Medical Director for the Heart Institute Quality and Patient Safety -Associate Professor

Job Summary:

Provide overall leadership of quality improvement and patient safety initiatives in the Heart Institute, including counseling of team members regarding patient safety, and providing direction to the quality improvement Program Manager.

Key Responsibilities:

• Will partner with the H.I. Leadership Team, H.I. Medical Directors, and CHCO Quality, Clinical Effectiveness, Patient Safety, and Process Improvement teams to set annual and strategic goals for quality and patient safety, implement initiatives to achieve these goals, create and use tools for tracking and monitoring outcomes/performance, develop and institute and in evaluate patient outcomes as appropriate.
• Partners with Nursing and H.I. Clinical leadership teams in the development of program specific educational tools and in training of staff to optimize patient care and outcomes.
• Will partner with the Director, Heart Institute Clinical Operations, to review patient satisfaction scores for the program, when applicable, and develop and implement strategies for improvement.
• Will partner with the Clinical Application Systems Department and the Director of Informatics for the H.I. regarding optimization of EPIC for program specific needs.
• Will work with CHCO Physician Relations to meet the needs of community referring providers and develop program specific materials as it relates to Quality and Patient Safety
• The Director will embrace the CHCO Standards of Behavior and other Policies and hold clinic providers accountable for Quality and Patient Safety standards.
• Will partner with Hospital Department Chair (Section/Divisional Chief) to advance research and education missions related to the quality and patient safety program.
• Provides leads and oversight of mortality and morbidity case reviews and cause analyses; recommends changes to diagnostic and treatment protocols, and clinical/operational systems to support best practices.

Work Location:

Onsite – this role is expected to work onsite and is located in Aurora, Colorado.

Why Join Us:

As the largest pediatric heart program in the region, we have performed more than 675 heart surgeries and about 1,000 heart catheterization every year since 2017. Our highly specialized pediatric heart surgeons and interventional cardiologists take on the most complex congenital heart defects  (CHDs) and childhood heart conditions  and achieve some of the best results in the nation. The Society of Thoracic Surgery requires a hospital to perform at least 250 heart surgeries per year to be considered a high-volume center. By far exceeding this, we gain more experience, which leads to better outcomes. The Heart Institute has 80 plus faculty members and continues to grow annually. 

The University of Colorado offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, tuition benefits, ECO pass, paid time off – vacation, sick, and holidays and more. To see what benefits are available, please visit: https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits-wellness .

Diversity and Equity:

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse student body, faculty and administrative staff. The university strives to promote a culture of inclusiveness, respect, communication and understanding. We encourage applications from women, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons within the LGBTQ+ community and all veterans. The University of Colorado is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:  

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.  

• Experience in leading high-performing, cross-functional teams; designing and implementing processes for strong and effective clinical and practice management operations.
• Appointment as full-time academic faculty at The University of Colorado School of Medicine (CUSOM)
• Education: Board certified or equivalent in their specialty 

Condition of Employment:

• Must successfully pass a drug test through Children’s Hospital Colorado
• Must be willing and able to pass a national criminal background check 

*For questions regarding Children’s Hospital drug testing requirements, please contact Children’s Human Resources at 720-777-8598. Some positions may require testing if access to Children’s Hospital or their systems is needed at any time during employment with the University. If drug testing is required, it will be listed in the job posting.  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Clinically active and respected
• Active clinical practice at CHCO
• Lead a team in practice management operations 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to integrate clinical, quality/patient safety, management and financial concepts within a pediatric, academic healthcare setting.
• Strong leadership skills, including interpersonal communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, problem resolution, decision-making and project/change management. 

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please submit the following document(s):

1.    A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the

2.    Curriculum vitae / Resume

3.    Three to five professional references, including name, address, phone number (mobile number if appropriate), and email address

Applications are accepted electronically ONLY at www.cu.edu/cu-careers .

Questions should be directed to: [email protected]    

Screening of Applications Begins:

Applications will be accepted until finalists are identified, but preference will be given to complete applications received by October 1, 2024. Those who do not apply by this date may or may not be considered.  

Anticipated Pay Range:

The starting hiring range for this position has been established at $286,300-$400,000.

The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position is not eligible for overtime compensation unless it is non-exempt.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Perks & Benefits: https://www.cu.edu/cu-careers/perks/anschutz-medical-campus

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

ADA Statement:

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at [email protected] ​.

Background Check Statement:

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.

Vaccination Statement:

CU Anschutz strongly encourages vaccination against the COVID-19 virus and other vaccine preventable diseases . If you work, visit, or volunteer in healthcare facilities or clinics operated by our affiliated hospital or clinical partners or by CU Anschutz, you will be required to comply with the vaccination and medical surveillance policies of the facilities or clinics where you work, visit, or volunteer, respectively. In addition, if you work in certain research areas or perform certain safety sensitive job duties, you must enroll in the occupational health medical surveillance program .