Director Emergency Preparedness & Business Continuity

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Vice President of Emergency Medicine and Support Services the Director, Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity, leads the execution of all planning, mitigation, response and recovery aspects within an effective emergency management program for all hazards for the entity.

Leads and oversees the planning, coordination, maintenance, and updating of the Emergency Preparedness (EP) Plans which address both internal and external emergency event responses for all threats that may disrupt the major operations of the entity, including the main campus and its satellite facilities.

Serves as a subject matter expert for practical and regulatory issues related to system-wide emergency management, and leads and supports all EP committees within the entity as needed.

Works with the Medical Director, as well as other SSH leaders to develop strategic direction for program, identify opportunities to integrate and enhance the program, and execute tactics to implement identified priorities.

Oversees EP readiness education and training activities, including the execution of a minimum of 2 hospital-wide functional or full-scale exercises per year.

Designs and maintains multiyear training and exercise plan. Oversees maintenance of emergency response systems and resources including the Employee Alert System, disaster supplies and other items.

Serves senior leadership role in EP internal and external task forces, committees, and agencies. Investigates, researches, and makes recommendations regarding EP best practices.

Responsible for ensuring that all regulatory standards for EP (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Joint Commission and others) are known and being met.

Oversees implementation of EP plans and procedures (internal and external) for the Emergency Department and other key departments as needed.

Job Description

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Serves as a senior leader implementing, monitoring and overseeing the annual program management framework to ensure critical tasks are completed on time.

Includes execution of an annual Hazard Vulnerability Analysis, ongoing training and exercise program, annual and ad hoc Emergency Operations Plan updates and other tasks.

• Maintains governance and program structure to ensure the EP program meets or exceeds program goals and requirements and that EP staff function as a well-integrated team.
• Facilitates senior leadership exposure, participation in and oversight of EP activities.
• Sets program meeting structure to ensure staff are updated on current projects and priorities and have opportunity to seek advice and direction from leaders and colleagues.
• Cultivates relationships with clinical and non-clinical stakeholders to ensure active involvement in EP program.
• Provides leadership, support and direction to EP personnel including permanent staff and interns. Sets and clearly communicates expectations, monitors performance and provides feedback in a timely manner.
• Oversees the implementation and on-going education of the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) throughout the organization.
• Leads committees responsible for identifying / developing specific needs associated with various emergency scenarios for external events (mass casualty, trauma, bio-terrorism, chemical, etc.

internal events (fire, weather, damaged utilities, etc.), and those affecting pediatrics and other vulnerable populations.

• Prepares agendas and leads various hospital EP committee and sub-committee meetings.
• Sets strategic vision for EP program through collaboration with Medical Director, and VP.
• Oversees annual program calendar and associated project plans and ensures timelines are met for accomplishing outstanding tasks.
• Manages the collection, review, and updating of all departmental plans prior to publication, and ensures that the plans are cohesive and comprehensive.

Identifies inconsistencies among plans, and addresses as necessary. Works to build consensus when departmental response plans diverge.

• Leads surge planning in partnership Collaborates with nursing, hospital leadership, medical staff leadership and clinical support teams to recognize and solve daily patient census surges.
• Identifies systems and operational problems and proposes solutions.
• Oversees development of an Annual Report on the Emergency Preparedness Program. Presents the annual report and program critiques to hospital committees and senior leadership as necessary.
• Assures that the EP program maintains compliance with all CMS, DPH, and Joint Commission Emergency Management and all other applicable standards.
• Investigates, researches and implements best practices with respect to EP.
• Identifies grant opportunities and manages the grant submission process including both qualitative and quantitative components.
• Ensures the development and maintenance of the Emergency Operations Plan. Ensures that an updated version of the plans are available annually, and that the plans meet CMS, Joint Commission and other applicable standards.

Recommends revisions as necessary, publishes interim updates of the Plans as needed, and ensures specialized plans are developed when needed.

• Leads after-action review meetings, oversees process for writing and submitting after-action reports in a timely manner, and convenes an interdepartmental critique of each drill, records recommendations and lessons learned, and ensures follow up on identified action items.
• Oversees process to ensure all Emergency Preparedness Call Lists and systems (ex : Employee Alert System) are up to date and functional.
• Develops strategic vision for annual Exercise events and manages process to ensure multidisciplinary feedback is incorporated into annual update.

Ensures that a minimum of 2 hospital-wide functional or full-scale exercises are conducted per year.

Leads hospital-wide training efforts directed at improving knowledge base on emergency planning and response principals.

Oversees the planning and facilitation of the annual Emergency Preparedness Day educational events and other similar events.

• Responsible for managing EP operating and capital budgets. Submits requests through senior leadership for approval as necessary.
• Ensures EP equipment and supplies are available and in good working order, and that processes are in place to document and update location and condition of all preparedness equipment.
• Serves as a senior entity Emergency Preparedness representative for external groups and committees.
• Represents the hospital and identifies opportunities to play a leadership role in local and regional planning activities.
• Attends EP meetings with external agencies and other work groups (i.e. Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Hospital Preparedness Program Healthcare Coalition, etc.

Reports outcomes, decisions and recommendations to senior leadership.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Work Experience

Prior experience leading a large, complex Emergency Preparedness program in a healthcare setting.

Required Classes

Completed MDPH required ICS Training Programs.

Required additional Knowledge and Abilities

• Outstanding organizational skills are necessary to manage many competing timetables and responsibilities. Ability to delegate and effectively supervise and plan for the timely and successful completion of short- and long-term objectives.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to communicate effectively with a large and diverse constituency, including senior hospital leaders, department / division providers and support staff, representatives of other departments, collaborating institution officials, and vendors.
• Requires the ability to work independently and to accept responsibility for complex and sensitive decision-making.
• Interpersonal relationship skills needed to motivate others and work with many hospital-wide department heads, administrators, and physicians in a positive and collegial fashion.
• Ability to work independently and accurately and concisely disseminate information in both written and verbal formats.
• Demonstrated expertise in project management.
26 days ago