Senior Director, Patient Access & Referral ManagementPosition SummaryThe Senior Director, Patient Access & Referral Management provides strategic and operational leadership for patient access, referral management, scheduling operations, and access optimization across the organization. This role is responsible for ensuring patients receive timely access to care throughout the continuum, from referral intake and appointment scheduling through specialty consultation, follow-up care, and ongoing patient retention.
Working collaboratively with physician, clinical, operational, and executive leadership, the Senior Director develops and executes strategies that improve access, enhance the patient experience, optimize provider utilization, increase referral conversion, reduce network leakage, and support organizational growth. The role oversees scheduling and referral technologies, and leverages data analytics, forecasting, and process improvement methodologies to drive operational excellence and measurable outcomes.
Essential ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership- Develops and implements enterprise-wide patient access and referral management strategies that support organizational growth, patient retention, and access to care.
- Partners with physician and administrative leadership to improve scheduling efficiency, referral conversion, and provider utilization.
- Establishes and monitors key performance indicators related to patient access, referral management, scheduling effectiveness, capacity utilization, patient experience, and operational performance.
- Leads strategic initiatives designed to expand patient access, improve throughput, and support business growth objectives.
- Serves as a key advisor to organizational leadership regarding access strategy, referral optimization, and operational improvement opportunities.
Referral Management & Care Continuity- Leads the organization's referral management strategy to ensure timely patient access to specialty care, ancillary services, and follow-up appointments.
- Develops and implements processes that improve referral conversion rates, reduce scheduling delays, and increase successful referral completion.
- Oversees referral workflows to ensure seamless patient transitions throughout the continuum of care.
- Establishes accountability and performance metrics for referral closure, patient outreach, appointment conversion, follow-up compliance, and leakage reduction.
- Identifies barriers that prevent patients from completing referrals or follow-up care and implements solutions to improve patient engagement and retention.
- Proactively monitors access, demand, and scheduling performance metrics to identify trends and implement corrective action plans with clinical leaders.
Technology, Analytics & Process Improvement- Oversees administration, optimization, and strategic enhancement of patient access and scheduling technologies.
- Collaborates with Product, Information Technology, Revenue Cycle, Marketing, and Clinical Operations teams to implement new applications, workflow enhancements, and operational solutions.
- Leads technology implementations, upgrades, workflow redesign, user acceptance testing, and post-go-live optimization efforts.
- Identifies opportunities for automation, standardization, and process redesign to improve operational performance and patient experience.
Leadership & Operational Excellence- Provides leadership, coaching, and development for managers and team members.
- Leads complex cross-functional initiatives involving physicians, operations, technology, and support services.
- Promotes a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, operational excellence, and patient-centered service.
- Develops reporting and dashboard capabilities that provide insight into patient access, referral performance, capacity management, and growth opportunities.
QualificationsEducation- Bachelor's degree required.
- Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, or related field preferred.
Experience- 3+ years of progressive leadership experience in patient access, referral management, ambulatory operations, scheduling operations, access center management, or healthcare operations.
- Experience managing enterprise scheduling and referral management technologies.
- Proven success improving referral conversion, reducing referral leakage, increasing provider utilization, and enhancing patient access outcomes.
- Advanced analytical and business intelligence skills, including experience utilizing data to drive strategic decisions and operational performance.
- Strong understanding of healthcare growth strategies, patient acquisition, retention, and network optimization.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, relationship management, and change management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to influence physician, executive, operational, and technical stakeholders.
- Ability to manage multiple strategic priorities within a complex and rapidly evolving healthcare environment.
Salary Range: $176,000 - $203,000
Total Rewards at VillageMDOur team members are essential to our mission to reshape healthcare through the power of connection. VillageMD highly values the critical role that health and wellness play in the lives of our team members and their families. Participation in VillageMD's benefit platform includes Medical, Dental, Life, Disability, Vision, FSA coverages and a 401k savings plan.
