Clinical Microbiologist Director

Why work for Nebraska Methodist Health System?
At Nebraska Methodist Health System, we focus on providing exceptional care to the communities we serve and people we employ. We call it The Meaning of Care - a culture that has and will continue to set us apart. It's helping families grow by making each delivery special, conveying a difficult diagnosis with a compassionate touch, going above and beyond for a patient's needs, or giving a high five when a patient beats a disease or conquers a personal health challenge. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and a great work environment where all employees are valued! Most importantly, our employees are part of a team that makes a real difference in the communities we live and work in.

Job Summary:
Location: Nebraska Methodist Hospital
Address: 8303 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE

Work Schedule: Mon - Fri; Full Time

The Clinical Microbiology Laboratory (CML) Director is medically and scientifically responsible for the microbiology laboratory. The CML director has technical oversight of microbiology for Methodist Pathology locations and clients. The director is responsible for laboratory oversight including evaluating and making recommendations on all new methodologies and diagnostic systems. Acts as primary interface in collaboration with Laboratory and Hospital leadership for laboratory related aspects of infectious disease, immunology & microbiology Medical Staff, Infection Prevention team and Pharmacy.

Responsibilities:
Essential Functions

CLINICAL:

• Directs the full-service CML at Methodist Hospital providing comprehensive clinical microbiology services to all hospitals and clinics in the Methodist Health System as well as Outreach clients as requested.
• Service scope of CML includes bacteriology, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, mycology, mycobacteriology, parasitology, molecular infectious disease, and serologic infectious disease testing.
• Provides technical directorship of the microbiology clinical laboratories to ensure regulatory compliance and quality patient test results in a cost- effective manner within an integrated multi- hospital clinical microbiology service.
• Responsible for development and review of microbiology policies and procedures.
• Responsible for developing, establishing, and review of clinical microbiology test menu.
• Responsible for development, conduct, and review and approval of new microbiology test verifications and validations.
• Responsible for development and review of quality improvement monitors including IQCP as appropriate.
• Participates as a contributing member of the pathology department and the Methodist management team. May assist director/manager with capital budget development and prioritization.
• Participates in improvement projects focused on achievement of annual goals and lean initiatives; ensures implementation of, and adherence to, improvement changes.
• Ensures compliance with state, federal and regulatory agency requirements for facilities, equipment, processes and staff.
• Implementation of testing methodologies to ensure continued service line success and consistency with philosophy and strategic goals.
• Consults with Infectious Disease and Prevention at all affiliated hospitals as well as contracted outreach clients as requested.
• Provides leadership and processes to evaluate and surveil health-care associated pathogens.
• Provides input on the technical performance of lab tests to coordinate and standardize testing procedures and methodologies throughout the organization.
• Provides clinical consultations for physicians and healthcare providers regarding clinical microbiology test selection, results and interpretations.
• Creates communication to providers, staff and clients regarding new tests, updates to current testing and information that may affect test ordering and or utilization.
• Provides on-call attending responsibilities including clinical consultations for the department, physicians and healthcare providers regarding clinical microbiology testing, results and interpretations.
• Actively participates in Clinical Microbiology continuing education and professional opportunities.
• Actively participates in Clinical Microbiology educational activities and lectures for providers, laboratory staff and MLS students.
• Participates in Methodist Health System Committees including Infection Disease, Infection Prevention, ID Micro Rounds, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Lab Synchronization, Pathology Morning Conference, MLS Microbiology selected lectures and others as defined in Pathology outreach client contracts.
• Coordinates and participates in Infectious Disease Lab Rounds.
• Participates in Infectious Disease Case Conferences.

Schedule:

Mon - Fri; Full Time

Job Description:
Job Requirements

Education

• Ph.D in pathology required.
• Board eligible in Clinical Microbiology required.

Experience

• Training and experience working in a large hospital-based clinical microbiology laboratory that provides technical directorship in general and specialized clinical microbiology, including cutting edge test development required.
• Training and expertise in clinical laboratory quality management to ensure that the total testing phase (pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases) is appropriate and standardized across the healthcare system required.
• Expertise in Informatics and its clinical application in clinical microbiology preferred.

License/Certification

• American Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM) certification through the American Society for Microbiology preferred.

Skills/Knowledge and Abilities

• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Active listening skills.
• Ability to mediate conflict.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands

• Medium Work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force.

Physical Activity

• Occasionally Performed (1%-33%):
  
  • Climbing
  • Crawling
  • Kneeling
  • Sitting
• Frequently Performed (34%-66%):
  
  • Balancing
  • Carrying
  • Crouching
  • Distinguish colors
  • Keyboarding/Typing
  • Lifting
  • Pulling/Pushing
  • Repetitive Motions
  • Standing
  • Stooping/Bending
  • Twisting
  • Walking
• Constantly Performed (67%-100%):
  
  • Fingering/Touching
  • Grasping
  • Hearing
  • Reaching
  • Seeing/Visual
  • Speaking/Talking

Job Hazards

• Not Related:
  
  • Explosives (pressurized gas)
  • Electrical Shock/Static
  • Radiation Alpha, Beta and Gamma (particles such as X-ray, Cat Scan, Gamma Knife, etc.)
  • Radiation Non-Ionizing (Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared and microwaves that causes injuries to tissue or thermal or photochemical means)
• Rare (1-33%):
  
  • Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex)
  • Mechanical moving parts/vibrations
• Occasionally (34%-66%):
  
  • Biological agents (primary air born and blood born viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact) (BBF)
  • Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)
  • Equipment/Machinery/Tools

About Methodist:

Nebraska Methodist Health System is made up of four hospitals in Nebraska and southwest Iowa, more than 30 clinic locations, a nursing and allied health college, and a medical supply distributorship and central laundry facility. From the day Methodist Hospital was chartered in 1891, service to our communities has been a top priority. Financial assistance, health education, outreach to our diverse communities and populations, and other community benefit activities have always been central to our mission.

Nebraska Methodist Health System is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by Federal, state or local law.