Director, Referral Optimization

The Director, Referral Optimization, has primary accountability for optimizing the referral process to maximize organ donation opportunities and assumes responsibility for referral response, referral suitability, clinical assessment, and referral management.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Provides oversight and participates in the planning, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of all aspects of referral and clinical assessment, and referral management.
• Supports LifeCenter Northwest’s (LCNW) Administrator-on-Call (AOC) and Resource Triage Coordinator (RTC) by providing consultations as needed, addressing referral response and prioritization, donor evaluation, organ suitability, and referral case management.
• Provides rotational administrative on call support for escalated referral and donor optimization situations.
• Participates in the development of the organization’s key performance indicators (KPI) focusing on increasing LCNW’s organ donation and transplantation rates.
• Is responsible in partnership with Clinical Operations leadership for development and implementation of the Organ Donation Services (ODS) strategic plan and ensures the initiatives are carried out to achieve KPI’s.
• Collaborates with the Director, Quality & Regulatory Affairs (QRA) to collect and analyze the data necessary to monitor and improve organ donation systems and processes.
• Works in concert with LCNW’s Medical Director and Medical Advisors to develop effective referral management protocols aimed at optimizing donation opportunities, with focus on medical suitability and health care team collaboration.
• Routinely reviews performance metrics and recommends changes in systems, policies, and procedures to maximize the performance of LCNW’s organ donation program.
• Ensures compliance with Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) standards and policies as well as all hospital, state, and federal policies for donation.
• Analyzes and recommends changes in organ donation systems, policies and procedures and ensures their implementation.
• Critically examines and identifies opportunities for improvement; leads performance improvement initiatives in collaboration with other members of the LCNW leadership team.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates strategic and departmental plans focused on optimizing referral suitability and management.
• Serves as a change agent for the organization by leading and/or directing process improvement initiatives aimed at increasing efficiency and effectiveness, cost containment, cost reduction, and improved outcomes. Manages the Continuous Performance Feedback program for department employees, including regular one-on-ones and personal development plans.
• Mentors and develops staff using a supportive and collaborative approach; assigns accountability, sets objectives, establishes priorities, and monitors and evaluates results.
• Provides effective coaching to engage, support, and motivate staff to realize their greatest potential in service of LCNW’s mission.
• Participates in and provides supervision and guidance to the management team regarding LCNW’s annual budget process, providing administrative and fiscal oversight of departmental budgets within Organ Donation Services.

Training Responsibilities

• Promotes a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.
• Develops and implements training plans for all direct reports.
• Assures adequate staffing and training of the Procurement department.
• Responsible for ensuring the educational development of the leadership team members who report directly to this position.
• Manages effective training, documentation, and provides an environment for continuous learning.