strategic and operational planning, for the program aligned with the Island Health Strategic Plan, goals and objectives.
- Support the development, implementation and optimization of the Island Health Clinical Governance structures.
- Champion the standardization and coordination of quality activities across the health authority with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Ensure collection and interpretation of data for planning purposes.
- Establish and monitor program objectives and outcome measures.
- Evaluate and when necessary propose expanded and/or new program development.
- Guide and support programs with policy and practice development.
- Promote patient involvement in quality and safety initiatives.
2. Quality Assurance
- Provide leadership to support the implementation and integration of the Island Health Quality Strategy to support organizational and medical quality activities.
- Provide leadership to ensure integration of key quality standards within the health authority, supporting accreditation activities and integrating evidence based best practices in alignment with clinical governance.
- Support patient safety reviews and dissemination of recommendations if required.
- Provides medical leadership to facilitate patient care quality reviews initiated through the Patient Care Quality office if required.
3. Clinical Governance
- Provides leadership and works in partnership with operational leaders including medical staff, in the development of strategic initiatives and to support Clinical Governance in accordance with the Mission, Vision, Values and Care Philosophy of Island Health.
- Leads the strategic and operational planning and evaluation of local and regional quality plans that maintain a patient/client-focused approach and anticipates and responds to shifts in services and changes in the health care system.
4. Medical Staff Organization Functions
- Participate on relevant executive councils, as required and agreed to in discussion with the Executive Medical Director
- Provide support for physician leads in quality and safety initiatives within the Clinical Governance framework
- Liaise with Medical Affairs in quality and safety initiatives involving Physician Quality.
- Assist with the development, implementation and maintenance of the physician resource plan including participation in the recruitment, orientation and staff development of medical team members.
- In discussion with the Executive Medical Director develop yearly performance targets.
5. Education and Development
- The Medical Director should facilitate opportunities for physicians and other quality experts to participate in teaching where the opportunity affords itself.
- Support CME activity with the portfolio and ensure that it is provided in a manner that supports professional development and focuses upon educational priorities as defined by the best practices and quality improvement opportunities.
- Work in conjunction with leaders in Physician Quality Improvement (PQI) to develop education opportunities, and foster engagement with PQI alumni
The geographic location for this position is flexible though some travel will be required for in person meetings in Victoria a few times per year.
Interested candidates, please attach your CV and letter of interest to:
Medical Staff Recruitment, Island Health - Email: medstaffrecruitment@islandhealth.ca
- Medical Doctor with current, or eligibility for, registration with the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons.
- Medical doctor with current, or eligibility for, privileges at Island Health.
- Training and/or experience in multidisciplinary and medical quality/safety work.
- Minimum three (3) years experience as a staff physician – preferably in a variety of settings and organizations.
- A record of effective medical leadership is required, and experience in a medical administrative position is preferred.
- Demonstrated leadership skills.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Ability to adapt readily to a rapid and changing environment and respond with initiative.
- Ability to interact professionally with various levels of personnel, both internally and externally.
- Demonstrated clinical competence.
- In-depth understanding of health services and operations.