Director of Ambulatory Advanced Practice

Position Title: Director of Ambulatory Advanced Practice

Position Overview:

The Director of Ambulatory Advanced Practice reports to the Chief Ambulatory Physician Executive and leads the strategic oversight and operational management of advanced practice clinicians (APCs) across ambulatory care in the health system. The Director is responsible for workforce planning, APC development, and alignment of APC roles within ambulatory services. The Director collaborates closely with clinical Departments/Divisions/Services to ensure the optimal utilization and professional development of the APC workforce in ambulatory settings, while helping these groups define the most effective care models to meet their specific needs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership and Operational Management:
• Provide strategic direction for the ambulatory APC workforce, focusing on workforce optimization, growth, and sustainable patient care models.
• Collaborate with clinical Departments/Divisions/Services to define and implement care models that improve access, quality, and satisfaction for both patients and providers. These models may range from high-autonomy APC roles to team-based care models, depending on the needs and goals of each Department/Division/Service.
• Collaborate with Regional Medical Directors in the oversight of ambulatory APC operations, ensuring the alignment of APC functions with ambulatory and organizational priorities.
• Participate in the development of and apply policies and procedures related to APCs, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and organizational standards.
• Matrixed Governance & Collaboration:
• Ambulatory Advanced Practice Clinicians work in a matrixed environment, with clinical Departments/Divisions/Services playing a role in APC performance management, clinical staffing, role optimization, and utilization strategy.
• In addition to their areas of direct oversight including workforce planning, physician collaboration, onboarding, and education/professional development, the Director of Ambulatory Advanced Practice will also collaborate with clinical Departments/Divisions/Services in the matrixed governance of the operational and administrative aspects of Advanced Practice.
• Work closely with enterprise clinical leadership to develop and implement APC performance evaluation tools, ensuring that these tools are effectively integrated at the Department/Division/Service level for their evaluation of individual APC clinical performance.
• Workforce Development & Optimization:
• Participate in the hiring processes for APCs, working closely with clinical departments to ensure the right candidates are selected and positioned for success.
• Lead initiatives to develop professional pathways for ambulatory APCs, including onboarding, transition-to-practice plans, continuing education, and leadership development to ensure new APCs are effectively integrated into the workforce and supported in their clinical practice.
• Work closely with HR and clinical leadership to develop strategic recruitment, onboarding, and retention plans for APCs, ensuring a diverse and well-trained workforce to meet growing clinical needs.
• Standardize APC roles and scope of practice across ambulatory settings, ensuring clarity in responsibilities and maximizing the use of APCs in clinical care.
• Ensure APC competency assessment, orientation, and performance evaluations are conducted consistently across ambulatory settings, contributing to the overall growth and professional development of APCs.
• Data-Driven Leadership:
• Use data analytics to optimize APC performance, track key metrics such as patient outcomes, care access, and clinician satisfaction.
• Collaborate with data teams to create dashboards that track key metrics including APC utilization and overall performance.
• Interprofessional Collaboration:
• Foster interprofessional collaboration between APCs, physicians, and other clinical staff, supporting integrated care models that improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
• Serve as a key advocate for Advanced Practice in organizational discussions, helping to align care models with departmental goals and patient needs.
• Work closely with key stakeholders including Ambulatory CMOs, hospital APC leadership, Department Chairs, Clinical Vice Chairs and Chiefs, and Regional Medical Directors.
• Quality and Innovation:
• Support quality improvement initiatives, collaborating with enterprise Quality leadership and Population Health to improve care quality and outcomes, ensuring the APC workforce contributes to the broader goals of patient impact and operational effectiveness.
• System Accountability:
• Ensure proper delineation of privileges for APCs.
• Demonstrate the value of the ambulatory APC workforce by measuring and reporting on outcomes such as clinical quality, APC engagement, and financial performance, while aligning with department-specific care models.
• Ensure effective APC retention and recognition strategies, fostering a culture that values and retains top talent.

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Master's or Doctorate) in Nursing, Physician Assistant Studies, or a related advanced practice field.
• Minimum of 10 years of clinical APC experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of ambulatory care operations and APC workforce management, with experience in helping departments define and implement care models.
• Ability to collaborate across departments and services, with a focus on aligning care models with clinical and operational goals.
• Excellent strategic planning, communication, and leadership skills.

• 1. Strategic Leadership and Operational Management:
• 1.1 Provide strategic direction for the ambulatory APC workforce, focusing on workforce optimization, growth, and sustainable patient care models.
• 2. Matrixed Governance & Collaboration:
• 2.1 Ambulatory Advanced Practice Clinicians work in a matrixed environment, with clinical Departments/Divisions/Services collaborating with Director Ambulatory Advance Clinical Practice in APC performance management, clinical staffing, role optimization, and utilization strategy.
• 3. Workforce Development & Optimization:
• 3.1 Participate in the hiring processes for APCs, working closely with clinical departments to ensure the right candidates are selected and positioned for success.
• 4. Data-Driven Leadership:
• 4.1 Use data analytics to optimize APC performance, track key metrics such as patient outcomes, care access, and clinician satisfaction.
• 5. Interprofessional Collaboration:
• 5.1 Foster interprofessional collaboration between APCs, physicians, and other clinical staff, supporting integrated care models that improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
• 6. Quality and Innovation:
• 6.1 Support quality improvement initiatives, collaborating with enterprise Quality leadership and Population Health to improve care quality and outcomes, ensuring the APC workforce contributes to the broader goals of patient impact and operational effectiveness.
• 7. System Accountability:
• 7.1 Ensure proper delineation of privileges for APCs.

EDUCATION

Advanced degree (Master's or Doctorate) in Nursing, Physician Assistant Studies, or a related advanced practice field.

EXPERIENCE

Minimum of 10 years of clinical APC experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role strongly preferred.

LICENSURE

Current licensed APRN or PA in state of Connecticut

SPECIAL SKILLS

Strong knowledge of ambulatory care operations and APC workforce management, with experience in helping departments define and implement care models. Ability to collaborate across departments and services, with a focus on aligning care models with clinical and operational goals. Excellent strategic planning, communication, and leadership skills.

PHYSICAL DEMAND

Travel required between YNHHS Ambulatory and Hospital based sites