As a result of the merger of Butler Health System and Excela Health system, we seek a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead the combined entities physician division (Butler Medical Providers (BMP) and Excela Health Medical Group (EHMG). The combined entity of BHS and Excela created the third-largest health system in Western PA with over 7000 total employees and $1B in total revenue. BMP and EHMG employs over 700 providers and serves patients in over 10 counties in Western Pennsylvania.

We seek a talented individual to report to the President of Physician Network who will align and strengthen system service line strategy, physician recruitment and engagement initiatives, and overall group practice management to ensure viability. Success will include developing and improving the medical group through long-term vision, clinical expertise, and sound business reason with emphasis on strengthening the marketing and branding efforts to improve group synergy. Focus on compliance, market share, cost, quality and patient experience. Key to the success of the integration of the systems will be the ability to work with physician leadership and the President of Physician Network to mirror medical group structure and functionality.

Job Summary

The COO of Butler Memorial Physicians and Excela Health Medical Group will demonstrate leadership excellence and effective management strategy to build upon current strengths of the medical group. The COO will be expected to align and strengthen system service line strategy, physician recruitment and engagement initiatives, and overall group practice management to ensure viability. Success will include developing and improving the medical group through long-term vision, clinical expertise, and sound business reason with emphasis on strengthening the marketing and branding efforts to improve group synergy. Focus on compliance, market share, cost, quality and patient experience.

Essential Job Functions

• Continually seeks opportunities to grow practice and divisional revenues, reduce overhead costs, and improve efficiency. Recommends standards and appropriate benchmarks for Physician/Provider compensation and productivity, practice cost management, and payer reimbursement.
• Assist with activities of the organization's executives and physician leaders in planning, implementation of priority initiatives and achievement of targeted results in strategic planning and expansion, quality and service, Third Party Payer contracting and incentive programs, and recruitment & retention of physicians, advanced practitioners and staff.
• Provide ample communication to all levels of the organization's management team so they can manage their sites/implement their roles effectively.
• Encourage participation in committees, division meetings, and health system social functions to enhance group camaraderie.
• Facilitate integration of interoffice and interdepartmental teamwork.
• Participate in community wide activities.
• Demonstrated visibility with the providers and the ability to facilitate smooth communication between clinicians and operating executives through operational transparency.
• Represents the medical group in its relationships with other healthcare organizations, private physician practices, government agencies, and third party payers.
• Assist in rate negotiations with Third Party Payers
• Serves as administrative liaison between the Advisory Board, Recruitment and Retention, Compensation and Benefits committees and the medical, administrative staff. Work with physician leadership and the President of Physician Network to mirror medical group structure and functionality.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, physicians, hospital administration and system board members.
• Communicate and collaborate on system initiatives.
• Identify trends and motivate workforce toward changes needed to adopt and remain competitive.
• Guide management in its responsibilities while maintaining effective team function.
• Negotiate new physician contracts and renewals with the physician practice within the confines of the approved compensation/contract guidelines.
• Taking ownership and leadership in aligning and recruiting physicians that best fit the needs of the organization including cultural fit.
• Enhance physician retention efforts.
• Ensure physician compensation is within guidelines of Fair Market Value and Commercial. Reasonableness and other applicable regulatory guidelines.
• Serve as liaison to Board on matters related to provider compensation.

Specialty Job Functions

• Evaluating and improving current practice operations, policies, and processes while identifying opportunities to standardize clinical operations and integration across the physician/hospital network.
• In collaboration with senior leadership, refine and execute the overall strategy of the medical group. Strengthen and align the business and clinical objectives across the continuum, positioning the hospital and medical group for future sustainability.
• Drive process improvement to deliver consistent and standardized daily practice operations designed to improve clinical services, outcomes, patient throughput, and patient safety.
• Manage the network integrity of the providers of system referrals to achieve system growth objectives to minimize leakage and outmigration.
• Build sustainable relationships among physicians, advanced practitioners, office staff and hospital personnel.
• Ensure advance practice practitioners have the ability to practice at the top of their license.
• Overseeing the implementation, enhancement and utilization of information technology within the practices.
• Utilize data to measure and improve clinical and operational performance.
• Implementing systems to measure and continuously improve quality metrics and patient satisfaction results
• Work collaboratively in a dyad relationship with the President, Physician Network.
• Serve on the physician advisory board, committees and groups associated with physician services and overall practice management operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or Healthcare Administration or other clinical degree
• A minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in progressive leadership roles in a multi-specialty group practice, PHO or IPA or within an integrated health system.
• Strong leadership ability, independent thinking and decision-making ability; analytical problem solving skills sound judgment; excellent oral and written communication skills, must be able to function in a team environment.
• Experience in a value-driven organization, demonstrating high levels of quality/clinical outcomes, service, productivity, and efficient operations.
• Experience with IT systems; electronic health records and computerized physician order entry.
• Strong business acumen, quality, and metrics orientation. Financially astute and highly experience in using, developing and implementing benchmarks and other tools that improve operating, financial and service performance.
• Excellent physician relations skills and experience working collaboratively with employed or private medical groups.
• Familiarity with risk, managed care, capitation, ACO and population health management.
• Knowledge of national physician practice trends, policies, and issues affecting physician practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) or Healthcare Administration.
• Healthcare Certification or Fellowship through MGMA or other relevant healthcare organization.

License, Certification & Clearances

• PA Act 34 Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History Clearance.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has direct supervisory responsibilities and serves as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.
• Management responsibilities include hiring, coaching, skills development, recognition and rewards, staff productivity and performance management.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Monday thru Friday. Hours will include extended hours into the evenings for meetings with physicians or early morning meetings to meet physician’s needs. Additional hours needed for dinner meetings with physicians or recruits.
• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between Excela Health locations.

LEAN

• Actively promotes a Lean work culture by performing team member duties to encourage consistent use of LEAN principles and processes, including continually seeking work process improvements. Recognizes the necessity of taking ownership of one’s own motivation, morale, performance and professional development. Strives for behavior consistent with being committed to the systems’s mission, vision and values.

AAP/EEO

• Excela Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Excela Health to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, non-job related disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected class. Excela Health will conform to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.
• Ability to perform the Essential Functions listed on the Physical Conditions and ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Condition chart below.

Work Environment

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines

Physical Demands

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required

Preferred