Manager Patient Access-CHI St Josephs Health Park Rapids

Job Summary / Purpose
The Manager of Patient Access is responsible for managing initiatives and operations aimed at enhancing patient access, improving operational efficiency, and aligning the work with our organization's mission, vision, and values. Both strategic and operational in nature, this role includes leading the operational management and optimization of patient access processes, spanning both primary and specialty care. In addition, the role will develop and implement comprehensive strategies, policies, workflows, and standard procedures for designated access-related areas within CommonSpirit Health- Dignity Health Medical Foundation's clinics and virtual care services. The Manager of Patient Access will directly and indirectly enhance access, elevate the patient experience, improve health outcomes, and contribute to greater access for our patients, making a substantial impact on our organization's overall success and commitment to excellence. Responsibilities include creating and managing scheduling standardized practices, developing governance and controls in key areas such as template management and optimization, leveraging business intelligence data to identify opportunities and drive improvement, leading market-level views of access capacity and throughput improvement, driving effective panel management to foster growth, balancing needs of new and returning patients and reduce clinician burnout, and improving patient touch points including digital and asynchronous care. As the Manager of Patient Access, the role will collaborate closely with a range of stakeholders, including Market Leadership, Clinic and Acute Operations, Clinical Leadership, Finance / Revenue Cycle, Strategy & Business Development, the Physician Enterprises Connection Center, CommonSpirit Command Center, access-related vendors and strategic partners. This role will also contribute to the design, execution and expansion of the Virtualist Model and support virtualist staff members including virtual Medical Assistants (MAs), Medical Office Representatives (MORs), Registered Nurses (RNs), and Advanced Practice Providers (APPs).

This role uniquely combines elements of operations, strategy, analytics, innovation, project management and process improvement expertise, requiring a versatile and visionary approach to drive success and advancement within our organization.

Essential Function
Analyze and refine patient access workflows to maximize operational efficiency.
Implement industry-leading best practices to reduce wait times and elevate the overall patient experience.
Engage with administrative and physician champions, contact centers, and other key stakeholders to educate, foster learning, and expertly address escalated issues.
Develop comprehensive patient journey maps with a strategic and operational focus, identifying and proactively addressing challenges, operational inefficiencies, needs, gaps, and improvement plans.
Design and drive alignment to scheduling management best practice, e.g., prospective review of schedules.
Monitor and optimize practices concerning wait lists, bumped appointment rates, and the management of patient no-shows.
Enhance slot utilization through a data-driven approach, evaluating scheduling horizons, the balance between new and returning appointments, the elimination of unnecessary utilization, and a systematic reduction in effective no-show rates.
Review decision-tree endpoints and routing to ensure appropriate outcomes. Support close-loop practices.
Innovatively develop, support and manage template management and controls, focusing on structural enhancements, appointment types, and settings aligned with the strategic optimization of access performance.
Create, implement and track quality assurance measures to ensure accurate patient scheduling, timely appointments, and adherence to protocols.
Manages issues and risks, including conducting audits to identify areas for improvement.
Obtains feedback from medical groups on scheduling errors, driving through systemic improvement as well as closing loop with individuals impacted.

Masters in healthcare related field

Masters  in Business Administration with healthcare experience, or a combination of education and experience.

Project Management experience in a healthcare environment preferred.

Experience working with budgets, creation of action plans, interpersonal communication and influencing skills, ability to manage multiple projects and time, demonstrated ability to execute.
7-9 years, Minimum of 8 years of experience in healthcare administration, with a proven track record of leadership and process improvement; equivalent experience acceptable.

Inspired by faith. Driven by innovation. Powered by humankindness. CommonSpirit Health is building a healthier future for all through its integrated health services. As one of the nation’s largest nonprofit Catholic healthcare organizations, CommonSpirit Health delivers more than 20 million patient encounters annually through more than 2,300 clinics, care sites and 137 hospital-based locations, in addition to its home-based services and virtual care offerings. CommonSpirit has more than 157,000 employees, 45,000 nurses and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice providers across 24 states and contributes more than $4.2 billion annually in charity care, community benefits and unreimbursed government programs. Together with our patients, physicians, partners, and communities, we are creating a more just, equitable, and innovative healthcare delivery system.