Duties Description

The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) provides high-quality, person-centered services, supports and advocacy to approximately 136,000 individuals with developmental disabilities in New York State. OPWDD operates 6 Developmental Disabilities State Operations Offices (DDSOO) throughout the state with each DDSOO being responsible for the direct provision of state-operated services within predefined geographic locations.
The Bureau of State Operations Clinical Services unit within the subdivision of State Operations is responsible for overseeing the ongoing development and implementation of consistent statewide standards of clinical practice and training in the six State Operations Offices under the direction of the Associate Commissioner for State Operations and the Deputy Director of State Operations Offices Clinical Services. This unit supports the six DDSOO Directors and their clinical discipline leads in establishing statewide policies and procedures that assure delivery of high-quality clinical services, regulatory compliance, and high-quality outcomes for individuals in receipt of services in state operated programs.
This position will serve within the Division’s Bureau of Clinical Services, and function as the lead Medical Director for the field. In this role the incumbent will provide guidance and clinical consultation on patient cases, ensure core clinical competencies, provide clinical support to physicians and other medical staff, and consult on matters relating to quality of care in OPWDD state operated programs and services. The incumbent will also provide clinical medical consultation to the 6 DDSO Directors and/or the program medical staff who provide care to recipients involved in Article 16 Clinics, Day Habilitation programs, Family care programs, Intensive Treatment Opportunities (ITOs), and Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs), and Individual Residential Alternatives (IRAs).
The incumbent will also assist with supporting the overall functions of the Bureau of Clinical Services by: leading critical clinical special projects; clinical implementation of best practices; development of policies and procedures, assist in clinical services strategic planning; support quality and risk management issues; and promote the overall health of service recipients in state operations programs and services.
This position has a direct impact on the quality of medical health care services provided to the individuals receiving services from OPWDD. High quality medical health care is essential to insuring that OPWDD can accomplish its Core Mission of helping people with developmental disabilities lead richer lives.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
Under the direction of the Director of Bureau of State Operations Offices Clinical Services, specific duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) This position will serve and function as the operational lead for State Operations Central Office, Medical Director.

• Will provide operational oversight and technical guidance in support of day-to-day functions that includes providing support and consultation for State Operations Medical Directors and other clinical, medical and health services staff statewide (i.e., Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners).
• Serves as an expert clinical consultant to enhance and develop innovative clinical services.
• Will be available for consultations within State Operations in order to provide direction to medical/clinical staff.
• May assist in conducting case conferences and educational sessions to medical/clinical staff to present information on complex cases.
• Evaluates practices and protocols and recommends changes in procedures to ensure high quality care for the individuals served.
• Assists clinical staff when there is an outbreak of a communicable/infectious disease locally or statewide. Determines and assists in implementing appropriate outbreak control measures, including, but not limited to, immunization, quarantine, or isolation.
• May assist with the discharge planning of individuals from a hospital setting, especially in terms of health care needs. May take part in discharge planning meetings as needed to assist in rendering decisions regarding admissions/re-admissions to State Operated residential facilities.
• Strategize operations to achieve optimal outcomes through a focus on appropriate treatment, clinical quality assurance and service utilization.
• Utilize data to improve access, quality, or treatment outcomes for special populations.
• Developing and implementing strategies for assessing and improving the quality of and appropriateness of care, review of quality outcomes data, and initiation of performance improvement projects as needed.
• Support the Division in establishing statewide policies and procedures that assure delivery of high-quality clinical/medical services, regulatory compliance, and high-quality outcomes for individuals in receipt of services in state operated programs.
• Support the use of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) by having an active role in the utilization, reviewing, and analyzing EHR data in order to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Development and maintenance of technical guidance and training to ensure consistency of operations across the state.
• Provides expert clinical consultation to state-operated programs in conjunction with the local Medical Director, Director of Nursing, and /or other Subject Matter Experts.

(2) Function as the Medical discipline lead for staff physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other clinical staff who provide clinical/medical services in State Operated programs.

• Provides leadership to medical staff within State Operations by developing and leading a clinical Community of Practice of the medical staff (inclusive of medical directors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners) under the direction of the Director of the Bureau of State Operations Clinical Services.
• Demonstrates the ability to provide and maintain supportive, positive interpersonal relations in dealing with colleagues, supervisors, leadership, and state operations field staff.
• Monitor medical services compliance with all federal and state certification and accreditation standards through document reviews, routine meetings and via onsite visits as needed/directed within state operated residential settings and Article 16 Clinics.
• Oversees the management of the number of activities related to the delivery of medical care and clinical services such as cost management, utilization review, quality assurance and medical protocol development.
• Coordinate meetings with medical staff to discuss statewide policy and practices and provide training as needed or requested.
• Survey programs throughout state operations to identify best practices in the provision of medical services and share such practices for implementation.
• Represent the medical discipline within the agency and may serve as a representative among other agencies and collaborate with other State leaders in meetings. As needed or requested, may participate on the behalf of OPWDD State Operations on workgroups and/or committees that are related to the provision of medical services.
• Meets with the DDSOOs to identify issues and concerns related to the provision of medical services, to explore solutions, to identify and implement work plans to achieve solutions, and to formalize working relationships. This may be related to specific cases or more broad issues and concerns.
• Provide technical assistance and advice to Central Office and OPWDD field staff about clinical policy and standards interpretation and implementation.
• Meets with or arranges for meetings with individuals, families, and State Operations staff to discuss specific issues for improving the quality of care provided to individuals.
• Provides information and training to staff within State Operations on the requirements of new laws, regulations, rules, policies, and guidelines.
• The Medical Director may assist with the discharge of individuals from hospital settings as it relates to the health care needs of that individual. May take part in interdisciplinary discharge planning meetings as needed with the DDSOs and/or hospital staff as needed to render decisions regarding admissions/re-admissions to a State Operated residential setting.

(3) Support the State Operations Medical Services Workforce

• Support the recruitment of individuals bringing talent, well-developed skills sets and passion for helping others, and building high performing teams with the right compliment of personnel and skills to meet the needs of service recipients served by OPWDD State Operations.
• Responsible for coordinating and/or providing clinical supervision of NYS Licensed Physicians and other medical staff as needed.
• Provide medical expertise and leadership in program development and evaluation; will ensure appropriate numbers and deployment of medical staff to meet service recipient needs for assessment and other medical interventions.
• Encourages public-academic relationships that provide education and training opportunities for medical students and aids in attracting medical staff to OPWDD state operated employment opportunities.
• Development and maintenance of academic affiliation agreements with colleges and universities to provide fieldwork placement opportunities for medical students in training.
• Contribute to the creation, collaboration and/or coordination of professional development opportunities and programs in collaboration with OPWDDs Workforce Training and Development Bureau.
• Contributes as a Subject Matter Expert for civil services examinations in the medical field.
  

Additional Comments

Please Note:

• Preference will be given to OPWDD employees impacted by closures. If you are being impacted by closure, please indicate this on your resume/cover letter.
• In order to be eligible for appointment and to maintain employment, you cannot be listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of the Federal and/or State Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program). If you are appointed and subsequently listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program), you may be terminated from your employment.
• OPWDD is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
• OPWDD is committed to creating and sustaining a culture of inclusion. We believe that we are most effective in managing and improving our service system with a diverse team of employees. With such a large workforce, we rely on the collective individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, ideas and talent that our employees bring to their work. This speaks to our culture, and is a key part of our successes. As we continuously recruit people for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that applicants bring in terms of their education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.