Division Chief – Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery

Role Overview

Division Chief – Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery at Sidra Medicine. This role reports to the Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Company Overview

Sidra Medicine is a high-tech facility providing world-class patient care, scientific expertise, and educational resources. The organization delivers comprehensive specialist healthcare services for children and young people, and exceptional maternity, gynecology, and reproductive medical services for women. Sidra Medicine holds a full-time affiliation with Weill Cornell Medical College – Qatar.

Role Purpose

The Division Chief provides clinical, educational, research, and executive management leadership for the pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery division. The postholder serves as a clinical and managerial leader, working with the department of cardiovascular diseases executive team to develop and deliver strategy and business plans, and is accountable for resources and performance. The primary goal is to coordinate the provision of care for patients requiring pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery across the full spectrum of conditions, for both elective and emergent cases, while cultivating innovative surgical programs and expanding divisional outreach.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Identify and articulate the vision, strategic direction, and growth of the division and develop implementation strategies to achieve them.
• In conjunction with the Clinical Chief, identify and articulate the vision, strategic direction, and growth of the division of pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery and lead the implementation of strategies to achieve them.
• Promote leadership and direction for the development of strategies for recruitment, retention, and direct mission of excellence for the division and the medical staff in general.
• Collaborate with the Chair of cardiovascular diseases to execute recruitment and retention strategies.
• Cultivate the development of new innovative surgical programs within Sidra and work to expand the outreach of the division through coordination with the International Medical Office.
• Assist with marketing strategies to inform physicians, their staff and the public of Sidra's Pediatric Surgical Programs, services and resources.
• Promote and evaluate physician community outreach programs as appropriate.

Clinical Service Planning and Operations

• Lead clinical service planning, service development and capacity planning for the division, working closely with anesthesia and the surgical executive to develop the patient care capacity required to safely and efficiently provide the full spectrum of pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery procedures required by the Sidra Pediatric Program.
• Ensure the intraoperative environment, instrumentation, surgical and diagnostic equipment, scheduling, inpatient and outpatient care pathways are optimized.
• Develop and implement the policies and procedures required to guide and support the provision of pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery services for the Sidra Pediatric Program.
• Work with the Chair to establish and update call coverage for consultative and operative care of the pediatric population requiring pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery care.
• Assure that there is appropriate clinical coverage for all patients requiring care from the division, including emergency care, for the Sidra Pediatric Program.
• Ensure a high standard of service is continually provided to all patients, their families and other hospital staff as prescribed in the patient care and facility standards set down by Sidra Medicine.
• Ensure that clinical services required are available with appropriate call coverage.
• Manage clinic and operating room resources efficiently.
• Provide pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery care for patients in the Sidra Pediatric Program, including clinic and outpatient consultations, operative procedures for routine, urgent and emergency care.
• Lead in the care of the full spectrum of pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery conditions, including acute care.
• Prepare all records and reports as may be required in support of services rendered and as required by Qatar State Law.
• Ensure all members of the division optimize the use of electronic medical records.
• Facilitate patient access to medical care by recommending appropriate referrals to other healthcare providers in accordance with policies and regulations of the facility.
• Be accessible and available to referring physicians and allied healthcare providers.
• Work cooperatively with other members of department to ensure that a high standard of patient care services is maintained.
• Identify and coordinate resolution of problems to improve physician utilization and patient satisfaction.
• Provide support and relief for other surgeons as required.

Multidisciplinary Team Leadership

• Develop and provide leadership of the multi-disciplinary teams required for optimal care of the pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery patient population.
• Facilitate and provide ongoing development of non-physician care providers within the pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery care team.
• Be responsible for the administrative reporting structures, ongoing professional assessment and professional development of non-physician team members.
• Promote a culture of excellent, efficient and quality service delivery in a congenial, supportive, collaborative and equitable environment.
• Work collaboratively with other division chiefs, directors and all other division staff to ensure that cohesive, cross-functional teams are developed.
• Ensure effective communication with and involvement of all staff within the division on key decisions and initiatives.
• Participate in programs designed to foster positive relations between physicians and hospital operations and administration.

Staffing, Credentialing and Professional Development

• Recommend clinical privileges, appointment, reappointment and corrective action for each member of the division.
• Promote mentorship and academic career development for division members.
• Provide mentorship and career development support for the pediatric and congenital cardiac surgeons within the division, including the development of clinical, teaching, research and administrative expertise.
• Broadly develop the skill sets and human capital of the surgical and allied health staff of the care teams supervised.
• Provide monitoring of the professional performance of all individuals in the division who have clinical privileges, including ongoing and focused professional practice evaluations (OPPE and FPPE).
• Ensure that division members participate in ongoing maintenance of competence programs.
• Undertake appraisals of staff as directed.
• Assist with the process of recruiting pediatric and congenital cardiac surgeons and non-physician healthcare providers as requested.
• Participate in mandatory training and actively practice continual professional development in alignment with Sidra's professional development programs to ensure maintenance of professional licensure and accreditation.

Quality Improvement and Clinical Governance

• Ensure appropriate monitoring of the quality of the pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery provided, including participation in department-wide initiatives such as the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP).
• Identify problems if they should ensue and develop effective strategies for improving and optimizing outcomes on a continual basis.
• Set and achieve targets to drive continuous assessment and improvement of the quality of care and services provided.
• Initiate actions for necessary improvements according to Sidra Board initiatives.
• Ensure quality improvement programs and competency assessment initiatives for the division of pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery are followed by the patient care team.
• Ensure that the staff of the division provides services that are following all applicable standards and requirements of the Joint Commission International, Qatar Supreme Health Council, and all other applicable regulatory bodies.
• In conjunction with the Chair, ensure the implementation of robust clinical governance structures and processes to ensure patient safety.
• Accountable for the division's performance, customer satisfaction and regulatory compliance.

Financial Management and Resource Planning

• Participate in the Chair of cardiovascular diseases in creating and managing budgets for the division.
• Be accountable for the financial performance and management of all budgets within the division.
• Make recommendations for the purchase of capital and other equipment.
• Participate in the evaluation of products for use by different members of the division to ensure their safety and efficacy.

Research and Academic Programs

• In conjunction with the Chief Research Officer and Departmental Head of Research, ensure a program of clinical and translational research is developed and promoted and delivered within the division.
• Lead the development of medical research and academic projects for the division of pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery, including participation in joint programs, collaborations and primary projects of the division, under the overall direction of the Chair of cardiovascular diseases.
• Be actively involved in research, graduate teaching, and publication in higher impact referred journals.
• Perform research or pursue approved academic initiatives during dedicated academic time, which will be provided every week.

Teaching and Education

• Work collaboratively with Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar to provide teaching support by the members of the division for the undergraduate medical students and surgical residents as required for Pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery instruction following an ACGME curriculum.
• Provide divisional support for programs to mentor and support students.
• Work cooperatively with the Medical School to provide teaching support for undergraduate medical students and surgical residents by the members of the division, as required for the ACGME curriculum.
• Be an educational resource for pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery and contribute to the education of patients, staff and physicians and other stakeholders as required.
• Develop and/or deliver training programs to new employees on equipment and procedures around operations in alignment with the departments and Sidra's training objectives and plans.

Administration and Governance

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