Come work as a Regional Program Medical Director, Maternal/Child – Perinatal Health with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is seeking an engaging and collaborative physician leader to join our team as the Regional Program Medical Director, Perinatal Health.

The Regional Program Medical Director, Perinatal Health reports directly to the Vice President of Medicine and Academic Affairs, receiving program direction from the Regional Executive Sponsor to the Senior Executive Team. As a requirement of the role, the Regional Program Medical Director must be a practicing active medical staff with clinical responsibility and expertise in the area of perinatal health. Working in a co-leadership role with the Regional Executive Director, this position provides strategic senior medical leadership, related to the planning and evaluation of the designated regional program and associated services. This is done in accordance with the vision, mission, values, and goals of the organizations involved in delivering care, and in alignment with VCH and PHC Strategic Plans, Ministry of Health (MoH) mandated deliverables, PHSA, and best practice quality standards.

In partnership with the Regional Director, this role is responsible for coordinating a regional approach to perinatal health, developing quality improvement and evaluation programs, and supporting care providers to utilize best practices for perinatal health. Additionally, this role will develop strategic partnerships and support innovation and research activities that build capacity and enhance the quality and efficacy of perinatal programming in the region. This role works through partnerships with other operational and medical leaders across the Region to achieve regional service goals, implement regional policies and procedures, optimize resources, align services, evaluate quality improvement initiatives, and standardize protocols and guidelines across the program.

Co-chairs the Regional Program Committee with the Regional Executive Director to ensure consultation, engagement and close collaboration with Communities of Care (CoC) leadership and other partners responsible for delivering health care services, achieving service quality, and meeting volume and metrics standards. Also ensures consultation with academic leadership to support research and innovation within the program.

Guided by a population health approach, regional program leadership designs and evaluates services to meet the diverse needs of the VCH/PHC population across life stages, securing a high-quality, safe, and integrated continuum of care. This work aligns with VCH’s commitment to Indigenous Cultural Safety, Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Planetary Health.

Key Accountabilities

Note: This role works closely with other Medical and Operational Leaders, often working through influence and relying on staff and resources outside of their direct supervision to deliver high quality programming in alignment with CoC priorities(capabilities) and a regional strategy. We will continue to review, learn and develop these accountabilities over the life of the contract.

As a member of the Medical Staff Leadership Team reporting to the VP Medicine and Academic Affairs, and with direction from the Executive Sponsor of the Regional Program, this role is jointly accountable with the Regional Program Executive Director to:

Ensure Equitable and Timely Access to Culturally Safe Care Across VCH and PHC

• In close collaboration with the Indigenous Health teams and other key partners such as FNHA, continue to build and enhance culturally safe and trauma-informed care across the continuum of care.
• Create an overview of the services provided by the regional program, summarizing key patient/client/resident services, physical infrastructure, and provider resources for all sites.
• Engage communities, populations, patients/clients/residents, and the public to reflect their needs in the development of Regional Program plans, particularly where significant change is anticipated.
• Identify, prioritize, and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, coordination, access and integration of services along the continuum of care across the region.
• Review and implement the tiers of service across the region in partnership with PHSA.
• Participates in the development and successful management of capital and operating budgets to complement strategic directions

Ensure Consistent, Low-Carbon, and High-Quality Standards of Care

• Co-lead key strategic projects and initiatives including:
  • Inter-regional capacity management in partnership with PHSA.
  • Leading cross-regional quality improvement initiatives.
  • Facilitating regional safety event reviews.
  • Facilitating equity through team-based models of care, outreach, and virtual care across the region, including rural and remote communities.
• Consistently identify opportunities to improve health outcomes and quality standards, matching services against needs.
• Work closely with Academic Leadership to facilitate discussions on developing innovative strategies for teaching, learning, and research opportunities.
• Influence and collaborate with partners to align regional medical human resource planning.

Coordinate and Align Local, Regional, and Provincial Strategies and Policies

• Collaborate strategically with Regional Department Heads, VCH & PHC, relevant site leads, Senior Medical Directors, and others to ensure their perspectives are represented within the Regional Program Committee. Conduct onsite visits across Communities of Care.
• Co-lead regional strategic planning for the Regional Program within the context of the MoH, VCH, and PHC strategic plans, ensuring recognition and alignment with these and the CoC strategies, including all clinical and academic components.
• Influence and collaborate with partners to align efforts and achieve regional goals through communication and engagement.
• Establish regional program processes and outcome targets, developing key indicators for monitoring and reporting to support meeting strategic goals and objectives, while providing status updates to the CoCs and senior leadership.
• Direct and monitor the activities of working groups and subcommittees

• Coordinate and Co-chair the Regional Program Committee meetings to discuss relevant regional issues and ensure communication among the parties participating in the delivery of services within the Regional Program.
• Link with national, provincial and regional external organizations as appropriate to form strategic partnerships, advance the inclusion of evidence-based treatments, and disseminate clinical best practices. (e.g. – Perinatal Services B.C.)

Provide a Single Point of Contact for Each Service Within the Health Authority

• Represent VCH interests to inter-regional, provincial, and national interest groups, in collaboration and partnership with the Regional Director
• Act as a spokesperson for VCH as required and participate in relevant committees and boards.
• Involved in recruitment of the Regional Director and Regional Leader and other regional roles as appropriate.
• In collaboration with the Executive Sponsor, respond to requests from the Ministry of Health.
• Perform all other related responsibilities as required.

Program Specific Content (partnerships, programs, initiatives, deliverables):

• Co-leads:
  • Lead in cross regional quality improvement initiatives.
  • Facilitate regional Morbidity and Mortality review in partnership with the Provincial Perinatal Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee.

Education, Licensing, & Experience:

• A Medical degree and specialty certification in Obstetrics/Gynecology and active licensure with the appropriate regulatory colleges as required for medical staff appointment or credentialled medical provider appointment, with recognized clinical expertise in the field of the regional program.
• A minimum of 5 years recent medical leadership experience in leadership roles in a health authority or comparable setting, preferably in an academic health science center.
• Active medical staff privileges within the VCH or Providence (PHC) Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology.
• Advanced degree in medical education, healthcare administration or a related field is favored. 
• A track record of leading development of multi-partner, system level projects and initiatives highly
• Eligibility for a faculty appointment with the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, is required.

Interested in applying? Feel free to reach out to Olivia Todd, Manager Medical Staff Talent Acquisition: medstaffcareers@vch.ca or click “Apply Now.”As part of the application process, applicants must submit a cover letter and resume that clearly articulate how their qualifications, skills, and experience align with the key accountabilities of the role. Demonstrated alignment with Vancouver Coastal Health values and pillars is required.

It is expected, on average, the time required to perform the Services will be approximately 16 hours per week (0.4 FTE).

At Vancouver Coastal Health, our vision of healthy lives in healthy communities inspires us and our values and pillars guide us. We support equitable practices, diverse teams and inclusive environments, which are vital to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and feel supported. We encourage applications from equity-deserving communities, including Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized groups, people with disabilities and people of all gender identities and expressions and sexual orientation.