Vice President Cancer Service Line-Physician Leader - Northwestern Memorial Healthcare

The Vice President and Physican Leader of the Cancer Service Line reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines, and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The goal of this position is to facilitate and develop highly coordinated, system-level, cancer planning and implementation to achieve and maintain a top decile patient experience; well-organized patient care with superior clinical outcomes and differentiated access and patient support; consistency across NM cancer locations in core service offerings and quality care delivery; advancement of system standardization and operational efficiencies with best use of NM resources; and the highest level of workforce engagement with ongoing ability to attract and retain top talent.

(All in collaboration with the dyad partner and relevant physician, operations, and executive leaders):

The Vice President and Physician Leader has responsibility for advancing the development, implementation, alignment, and performance of NM’s Cancer Service Line (CSL), and for leading system-level strategic, clinical/programmatic, and operational CLS initiatives. He/she, together with the CSL Administrative dyad partner, serve as lead facilitators of system-integrated planning and implementation for the cancer clinical enterprise, including the evolution and enabling of a leading cancer care model in support of Northwestern Medicine’s Patient First Mission.

The Vice President and Physician Leader will also hold an appointment as Associate Director for Clinical Care in the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

The following are key domains of CSL development and alignment under the responsibility of the CSL leaders:

• The patient services and navigation across the cancer care continuum, from screening and diagnosis through treatment, long-term wellness, and end-of-life care.
• The complement of services and coordination across NMHC cancer care locations and clinical teams which enable close-to-home care and streamlined access to additional, subspecialized expertise and resources at the AMC or tertiary Network locations. NMHC’s cancer locations include the AMC, seven Network hospitals, and 14 ambulatory cancer centers all within the Chicago metropolitan area, and together comprise a cancer workforce of ~2,000 faculty and staff.
• The engagement and coordination of NMHC physicians in an array of specialties across 15 Departments of the Feinberg School of Medicine, who provide cancer treatment, supportive care, and other collaborative services, and who are essential to offering the highest standard of multidisciplinary care.
• Coordination with multiple corporate functions and services of NMHC that are critical to cancer service line strategy implementation (e.g., Strategy, IT, Access, HR, etc.)

Additional responsibilities include:

• Provides system medical oversight related to inpatient and ambulatory cancer activities of the AMC and Network, with a focus on system initiatives to improve quality, safety and clinical efficiency across disciplines and locations.
• Leads implementation of the NMHC five-year cancer strategic plan with a goal to double the impact of the cancer service line. Also facilitates annual planning and implementation of priority, fiscal year initiatives.
• Prioritizes and facilitates the next phase of system-wide clinical and operational integration of cancer services with a focus on improving patient access and the patient experience, increasing the efficiency of system capacity and resource utilization, and growing the clinical enterprise.
• Further develops and manages the system quality committee structure; the system measurement capability for quality, safety, and equity; and the system improvement project portfolio and prioritization. Optimizes the organization’s approach to and continued achievement of cancer accreditations.
• Leads the system-level plan for clinical programmatic development and service distribution across the NMHC cancer locations and across disease-specific clinical services and teams to advance capabilities, quality, and access.
• Leads measurement, management and reporting of system cancer service line performance and achievement of performance targets. Advances and deploys appropriate dashboard and other management tools.
• Further develops and manages the CSL committee structure that aligns key stakeholders of the clinical enterprise, including the Executive Committee, the Executive Council, the Operations Committee, the Quality Committee, disease-specific clinical teams, and other forums.
• Prioritizes and supports initiatives to achieve the highest levels of physician and employee engagement system-wide, in concert with other leadership. Supports and coordinates recruitment efforts where needed.
• Establishes system-level mechanisms for ensuring operational effectiveness and financial performance and sustainability of the clinical enterprise associated with all oncology activities. Supports system prioritization of cancer service line investments.
• Leads efforts on behalf of NMHC for regional and national strategic growth initiatives, including the development of clinical affiliate relationships.
• Advances strategic proposals to senior leadership and Board(s) for major initiatives.
• Coordinates the development of a system, annual cancer marketing plan, in collaboration with the Chief Marketing Officer and marketing staff.

Required:

• MD or DO degree, and board-certified oncology specialist (medical oncology, surgical oncology, gyn oncology, or radiation oncology)
• A strong track record as a respected clinician and the capacity/desire to maintain a part-time clinical practice.
• Prior, senior-level, cancer leadership experience, preferably within a complex, high-performing, academic-based, health system.
• Significant experience and achievement in leading system integration and network development, with proven results in delivering exceptional patient care.
• Excellent interpersonal and change management skills, as demonstrated by the ability to motivate and work effectively with physician and administrative partners and teams across disciplines.
• Demonstrated success in defining and realizing the highest standards of patient care, using measurement and data-driven improvement efforts, technology, and innovation to strategically move the system of care toward optimization of patient outcomes.

Preferred:

• Previous experience in large, academic-based health systems
• Previous experience with a university-based, matrix, NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center
• National leadership roles in the subject matter
• Service or board membership for cancer-related professional associations or societies
• Evidence of professional writing, scholarship, or teaching
• Additional graduate education in health administration, business, public health, or a related field

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.