Associate Vice President of Patient Access

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is an independent, nonprofit organization providing adult cancer treatment and groundbreaking research focused on cancer and infectious diseases. Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington.

With a track record of global leadership in bone marrow transplantation, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunotherapy and COVID-19 vaccines, Fred Hutch has earned a reputation as one of the world’s leading cancer, infectious disease and biomedical research centers. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services, and network affiliations with hospitals in five states. Together, our fully integrated research and clinical care teams seek to discover new cures to the world’s deadliest diseases and make life beyond cancer a reality.

At Fred Hutch we value collaboration, compassion, determination, excellence, innovation, integrity and respect. These values are grounded in and expressed through the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our mission is directly tied to the humanity, dignity and inherent value of each employee, patient, community member and supporter. Our commitment to learning across our differences and similarities make us stronger. We seek employees who bring different and innovative ways of seeing the world and solving problems. Fred Hutch is in pursuit of becoming an anti-racist organization. We are committed to ensuring that all candidates hired share our commitment to diversity, anti-racism and inclusion.

 

The Associate Vice President of Patient Access is responsible and accountable for the strategic and operational oversight of Patient Access Services for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. This includes administering, reviewing, and overseeing the performance of patient access and referral management (Intake) functions. The Associate VP is responsible for providing direction and leadership to achieve ongoing operational quality, productivity, and efficiency of the Patient Access team for Ambulatory practices. The Associate VP is responsible for ensuring the optimal technology and operational infrastructure are in place to support the expansion of the organization’s clinical access strategy. The role serves as the leader of the Ambulatory Patient Access Services team to internal and external organizations, including government agencies, payer organizations and external auditors.

We are seeking a strategic-minded leader with an aptitude for identifying and implementing new and emerging strategies to increase efficiency, improve processes, and enhance the patient experience.

 

• Sets the strategic direction and manages operations for Fred Hutch’s patient access services including collaborating with University of Washington Medical Center administrators and other clinical and administrative leaders to standardize patient access across all sites of care.
• Ensures that the department provide world-class service to patients that continually exceeds expectations and are in line with Fred Hutch’s mission and values.
• Provides strategic vision and direction to effectively manage industry shifts, regulatory changes, and rising cost pressures, challenging assumptions and standards of business. Drives operational performance improvement.
• Works with the VP Of Operations to successfully integrate referral management and access to provide streamlined services. Establishes and optimizes team processes, identifying and addressing gaps in patient service or operation workflow.
• Manages the overall operational, budgetary, and financial responsibilities of the department, seeks ways to control costs without compromising the quality of services delivered.
• Leads the patient access team in meeting high quality performance standards and in achieving KPIs in all areas of responsibility by creating an environment of continuous process improvement and accountability. Key performance metrics:  engagement, turnover, retention, diversity and equity in the workforce, leadership competency.
• Translates plans into operational activities that produce timely, measurable outcomes to meet organizational mission and goals. Collaborates with each operating unit/clinical department to create strategic alignment and coordinate expected outcomes.
• Establishes and maintains relevant controls and feedback systems to monitor the operation of the department. Reviews performance data that includes activity reports and turnaround times to monitor team output and service expectations, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Develops standard and reliable processes for assessing capacity needs.  For areas with constrained capacity, works with clinical and administrative leadership to identify and implement specific strategies for enhanced access. Identify, develop, and create organizational staffing models, policies, standard work.
• Creates a workplace culture that is consistent with the overall organization, and emphasizes the identified mission, vision, guiding principles and values of the organization
• Partners with leadership team and Human Resources to recruit, interview, select, hire, and develop top talent.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned
• Adheres to HIPAA Compliance

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree
• Minimum of ten years progressive experience in a comprehensive service delivery, health care, and/or contact center setting.
• Minimum of seven years in a managerial role.
• Significant understanding of healthcare business and revenue cycle principles, with special emphasis on patient access services.
  Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with physicians and senior clinical leadership.
  Working knowledge of Epic and experience with referral management platforms.
• Experience in leading a diverse team, thinking creatively to solve problems, projecting future needs, and being attuned to the day-to-day operations.
• A proven track record of providing visionary leadership and effective management of a complex department, unit, or organization. Ability to build, motivate and supervise a team including other department leaders.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization.
  
  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s in business administration or Healthcare Administration or related discipline
• Experience in referral management and patient access services within a large health system with at least five of those in a management role.
• Advanced knowledge of Epic Cadence and Beacon systems

This position is patient facing and/or requires access to Fred Hutch clinical facilities. As such, full COVID-19 vaccination is required as a condition of employment, without exception. Booster doses are strongly recommended but not required. If declining a booster, completion of the COVID-19 Vaccination Status Form Questionnaire and COVID-19 Booster Declination Training is required. Because of our immunocompromised patient population, there are no medical or religious accommodations available for any employee who is patient facing and/or requires access to Fred Hutch clinical facilities. Only employees whose positions are fully remote, who are not patient facing and/or require no access to clinical facilities, may apply for medical or religious accommodations. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees must provide proof of vaccination before their first day of employment.
 
A statement describing your commitment and contributions toward greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in your career or that will be made through your work at Fred Hutch is requested of all finalists.

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The annual base salary range for this position is from $159,778 to $266,296 and pay offered will be based on experience and qualifications.   

This position may be eligible for relocation assistance and/or sign-on bonus.  

  

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center offers employees a comprehensive benefits package designed to enhance health, well-being, and financial security. Benefits include medical/vision, dental, flexible spending accounts, life, disability, retirement, family life support, employee assistance program, onsite health clinic, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation (12-22 days per year), paid sick leave (12-25 days per year), paid holidays (13 days per year), paid parental leave (up to 4 weeks), and partially paid sabbatical leave (up to 6 months).  

 

 

We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) Employer. We are committed to cultivating a workplace in which diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, disability (physical or mental), marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, political ideology, or membership in any other legally protected class. We are an Affirmative Action employer. We encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds to apply and desire priority referrals of protected veterans. If due to a disability you need assistance/and or a reasonable accommodation during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to our Employee Services Center at hrops@fredhutch.org or by calling 206-667-4700.