Supports the CareMore Academy team and Aspire Institute teams with general education needs and training, and specialty palliative care education across the organization.

Responsible for overall region/market provider Utilization and Productivity. Partner and collaborate closely with the RVP Operations and other Aspire groups to establish and achieve metrics and measures, delivering successfully against those goals; Ensures clinical quality and provides clinical expertise within the market – owns field clinical quality outcomes (CQR and management dashboard analytics); Is responsible for the reporting and analyzing of patient care quality and for the development of plans and programs to support continuous quality improvement which lead to improved clinical outcomes in the market; Assists the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Clinical Officer clinical quality, compliance integration, and process improvement; Owns field compliance integration (best practices, QA, SOPs, Revenue and Quality Management initiatives, etc.); Works collaboratively with key corporate and field leaders toward identification of opportunities for improvement, trend analysis, education that result in the development of appropriate action plans for problem resolution; Responsible for clinical competence, clinical quality, and clinical effectiveness of the service delivery model, leads Inter-Disciplinary Team (IDT) efforts, serves as a mentor, coach, and trainer for team leaders and clinical directors; Ensures the highest quality of clinical care through performance management initiatives, including training, continuing education, and other programs; Responsible for team member talent acquisition to ensure the identification and selection of the highest quality providers for Aspire and sufficient coverage for existing and projected patient needs; Administers ride-alongs, preceptorship, development through role playing and scenario reviews, coaching on clinical prioritization and discussions (disease trajectory, hospice transitions, plans of care, etc.); Supports health plan relationships and the Partnerships Team with business development and provider relations.

Supports the Optum Centers for Excellence team as Subject Matter Expert in palliative and supportive care; steward affordability initiatives related to national and local care delivery initiatives; Supports enterprise-wide initiative for palliative nursing certification; Leads system-wide educational efforts related to goals of care conversations.

Steward the development and implementation of enterprise-wide specialty primary palliative care across OptumCare lines of business to enhance the delivery of competency-based palliative care, minimize variation across programs, and increase collaboration across care settings. Supports and directs system- wide initiatives for professional development in Palliative Care. As a member of the Center for Palliative and Supportive Care leadership team, leads system-wide educational efforts related to goals of care conversations and advance care planning. Develop relationships and pathways to integrate primary palliative care with care management and other OptumCare entities to improve the patient experience.

Leads the development and implementation of enterprise-wide subspecialty and primary palliative care services to enhance access to quality palliative care, improve the patient experience, and increase efficiency across care settings for patients with serious advanced illness. Supports and directs system- wide educational initiatives and forums for professional development in Palliative Care. Oversight of operational, clinical, and quality outcomes for subspecialty palliative care services across the system and identification of trends in the general UPMC patient population related to goals of care, patient treatment preferences, and provider/clinical communication; Collaborates with medical system and UPMC health plan leadership to identify opportunities for innovation and new care delivery systems to improve care for patients with chronic illness. Responsible for fiscal sustainability and budgeting; Represent UPMC and the Institute with external agencies including regulatory and legislative organizations serving individuals with life limiting illness.

Responsible for establishing, coordinating, and integrating palliative care services for Veterans within multiple health care delivery systems throughout 104 counties in VISN 4 and with other networks in VHA. Mentor and lead staff to improve Veterans’ access to palliative care, quality of care, and the measurement of outcomes related to hospice and palliative care services within VISN 4. Develop and maintain reporting systems that reflect accountability for and inform VACO, VISN and VAMC leadership about palliative care. Serve as chairperson for the Advanced Administrative Consultation Team and is the VISN point of contact for all matters related to palliative care. Co/Chair Hospice Veteran Partnership in PA, WV, DE and NJ to facilitate relationships with community agencies and veteran service organization.

Served as clinical expert, educator, and consultant for management and care of patients and families with complex needs for physical, social, emotional, and/or spiritual care; assist with education of physician and allied members of health care team and coordinate specialized care across the continuum of care; role model and resource for nursing staff and health care team; assist hospital leadership with program planning, implementation and evaluation for end of life care services; professional and lay community education regarding end of life care/issues and advance care planning. Also responsible for administration and clinical service of inpatient/outpatient chronic pain service 2/01-3/03.