Director of Emergency and Critical Care Services at Nashville Veterinary Specialists

The Director of Emergency and Critical Care Services has the primary responsibility of managing the quality of veterinary medicine and implementing medical strategy within the ER, ECC and ICU services of the hospital. The ER/ECC/ICU director shares the hospital’s vision of excellent patient care, team health, and client experience within a collaborative and supportive environment while sharing the operational and financial goals of the practice. The ER/ECC/ICU director oversees the emergency, critical care and ICU veterinarians and staff.

The goal of this position is to provide overall vision, mentorship, training, supervision, organization, direction, evaluation, and accountability within the ER/ECC/ICU services and to act as a meaningful and operational liaison between the other specialty services, administrative, and management teams.

Reports to the Medical Director but works closely with other leaders (Director of Operations, Clinical Operations Manager, Patient Care Managers).

Education and Experience

●  Required: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, American College of Veterinary Medicine (Internal Medicine) or American College of Emergency and Critical Care Board Certification or Equivalent experience

●  Required: 3+ years of experience in directing a medical team (ideally in ER/ECC department)

●  Proven leadership and team building experience

Requirements
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Medical Oversight

●  Set medical protocols and oversee compliance with emergency and critical care veterinarians

●  Ensure all patients are triaged and treated in a timely manner

●  Ensure all doctors and technicians offer the best patient options to every client

●  Ensure quality of patient care by all doctors and assist medical director and clinical operations

manager in conducting performance reviews and improvement plans

●  Ensure rounds are performed daily and at each shift change

●  Participate in clinical partners team and medical advisory board

●  Partners with Patient Care Manager, Clinical Operations Manager, Trainers, and Medical Director to ensure the execution of established medical and hospital protocols

●  Partners with Patient Care Managers, Clinical Operations Director, Trainers, ER doctors, Medical Director and site medical support leaders to modify or establish ER protocols, hospital flows, and support training

●  Help direct/support ER mentorship program

●  Oversee doctor performance, help conduct regular 1:1s, annual reviews, and other

performance-related activities, such as oversight of doctor disciplinary actions and termination of doctor including, but not limited to, determining what actions result in warning or terminations, implementing disciplinary procedures when necessary (verbal, written warning, action plan, probation, etc.) with the support of the Hospital Manager and Medical Director as needed.

●  Attends leadership team meetings

●  Maintains communication with referring veterinarian community via direct conversations on

complicated referral cases as well as addressing concerns

●  Clinical work - 2-4 shifts/ week plus one weekend/ month (TBD)

●  Additional in-hospital administration time/ week- approximately 10-16 hr (TBD)

Medical Records

●  Ensure all doctors fully document patient medical records to support care offered and facilitate easy communication in a multi-doctor setting

●  Ensure all medical records are sent to referring veterinarians in a timely manner

●  Ensure all clients are provided with accurate and informative discharge summaries at this time of

patient discharge

●  Conduct periodic audits of records/invoicing for accuracy and efficiency

Scheduling

●  Support the DVM schedules and work toward filling all necessary ER/hospitalist DVM shifts for full coverage

●  Work with staff/management in identifying all personnel needs

●  Manage or support interview process for doctors and provide hiring recommendations

●  Help with all schedule optimizations periodically

●  Support/Set/Finalize monthly ER doctor schedule

Financial responsibilities

●  Assist in maintaining the financial performance of the practice by ensuring all veterinarians adhere to the fee schedule, prepared treatment plans, and hospital charges

●  Identify and address areas of improvement in doctor and lay staff training and coordinate training goals with management and department supervisors

●  Collaborate in monthly financial discussions with an eye for solutions

●  Assist in monthly audits and/or reviews of DVM production reports for accuracy

Client Service

●  Address any client concerns professionally in cooperation with management related to ER/ICU/ECC services

●  Use client feedback resources to improve doctor and lay staff performance

●  Guide veterinarians in clearly communicating appropriate treatment options

●  Ensure that all doctors develop clear clinical communication skills and relationship building

techniques

Continuing Education Responsibilities

●  Offer insight on lacking areas for the training of doctors and lay staff and coordinate training goals with the manager and department supervisors or leads

●  Regularly schedule and attend veterinarian-management meetings

● Facilitate CE rounds and M&M rounds with appropriate staff

Supervisory Responsibilities:

The ER/ECC/ICU director has direct supervisory duties over the emergency, critical care, and ICU medical team and leads the medical care of our patients by directing technical and inpatient care in an efficient and respectful manner.

Leadership Responsibilities

●  Positive role model

●  Able to have difficult and constructive conversations with team and team leaders

●  Does not participate in triangulated conversations

●  Track record of implementation of initiatives with team buy in

Ideal candidate:

Board-certified Criticalist or Experienced (2+ years) ER doctor
Values integrity, exhibits superior communication, displays excellent client service + patient care Strong skill set to build and foster a strong clinical team
A collaborative leader who will match and embrace and even improve NVS culture

Benefits:

●  Professional liability insurance (including a professional license defense rider) with AVMA-PLIT;

●  Payment of a portion of your individual premium for your health care insurance under the

Practice’s plan;

●  Dental and vision at employee cost.

●  TN State veterinary license fees.

●  DEA license fees.

●  Membership dues for: AVMA, Emergency and Critical Care Dues

●  CE allowance

●  16 days PTO

●  401K