Director, Sterile Processing and Case Cart

Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals is the flagship hospital of Jefferson Health, a multi-state non-profit health system based in Philadelphia. The hospital serves as the teaching hospital for Thomas Jefferson University. With 937 licensed beds and 63 operating rooms, it is the second-largest hospital in Pennsylvania. Inpatient services are provided at three locations: the main hospital facility and Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, both in Center City Philadelphia, as well as Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia.

The Director of Sterile Processing amp; Case Cart (SPCC) provides excellent, current, and fiscally responsible leadership and management for the operations in the Sterile Processing and Case Cart Department, analyzes performance measures and metrics, and leads strategic initiatives to always assure the support of safe patient care. Reporting to the Vice President, Operations, the Director supervises three (3) manager level positions, eleven (11) supervisors, three (3) instrument and equipment coordinators, one (1) educator, and one-hundred fifteen (115) technicians. With over 30,000 surgeries performed annually, SPCC runs 24/7/365 and requires a leader with a strong background in sterile processing, developing, and enforcing competencies, and experience with productivity metrics.

This leader contributes to and executes the vision for promoting excellence and program growth in a highly competitive marketplace; ensures that high quality services are provided within professional regulatory and accrediting body standards; ensures that overall performance meets or exceeds national best practice benchmarks; ensures operational function at top levels of efficiency and exceed customer expectations. Provide current science-based expertise to direct programs, process, and people to define quality service deliverables to include support of safe efficient care, quality patient outcomes, and improve process and practice to reduce risk factors.

• Interacts with co-workers, visitors, and other staff consistent with the values of Jefferson.

• Provides leadership and directly supervises the activities of the Sterile Processing and Case Cart department at TJUH, JHN and Methodist Hospitals.

• Utilizes problem solving skills and methods to resolve and assure standards for sterilization practices are according to regulatory and governing bodies to support infection control practices.

• Coordinates operational functions to fulfill goals for the SPCC Department at all TJU campuses.

• Interacts with co-workers, visitors, and other staff consistent with the core values of the Hospital.

• Develops and implements appropriate strategies to assure efficient and quality services for the SPCC department to provide support services to its customers.

• Analyzes work patterns and flow to meet identified benchmark targets; identifies similarities and differences to benchmark institutions.

• Plans and implements programs related to inventory, supplies, distribution and standardization of materials related to Perioperative SPCC areas are maintained and maximized to support budgetary targets.

• Assists in the development of the Sterile Processing and Case Cart Department operating and capital budgets.

• Manages the departmental operational and capital budget monitoring actual performance relative to budget and explaining variances.

• Exercises fiscal responsibility for operational budget of the Sterile Processing and Case Cart Department including the replacement of instrumentation and supplies.

• Ensure compliance with Infection Control Policies and Procedures of TJUH as well as the regulations of the PA Department of Health, OSHA, CDC, EPA, FDA, and AAMI.

• Develop the surgical service partnership between SPCC and the ORs to ensure integrated productivity and system monitoring; develop and implement coordinated project improvement plans.

• Identifies processes and mechanisms needed to achieve targeted outcomes, plans actions for improvements (current and future), and implement changes that will enhance quality and effectiveness throughout the Perioperative Division

• Evaluates the SPCC Departmental responsibilities in coordination with Perioperative Divisional quality and patient safety initiatives utilizing data analysis from monitoring processes and patient outcomes and systematically uses the data for continuous quality improvement.

• Analyzes workflows that support patient care delivery; identify potential process breakdowns that may affect patient safety.

• Identify methods to optimize SPCC and ldquo;relatedrdquo; service efficiency.

• Serve as a resource to develop and mentor unit-based committees and staffs to deliver and monitor ongoing measurements and assessment to implement best practice sterilization processes and practices across all the perioperative settings as well as in the various Hospital Based Practices.

• Evaluate SPCC policies to ensure practice is in accordance with professional standards and accrediting regulations.

• Ensure proper use of the Instrument Management System across the Division.

• Utilize six sigma and other performance improvement methodologies and tools in process improvement activities.

• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of the principles amp; practices of health planning and management sufficient to manage, direct and coordinate the operations of a diverse department.

Skill in exercising a high degree of initiative, judgment, discretion and decision making to achieve organizational objectives.

Skill in analyzing situations accurately and taking effective action.

Ability to organize and integrate organizational priorities and deadlines

Ability to prepare comprehensive reports.

Education:

Bachelorrsquo;s Degree in Nursing, Business Administration, Biological/Physical Sciences, or Health Care Administration required; Masterrsquo;s Degree in Nursing, Business Administration, Biological/Physical Sciences, or Health Care Administration also preferred

AND

Experience:

Minimum of 10 years of progressive management and leadership experience in sterile processing, including extensive knowledge of decontamination/sterilization principles, standards, techniques, and best practice along with proven success within the Sterile Processing setting. Experience in a union environment is preferred.

Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) (HSPA).

Certified Healthcare Leader (CHL) required (HSPA)

Certified Instrument Specialist (CIS) preferred but required within 1 year.

Certified Endoscope Reprocessor (CER) preferred (HSPA).

Registered Nurse (RN) licensed to practice in the State of Pennsylvania is desirable, but not required.

(*HSPA ndash; Healthcare Sterile Processing Association ndash; Formerly known as IAHCSMM)