Director, Smilow Access & Navigation

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values - integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion - must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.

The Director will oversee all aspects of new patient access, including building a comprehensive patient navigation program with the explicit goal of providing individualized assistance to cancer patients, families and caregivers to address their unique psychosocial barriers from the time of diagnosis to the completion of timely, quality cancer care services. The Director of Access and Navigation will lead this work using evidence-based frameworks that align with the Oncology Navigation Standards of Professional Practice, as defined by the Professional Oncology Navigation Task Force.

EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran

• Provide vision, leadership, organizational coordination of the Navigation Program in key areas to ensure sustainability as guided by the Patient Navigation Sustainability Assessment Tool (PNSAT), including:
  • Engaged staff and leadership
  • Effective communication
  • Planning and implementation
  • Organizational capacity (workforce development, IT support)
  • Workflow integration
  • Monitoring and evaluation of process and outcomes
  • Engaged community partners
  • Funding sustainability
• Collaborate with the physician, nursing, access, social work leadership, along with Population Health and community partners to lead workforce development initiatives to ensure a qualified and competent workforce that has a clear navigation career pathway based on the Oncology Navigation Standards of Professional Practice.
• Evaluate strategies and shared resources continuously to reduce/eliminate any redundancy and to execute navigation processes and efforts efficiently with a focus on service excellence.
• Communicate effectively with medical providers and their offices and clinical teams, patients and families, and members of the community to promote seamless referral coordination and scheduling and continuity of care across the Smilow Cancer Hospitals and Delivery Networks.
• Ensure adherence with referral management protocols, policies and procedures.
• Mentors members of the Navigation team in building and sustaining positive, effective relationships across the continuum and with the patients and communities we serve.
• Adhere to the practice of confidentiality (HIPAA and other state/federal regulations) regarding patients, families, staff, and agencies and assure navigation staff adhere to confidentiality practices.
• As part of the overall budget planning, develop navigation operational budgets by analyzing operating needs, projecting revenue and expenses on both a short- and long-range basis; working collaboratively with leadership and clinical partners. This includes preparing for and initiating CMS Billing for Principle Illness Navigation services as well as identifying external sources for funding navigation services and partnerships with community-based organizations.
• In collaboration with colleagues, ensure optimal management of resources by developing and implementing plans approved by leadership which coordinate operational activities including staff, space, facilities, supplies, and general expenses.
• Coordinate with Smilow Vice President and leadership on the development, implementation, and measurement of outcomes of the navigation service.
• Work with Joint Data Analytics Team, the Office of Strategy Management, and Tumor Registry Teams to build data management repository and on data interpretation and analysis, and business intelligence relevant to developing, monitoring and achieving navigation priorities and CMS Billing for Principal Illness Navigation.
• Participate in planning, marketing, and business development as it relates to the Navigation Program.
• Represent the Navigation Program in meetings and conferences and other affairs of an administrative nature.
• Prepare and analyze reports including financial reports, developing and presenting progress goals and update reports, adverse trend reports, and develops and collaborates on appropriate conclusions and recommendations related to the performance of the navigation program.
• Perform other related duties as required incidental to the work described herein.

EDUCATION

• Master's degree in a related field is required, healthcare and oncology concentration strongly preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• Work requires a minimum of 5 years of cancer services experience in hospital operations or other relevant healthcare delivery and/or academic organization including at least 5 years at the administrative leadership level. Leadership experience in the administration of an National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center is strongly preferred. Previous Navigation training and experience is required. Experience with oncology navigation professional organizations is desirable, and billing CMS for Principle Illness Navigation services.

SPECIAL SKILLS:

• Strong facilitative leadership skills with the ability to lead effectively in a matrixed organization requiring high levels of collaboration, appraisal and critical thinking.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in planning and supporting clinical program development and operations, professional education, and medical research in an academic environment.
• Strong analytical, strategic, and critical thinking skills to identify problems and develop innovative solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal, as well as written and verbal communication skills to interact with a variety of individuals at all organizational levels, with the flexibility to promote positive working relationships and job effectiveness.
• Superior negotiation skills and demonstrated counseling aptitude with the ability to function as a facilitator, to exercise diplomacy, tact, professionalism, and responsiveness, and to solve concerns between individuals in a fair and equitable manner.
• Proven ability to investigate, gather and organize information to produce concise reports using various resources.
• Knowledge and experience in physician practice management and clinical operational practice that support effective and efficient care structures and processes.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

The Director of Patient Navigation reports to Smilow Vice President of Patient Services with a matrixed reporting to Chief of Cancer Care Equity at Yale Cancer Center. Ability to influence people in their opinions, attitudes, beliefs and decisions but with the acumen and sensitivity to recognize culturally sensitive matters or that require higher level management consultation and/or group collaboration. Ability to work with all types of individuals in multiple settings and across disciplines and locations to promote transparency and open communication in the workplace. Ability to negotiate and mediate complex and often competing interests. Proven success to anticipate, develop, and implement new procedures, practices, and processes adaptable to a constantly changing healthcare environment. Demonstrated effectiveness applying a keen business intellect to problem solving in an environment rich in complexity, including multiple business interests, multiple business partners, and multiple missions. Demonstrated success in creating, executing and monitoring strategic and operational plans to achieve established goals for a group of academic physicians, clinical and non-clinical professionals, administrators and front-line staff. Demonstrates motivation and initiative in seeking professional growth and development.

COMPLEXITY:

Ability to recognize the difference between making and influencing decisions and knowing when and why to make decisions and when and why to influence decisions. Proven experience as an analytical thinker and leader with specific knowledge implementing value-added business initiatives. A critical and inquisitive thought leader who considers the opposing forces in medicine and can plan accordingly.

• ACCESS: Oversite of workforce development for staff responsible for identifying and onboarding new patient referrals to ensure timely onboarding to care.
• PATIENT NAVIGATION: Oversite of clinical and non-clinical navigator workforce development to enhance care delivery and ensure equitable outcomes.
• Ensure a qualified, trained and competent access and navigation workforce according to the Oncology Navigation Standards of Professional Practice, including the necessary education, licensure, and/or certification for their positions.
• Lead critical initiatives for the navigation program in the integration of strategy, operations, training, knowledge management, quality/safety and performance measurement.
• Partnering closely with cross-functional leaders, managers, and care teams to implement systems and processes that deliver consistent, high-quality care.
• Optimizing the process of identifying and assessing psychosocial distress for all Smilow patients, including the functional, social, and health needs of individual patients with cancer so that tailored navigation services are offered throughout active cancer treatment.
• Effective Communication to ensure patients, oncology care team, referring providers, and community providers understand the role of the Navigators and the Navigation and Access program.
• Continuously evaluating the program to ensure optimal processes are in place to achieve program goals.
• Providing recommendations to senior leadership on policies, procedures, goals, and service delivery methods for Patient Navigation and Access.
• Advocate for resources needed to optimize navigation, including but not limited to IT and technology support, data and analytic systems and workforce training and development tools.
• Ensuring alignment of navigation systems with regulatory and accreditation requirements for Smilow Cancer Hospital (i.e. CoC, NAPBC, NCCN, TJC, FACT).

The Director, Smilow Access and Navigation works from within the context of a patient-centered and team approach to promote timely access to needed care, healthcare literacy, continuity of care, addressing social determinants of health and the enhancement of patient and family wellbeing.