Chief of Epidemiology and VP Infection Prevention | HCA Healthcare | Nashville, TN Full-Time NEW

Chief Epidemiologist: Responsibilities include developing and implementing policies and practices to prevent infection, stewarded antimicrobials, fostering evidence-based practices, and exploring and intervening to resolve potential and actual infectious outbreaks and respond to environmental threats. In short, the role is the senior authority for epidemiology policy and infectious disease prevention and practice. The VP Infection Prevention: The role of VP Infection Prevention is responsible for supporting and overseeing the development and success of the organization’s infection prevention and control program including the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and ensuring compliance with infection control standards. Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

a. Metrics: Monitor infection rates, report trends to leadership and as required to regulatory agencies.

b. Policies: Lead the creation and support the implementation of policies to align with CDC, CMS, Joint Commission, and local regulatory requirements.

c. Surveillance & Monitoring: Develop and support the implementation of systems to track healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), and emerging pathogens.

d. Outbreak Investigation & Response: Lead investigations of infection clusters or outbreaks as well as develop containment measures and support their implementation

e. Education & Training: Provide guidance and support for the ongoing education for clinical and non-clinical staff on infection prevention practices

f. Risk Assessment & Mitigation: Conduct regular risk assessments for infection control vulnerabilities working closely with clinical leadership, quality, pharmacy, and environmental services teams.

Additional Responsibilities: Across both roles this individual will play a key part in:

a. Patient Safety Systems and PSO: Will collaborate with the Chief Quality Officer and Chief Patient Safety Officer in supporting the development, advancement, and compliance of our clinical safety systems and PSO

b. Field Implementation: Will collaborate with and support Group, Division, and Facility Nursing, Quality, CMO and other clinical leaders in the implementation of safety and infection prevention initiatives and priorities as required.

c. Field Leadership: Will provide “dotted line” leadership to division and field professionals related to Infection Prevention

d. Corporate Leadership: Will function as a key organizational leader and, as such, establish and maintain effective working relationships other leaders within the Clinical Services Group, including the Chief Quality Officer, the Chief Nurse Executive, and Chief Medical Officer. Additionally, the incumbent will establish and maintain strong working relationships with enterprise executives comprising the senior leadership team, including but not limited to Group, Division, Facility and nonhospital clinical, financial, operational, and other key leaders.

Major Responsibilities:

• Provide support for development and oversight activities related to patient safety and the Patient Safety Organization as required
• Provide leadership, strategic prioritization, project execution and oversight of personnel for epidemiology and infectious disease management and prevention
• Provide support for interconnected work with and laboratory services
• Provide leadership, strategic prioritization, project execution and oversight for infection prevention and epidemiological activities related to CMS compliance
• Provide clinical support and assistance to enterprise Nursing and CMO teams as it relates to implementation of infection prevention initiatives and priorities
• Provide education, leadership and engagement with physicians, other clinicians and administrative leaders, as requested from divisions/facilities, etc., related to areas of expertise and responsibility.
• Communicate/build capabilities with Group, Division, and Facility clinical and non-clinical leaders as related to areas of responsibility and expertise
• Serve as consultant across nursing and quality teams, providing guidance and direction related to areas of responsibility
• Ensures the proactive identification of risks, issues, cross-project dependencies, and reporting on areas of responsibility
• Respond to periodic, ad hoc requests from Corporate Senior leaders and/or members of the HCA Board
• Prepare reports on organizational performance related to areas of leadership and expertise, as requested for internal, external and board use
• Represent HCA professionally and effectively in professional, government, academic and other forums
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Practices and adheres to the “Code of Conduct” philosophy and “Mission and Value Statement.”

Education & Experience:

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) Required
• Infectious Disease fellowship training Required
• 5+ years of experience in leadership or management experience Required
• 1+ year(s) of experience in leading large-scale, complex projects Required
• 5+ years of experience in multi-facility or HCA-based system experience Preferred

Licenses, Certifications, & Training:

• Holds current or prior state licensure Required
• Holds current or prior board certification Required

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Behaviors:

• Leading Change – Identifying and supporting organizational and cultural changes needed to adapt strategically to changing market demands, technology, and internal initiatives; catalyzing new approaches to improve results by transforming organizational culture, systems, or products/services. Required
• Influence – Creating and executing influence strategies that persuade key stakeholders to take action that will advance shared interests and business goals. Required
• Execution – Translating strategic priorities into operationalizable solutions; aligning communication, accountabilities, resource capabilities, internal processes, and ongoing measurement systems to ensure that the appropriate support is provided to allow strategic priorities to yield measurable and sustainable results. Required
• Leading Teams – Using appropriate methods and interpersonal styles to develop, motivate, and guide the team to attain successful outcomes and business objectives. Required
• Building Strategic Work Relationships – Developing and using collaborative relationships to facilitate the accomplishment of work goals. Required
• Navigating Politics – Actively maintaining a broad awareness of the internal and external environment by accurately perceiving organizational, political, and social dynamics; proactively navigating the stakeholder environment to avoid unwanted or unproductive reactions and consequences.
• Leads with a mission-focused approach and can gain and maintain the trust and confidence of team members across the corporate and field leadership and care delivery teams. Able to influence others to action without direct authority; share wins and successes; foster open dialogue.
• Able to elicit cooperation, able to diffuse tension; Anticipates possible/probable team dynamics issues and proactively implements adjustments (e.g. team building activities) to maintain or improve team dynamics; Drives team decision making supported by all parties and ensures alignment of decisions with organizational missions, values, and priorities
• Establishes an environment that motivates team members to be engaged and enthusiastic and actively contribute to team goals over individual goals or assignments.
• Includes team members in discussions and listens effectively; gains and maintains trust and confidence of team members by demonstrating integrity and accountability
• Provides the calm/guiding leadership to manage the team and executive stakeholders conflict situations; Leads team/stakeholders to understand and evaluate all views of a contention and alternative solutions, drives to mutual benefit and compromise without damaging quality of solutions or relationships.
• Is good at establishing clear directions; brings out the best in people; is a clear communicator.
• Communicates clearly, proactively, concisely, and timely with all key stakeholders and customers, with little to no guidance
• Appropriate and effective interaction with peers and team members
• Tailors’ messages and delivery for the desired result.
• Can negotiate skillfully in tough situations; can settle differences with minimum noise; can win concessions without damaging relationships; can be both direct and assertive as well as diplomatic; gains trust quickly of other parties to the negotiations; has a good sense of timing
• Proactively confronts issues
• Commands attention and can manage group process during the presentation; can change tactics midstream when something isn’t working. Can write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles.
• Actively listens and plays back findings; Ability to ask probing questions based on effective listening; Ability to draw conclusions and connect outside factors into conversations / work-sessions; Elevates conversations and work sessions by combining active listening with awareness and understanding of content knowledge from other areas
• Facilitates agreement in small to medium groups of people at various organizational levels for purposes of planning, problem solving, or project execution; opens discussions effectively and closes discussions with clear summaries
• Applies facilitation techniques to solve complex, multi-faceted challenges and/or issues; able to gain alignment across diverse groups of stakeholders