Cardiovascular Service Line Leadership Overview
The Physician Executive of the Cardiovascular Service Line (CVSL PE) provides clear vision and leadership, promoting the strategic direction and integration of the Cardiovascular Service Line across Tufts Medicine. The incumbent is charged with leading all activities related to the cardiovascular patient care enterprise while supporting the strategic imperatives of the academic mission within Tufts Medicine, which includes graduate medical education and research. This leader will work in tandem with the Presidents and Chief Medical Officers of Lowell General Hospital and MelroseWakefield Hospital to oversee and guide CVSL services and the provision of cardiovascular care by employed and independent cardiologists across these facilities. The Cardiovascular Service Line Physician Executive will collaborate closely with an administrative executive dyad, specifically, the Vice President of the Cardiovascular Service Line, in developing and achieving prioritized strategies and initiatives for the CVSL. This role will drive continuous quality improvement at the individual Cardiovascular division level and across each entity, ensuring outcomes meet or exceed the standards applicable to the service line throughout Tufts Medicine. The Cardiovascular Service Line Physician Executive reports directly to the TM Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer and has a dotted line reporting relationship to the President of the Physician Organization.
The role encompasses leadership of the CardioVascular Center (CVC) at Tufts Medical Center. The CVC is an integrated care delivery and research entity that includes the Division of Cardiology, the Division of Cardiac Surgery, and the Division of Vascular Surgery. Among its many successful collaborative clinical programs, the CVC boasts the largest advanced heart failure program in New England, performing more heart transplants than any other hospital in the region over the last five years, and ranking 13th in the nation. With over 3,000 inpatient discharges at Tufts Medical Center, the CVC provides comprehensive care across the full spectrum of cardiac and vascular services. The CVC also has a strong ambulatory presence in the Boston area, with over 7,300 new and 50,000 existing patient visits annually. The care network extends beyond our Boston facility to other Tufts Medicine sites and communities. A highly robust Critical Care program runs collaboratively with the Department of Anesthesia and the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, supporting an expanding critical care volume of highly complex patients.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Strategy and Finance
- Accountable for developing and implementing the cardiovascular network strategy, growth, financial profitability, and system integration across the TM enterprise, aligned with TM priorities, executive leadership, VP for the CVSL, and the steering committee of the CVSL.
- Collaborate with CVSL physician leaders, VP of CVSL, Directors, and administrative managers to monitor and improve utilization and cost efficiency.
- Partner with the VP of CVSL to develop and be accountable for annual budget performance against the plan.
- Develop and implement appropriate benchmarked compensation and productivity plans for all CVSL physicians, recommending changes to compensation plans as necessary.
- Work closely with clinical and operational leaders across Tufts Medicine to ensure that Tufts Medicine remains at the forefront of alternative payment models, maintaining value-added relationships with industry and payor partners, while leading the service line in strategies focusing on continuous quality improvement, efficient clinical delivery, and maximizing patient value.
Clinical Operations and Quality
- Collaborate across Tufts Medicine to ensure consistency in quality; assure patient safety; evaluate clinical service protocols and represent the CVSL as appropriate on hospital and ambulatory committees.
- Ensure compliance with internal and external regulatory and safety requirements with the Joint Commission and other accrediting agencies; promote continuity of care across the full continuum.
- Achieve business and clinical objectives using an interdisciplinary approach with other physicians and multiple departments. Serve as a member of the team addressing multifaceted issues and effectively communicate with leadership and diverse work groups across disciplines and subsidiaries spanning the full inpatient and outpatient continuum of care.
- Model exemplary leadership for Cardiovascular Services across all Tufts Medicine entities to ensure consistency and implementation of best practice programs, clinical standardization, and development of Tufts Medicine/CVSL endorsed protocols.
- Promote continual assessment of health equity across the service line and partner with administrative leadership to establish strategies ensuring equitable access for all populations and communities to cardiovascular services at Tufts Medicine.
- Participate in the development and monitoring of process improvement activities; engage with CVSL physicians and physician leaders to ensure consistent needs are met, maintaining high staff and physician satisfaction and engagement.
- Act as a liaison between physicians, staff, and Tufts Medicine to achieve quality care using accepted guidelines for best practices and measurable outcomes.
- Participate in community health programs and serve on community boards related to the service line discipline, if appropriate; promote continuity of care across the continuum.
Leadership in Research and Education
- Accountable to the Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Tufts University School of Medicine for all academic programs and processes, including Tufts University School of Medicine academic appointments and promotions.
- Lead efforts to support new approaches to clinical research, innovation, education, and patient outcomes through the advancement of collaborative efforts and direct participation in the Cardiovascular Center for Research & Innovation (CVCRI) and the Molecular Cardiology Research Institute (MCRI).
- Partner with the Tufts University School of Medicine Chairs of Medicine and Surgery for innovative support of all CVSL ACGME and non-ACGME accredited training programs, as well as all Tufts University School of Medicine training programs, addressing needs and meeting all ACGME and LCME requirements.
- Collaborate with medical staff and other physician executives to ensure all stakeholder perspectives are represented in decision-making and strategy execution.
- Lead CVSL MD recruitment efforts at Tufts Medical Center, collaborating with employed cardiology practice leaders for community MD recruitment. Actively work to facilitate physician and APP retention, engagement, and alignment across the TMIN network.
- Regularly update the Tufts Medicine CVSL Executive Committee on current and potential partnership activities in their respective specialties, including increased local care capabilities, coordination of patient care activities, and protocol adoption
