Cardiovascular Service Line Chief Physician Executive - Tufts Medicine

 About Tufts Medicine 

Tufts Medicine is a leading integrated academic health system delivering exceptional, connected and accessible care experiences to consumers across Massachusetts and the surrounding states. The health system is the principal teaching affiliate for Tufts University School of Medicine. The strong relationship between Tufts Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine is evident in our governance, academic and research structure. Tufts Medicine is comprised of the following clinical entities: 

• Tufts Medicine Professional Group (TMPG) 
• Tufts Medicine Integrated Network (TMIN) 
• Tufts Medical Center
• Lowell General Hospital
• MelroseWakefield Hospital
• Tufts Care at Home 

Cardiovascular Service Line Leadership Overview 

The Physician Executive of the Cardiovascular Service Line (CVSL PE) provides clear vision and leadership in promoting the strategic direction and integration of the Cardiovascular Service Line across Tufts Medicine. The incumbent is charged with leading all activities related to the Cardiovascular patient care enterprise, while supporting the strategic imperatives of the academic mission within Tufts Medicine, to include graduate medical education and research.? The leader will work in tandem with Lowell General Hospital and MelroseWakefield Hospital Presidents and Chief Medical Officers to oversee and guide CVSL services, and the provision of cardiovascular care by the employed and independent cardiologists and programs across these facilities. 

The Cardiovascular Service Line Physician Executive will work collaboratively with an administrative executive dyad, the Vice President of the Cardiovascular Service Line in developing and achieving strategies and/or initiatives that are prioritized for the CVSL. The CVSL PE will drive continuous quality improvement at the individual Cardiovascular division level and each entity which will result in meeting or exceeding outcomes applicable to the service line across Tufts Medicine. The Cardiovascular Service Line Physician Executive reports directly to the TM Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer and has a dotted line reporting to the President of the Physician Organization.? 

Major Clinical Programs 

The role encompasses leadership of the CardioVascular Center (CVC) at Tufts Medical Center.? The CVC is integrated care delivery and research entity that is comprised of the Division of Cardiology, the Division of Cardiac Surgery and the Division of Vascular Surgery. Among many successful collaborative clinical programs, the CVC has the largest advanced heart failure program in New England. Over the last 5 years, it has performed more heart transplants than any other hospital in New England and rank 13th in the nation.? With >3000 inpatient discharges at Tufts Medical Center, the CVC provides quality care across the full spectrum of cardiac and vascular services. 

The CVC also has a strong ambulatory presence in the Boston area with >7300 new and 50,000 existing patient visits annually; the care network extends beyond our Boston facility to other Tufts Medicine sites and communities. A highly robust Critical Care program runs collaboratively with the Department of Anesthesia and the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, and supports an expanding critical care volume of highly complex patients. Our programmatic offerings include: 

• Advanced Heart Failure/Cardiac Transplant and MCS programs 
• General and Specialized Cardiology programs 
• Cardiac Amyloid/Sarcoid 
• Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging 
• Cardio-Oncology 
• Adult Congenital Heart Disease 
• Cardiac Imaging 
• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy 
• Cardio-Obstetrics 
• Interventional Cardiology and Structural Heart 
• Electrophysiology 
• Cardiac Surgery 
• Vascular Surgery 

In addition to the TMC based cardiology, cardiac and vascular surgery faculty practices (CVC), the CVSL has four community-based practices (employed and private).? In the Framingham MA area, Heart Center MetroWest consists of 9 cardiologists (noninvasive, interventional and EP) and 4 APPs.? In the Lowell area, Merrimack Valley Cardiology has 16 cardiologists and 6 APPs and provides cardiology coverage, interventional and EP services at Lowell General Hospital.? In the Melrose community, we have two principal practices.? Melrose Internal Medicine Associates, (MIMA), specializes in general and interventional cardiology.? In addition, there is a second growing cardiology practice. 

Clinical offerings at MelroseWakefield and Lowell General Hospital include: 

• General cardiology 
• Primary PCI and elective PCI at both hospitals 
• Community based EP programs 
• Vascular surgery 

Training Programs 

The CardioVascular Center at Tufts Medical Center provides trainees with the necessary skills to become exceptional specialists in: 

• General Cardiology, 16-fellows 
• Interventional Cardiology, 2-fellows 
• Electrophysiology, 3-fellows 
• Advanced Heart Failure Transplant Cardiology, 3-fellows 
• Advanced Cardiac Imaging, 1-fellow 
• Cardiac Surgery – 2 fellows 
• Vascular Surgery – 2 fellows 

Fellows are encouraged to pursue research opportunities in basic and translational science at the Molecular Cardiology Research Institute as well as specialized research training in the Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy. 

The Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Programs expose trainees to an excellent case mix during their rotations through the various subspecialties in cardiology. In addition to the individualized instruction given throughout each rotation, fellows are taught through didactic sessions, interactive conferences and self-study. 

Research Programs 

Our cardiovascular clinical and translational research mission is within in the CardioVascular Center for Research & Innovation (CVCRI), dedicated to fostering new approaches to clinical research, innovation, education and patient outcomes through an integrated cardiovascular research pipeline. There are currently 58 clinical studies (48 active and 10 in start-up).? Within the CVCRI is the Cardiogenic Shock Working Group (CSWG) at Tufts Medical Center and its mission is to improve clinical outcomes for cardiogenic shock. It is supported by philanthropic partners and includes more than 10,000 patients in 50+ participating medical centers around the world.? 

The CVCRI has developed a formalized team mentoring approach for promising early-career faculty. 

The Molecular Cardiology Research Institute (MCRI) was founded in 1998. ?It is composed of 3 research Centers and 5 Core Labs. The centers include the Cardiac Biology Research Center (CBRC), the Vascular Biology Research Center (VBRC) and the Center for Translational Pharmacology and Genomics (CTPG). The Core Labs include the Vascular Function Lab, Mouse Physiology Lab, MCRI Biobank, Cell Culture Core Lab and the MCRI Large Animal Interventional Research Lab. 

Over the past 26 years, MCRI investigators have published 1,000 manuscripts, secured over $173 million in external funding with research advances resulting in 22 patents and 6 start-up companies while training more than 150 cardiovascular scientists at the graduate and post-graduate levels. ? 

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  

STRATEGY and FINANCE 

• Accountable for developing and implementing the cardiovascular network strategy, growth, financial profitability, and system integration across the TM enterprise; in alignment with TM priorities, executive leadership, VP for the CVSL and the steering committee of the CVSL.? 
• Works collaboratively with CVSL physician leaders, VP of CVSL, Directors, and administrative managers to monitor and improve utilization and cost efficiency. 
• Lead in partnership with the VP of CVSL to develop and be accountable for annual budget performance to plan. 
• Develops and implements appropriate benchmarked compensation and productivity plans for all CVSL physicians.? Recommends changes to compensation plans as appropriate. 
• Working closely with clinical and operational leaders across Tufts Medicine, the CVSL PE will ensure Tufts Medicine is staying at the forefront of alternative payment models and maintaining value added relationships with industry and payor partners, and in doing so, leading the service line in the development of strategies that focus on continuous quality improvement, efficient clinical delivery, and maximizing patient value. 

CLINICAL OPERATIONS and QUALITY 

• Collaborates across TM and ensures consistency in quality; assures patient safety; evaluates clinical service protocols and represents the CVSL as appropriate on hospital and ambulatory committees. Ensures compliance with internal and external regulatory and safety requirements with Joint Commission and other accrediting agencies. Promotes continuity of care across the full continuum of care. 
• Achieves business and clinical objectives using an interdisciplinary approach with other physicians and multiple departments. Serves as a member of the team to address multifaceted issues. Effectively communicates with leadership and diverse work groups across the disciplines and subsidiaries spanning the full inpatient and outpatient continuum of care. 
• Model exemplar leadership for the Cardiovascular Services across all TM entities to ensure consistency and implementation of best practice programs, clinical standardization, and development of TM/CVSL endorsed protocols. 
• The CVSL PE will promote the continual assessment of health equity across the service line, and partner with administrative leadership to establish strategies and tactics that ensure equitable access for all populations and communities to cardiovascular services at Tufts Medicine. 
• Participates in development and monitoring of process improvement activities. Is engaged with CVSL physicians and physician leaders to ensure needs are being met consistently and that staff and physician satisfaction and engagement remain high. 
• Acts as liaison between physicians, staff, and TM to achieve quality care using accepted, published guidelines for best practice and measurable outcomes. 
• Participates in community health programs and serves on community boards in relationship to the service line discipline, if appropriate. Promotes continuity of care across the continuum of care 

LEADERSHIP IN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION 

• Accountable to the Chief Academic Officer and Dean of TUSM for all academic programs and processes, including TUSM academic appointments and promotions. 
• Leads efforts to support new approaches to clinical research, innovation, education and patient outcomes through advancement of collaborative efforts and direct participation in the Cardiovascular Center for Research & Innovation (CVCRI) and the Molecular Cardiology Research Institute (MCRI). 
• Partners with the TUSM Chairs of Medicine and Surgery for innovative support of all CVSL ACGME and non ACGME accredited training programs, as well as all TUSM training programs, including addressing the needs and meeting all ACGME and LCME requirements. 
• Collaborates with medical staff and other physician executives to assure all stakeholder perspectives are represented in decision-making and strategy execution. 
• Leads CVSL MD recruitment efforts at TMC, collaborates with employed cardiology practice leaders for MD recruitment in the community.? Actively works to facilitate physician and APP retention, engagement and alignment across the TMIN network. 
• On a regular cadence, the CVSL Physician Executive will update the TM CVSL Executive Committee on current and potential partnership activities in their respective specialties, including increased local care capabilities, coordination of patient care activities and protocol adoption. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Greater than 5 years’ experience as a physician leader, division chief or other leadership position 
• Licensure or eligible for licensure as a physician in the state of Massachusetts. 
• Board Certified at least in one cardiovascular disease specialty 
• Eligible for an academic appointment at the Professor level? 

Interested and qualified candidates are welcome to send a Cover Letter and CV to: 

Michael Martin, Physician Executive Recruiter 
Email: michael.martin1@tuftsmedicine.org 
https://careers.tuftsmedicine.org/us/en