System Medical Director for Pre-Surgical Optimization

The System Medical Director for Pre-Surgical Optimization reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM; adheres to the organization's Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program; and complies with all applicable policies, procedures, guidelines, and regulatory and accreditation standards.

The physician serving in this leadership role will function as a full-time anesthesiologist and will be responsible for the administration, clinical direction, and coordination of perioperative assessment across the Northwestern Medicine system. This leader will serve as an interdepartmental liaison to the surgical team and key administrative leaders. Additional responsibilities include participation in educational, and research initiatives related to perioperative assessment. The physician will serve an initial three-year term, which may be renewed at the discretion of Perioperative Services and NMG leadership.

Responsibilities

Description (Time Commitment - Initial Year 30%, Subsequent Years 25%)

Principal Duties

Key expectations for the System Medical Director for Pre-Surgical Optimization include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide physician leadership for the system-wide Pre-Surgical Optimization Clinic, ensuring alignment with enterprise perioperative strategy and clinical best practices.
• Lead performance improvement efforts in key areas, including preoperative clinic utilization, elective case cancellations, operating room efficiency, reduction of unnecessary testing, and patient likelihood to recommend. Specific goals and associated metrics will be assessed annually in collaboration with Perioperative Services leadership.
• Develop and oversee policies and clinical criteria for triage determination, ensuring appropriate patient prioritization and optimization prior to surgery.
• Identify, implement, and sustain enhancements that improve patient outcomes and operational performance.
• Leverage technology and data-driven solutions to improve clinic productivity, patient experience, quality, and patient safety.
• Collaborate with the Surgical and Anesthesiology Medical Directors for Perioperative Services to identify, escalate, and resolve clinical and administrative issues related to pre-surgical optimization and perioperative readiness.
• Support continuous quality improvement initiatives related to perioperative readiness, patient safety, and resource utilization.
• Provide remote and on-site clinical care across local preoperative clinics throughout the health system at a frequency determined by the Associate Chief Medical Officer of Anesthesiology.

Qualifications

Required

• Demonstrated academic accomplishment, including national recognition or emerging national reputation in pre-surgical optimization, perioperative medicine, or a related area.
• Record of scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, clinical guidelines, or other academic contributions relevant to perioperative care or surgical optimization.
• Experience delivering invited lectures, presentations, or panel participation at regional, national, or international meetings focused on perioperative medicine, patient optimization, quality, or healthcare operations.
• Engagement in educational activities, including teaching residents, fellows, medical students, or advanced practice providers in perioperative-related content.
• Qualified by training, experience, interest, and demonstrated current ability to fulfill the clinical and administrative responsibilities of this role.
• Demonstrated leadership ability within specialty and multispecialty service lines, with experience collaborating effectively with physicians and interdisciplinary colleagues.
• Strong administrative and management capabilities, including experience in clinical operations, quality improvement, and advanced practice provider oversight.
• Highly effective communicator with the ability to collaborate successfully with patients, physicians, and clinical and administrative staff across the organization.
• Clinically astute, team-oriented, and highly respected by physicians and perioperative personnel.
• Demonstrated ability to improve processes and systems within perioperative services.
• Demonstrated record of academic achievement.

Other

Leadership

• Must participate in leadership training program(s) specific to responsibilities and department-identified goals.
• Prior leadership experience in a similar role is required.
• Meets, at a minimum, requirements for the academic rank of Assistant Professor

Management Responsibility

• Manage physician and APP activities within the practice including those related to physician status, productivity, recruitment, and physician relations.

Population Served

• Must be knowledgeable about working with the specialty or hospital department population consistent with an academic and community hospital environment and including patients with communications barriers and/or sensory impairment.

Reports To

• Associate Chief Medical Officer, Anesthesiology, or designee

A physician may resign from the System Medical Director for Pre-Surgical Optimization role by providing ninety (90) days' prior written notice to NMG. NMG reserves the right to discontinue the position upon ninety (90) days' prior written notice to the physician. In either circumstance, any compensation directly tied to the position will cease to apply. For the avoidance of doubt, the end of the System Medical Director for Pre-Surgical Optimization appointment will not constitute termination of this Agreement.

The start date is negotiable and the position will remain open until filled.

The expected base pay range for this position is $400k - $495k

Northwestern University has provided a pay range representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for the position. The pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors including (but not limited to) the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate including years since terminal degree, training, and field or discipline; departmental budget availability; internal comparators; and external market pay for comparable jobs.

When applying, please upload a CV and cover letter describing your interest and alignment with the position.

Benefits

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at Northwestern Benefits to learn more.

Please read ALL instructions and make preparations before proceeding to the application page:

• Applications will only be accepted via online submission (see link below).
• Please prepare all documents in advance as Adobe PDF files, and please be sure all information is entered correctly and accurately (especially names and email addresses), as there will be no opportunity for online revision after your application has been submitted.
• All required fields in the application form are marked with an asterisk and must be filled before clicking the "Submit" button.
• Be aware that incomplete applications cannot be saved.

Applications accepted here: Apply for Job

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.