Process Management Specialist: Clinical

Overview

1 INTRODUCTION
St. Jude Hospital is a Statutory Body of the Government of Saint Lucia and is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister of Health. Its roots trace back to 1966 when it was established as a charity hospital by Mother Irma and the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, a religious order based in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. In 1992, the management of the hospital was contracted to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa, USA by the government of Saint Lucia.

In 2003, the St. Jude Hospital Act No. 7 established an independent Board of Directors to oversee the governance of the hospital. The Ministry of Finance provides the hospital with an annual grant to aid in employee salary coverage. Additionally, the Act permits the hospital to charge patients for services
rendered to cover operational expenses not covered by government subsidies.

In 2009 a fire destroyed the operating theatre, surgical ward, and the pediatric wing of the hospital. As a result, medical services of St. Jude Hospital were temporarily relocated to the George Odlum Stadium following the fire. To date, hospital operations continue to operate from the temporary location. The
hospital is comprised of twenty-nine (29) departments and staffs a team of 424 dedicated employees.

In August 2023, the Government of Saint Lucia signed a loan agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) for US$75 million for the completion of the reconstruction of the St. Jude Hospital and the rehabilitation of the George Odlum Stadium. The funding is expected to provide a fully equipped,
integrated medical facility offering secondary medical care to Saint Lucia’s population, with a capacity of around 77 inpatient beds.

2 BACKGROUND
In recent years, the Government of Saint Lucia has dedicated significant resources to the reconstruction of the St. Jude Hospital, with invaluable assistance from the international donor community. The Ministry of Economic Development is the implementing agency, working closely with the Ministry of
Health to ensure that the new hospital meets its shared goal of establishing an accessible, affordable, sustainable, and high-quality healthcare system.

The new St. Jude Hospital, situated in the Augier region, spans over 23
buildings and covers an area of approximately 28,250.06 square meters. It boasts 29 departments, including Accident and Emergency (A&E), Outpatients, Acute General Wards, Operating Theatres, Radiography, Intensive Care, Dialysis Unit, and other support facilities.

Commissioning a hospital is a complex and technical task that requires the expertise and dedication of a competent and committed team. As the construction of St. Jude Hospital does not have a definite completion date, management anticipates that it could be finished by May 2025 or earlier. Without a proper commissioning team, the hospital runs the risk of inheriting a building not fit for purpose and the transition period could be challenging for both staff and clients. The commissioning process is crucial to ensure that St. Jude Hospital becomes a fully functioning organization that offers a well- planned and improved level of services to the community it serves.

A commissioning team is being set up to prepare St. Jude Hospital for transition into a modern and efficient health facility and to ensure the successful commissioning of the hospital at the Augier Site. A Process Management Specialist: Clinical is required to join the team for the critical transition phase from our old George Odlum Stadium Site site to the new Augier facility.

3 OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this consultancy is to optimize the clinical processes, to ensure a seamless transition of services, and maintain the highest standards of patient care and safety.

4 DURATION AND SCOPE OF WORK:
The scope of work to be undertaken for this consultancy will be for a period of two years from the commencement of the contract.

4.1 Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Commissioning Director, the Process Management Specialist: Clinical will be responsible for analyzing and redesigning clinical procedures to ensure they align with the state-of-the-art capabilities of the new site, while maintaining or enhancing the quality of patient care.

4.2 Specific Responsibilities
The Process Management Specialist: Clinical, in consultation with St. Jude Hospital’s Management Team, will ensure:

• Evaluate and Map Existing Clinical Processes: Conduct thorough assessments and create detailed process maps of current clinical workflows.
• Develop and Implement Efficient Clinical Workflows: Design and establish streamlined, effective clinical protocols for the new facility, ensuring they are in line with the latest healthcare standards.
• Coordinate with Different Departments: Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to integrate clinical operations smoothly into the new site.
• Liaise with Biomedical Engineering Team: Work closely with engineers to align clinical requirements with facility design, room loading, equipment setup and training
• Develop Training Programs for Clinical Staff: Create comprehensive training material and programs for staff adaptation to new processes and technologies.
• Ensure Compliance with Healthcare Regulations: Monitor and verify adherence to healthcare standards and regulations ensuring that they comply with international standards
• Collaborate with IT Specialists: Integrate clinical operations with the new hospital’s information systems in conjunction with IT professionals.
• Conduct Risk Assessments for Clinical Operations: Identify potential risks in clinical processes and develop strategies to mitigate them.
• Provide Regular Reports on Clinical Process Integration: Keep the Commissioning Director informed with progress updates and feedback.
• Support the Coordination of the Transition of Clinical Services: Support the orderly and efficient shift of clinical services from the old to the new site.
• Post Occupancy Support: Support the orderly and efficient shift of clinical services from the old to the new site.

Main Deliverables:

• Clinical Workflow Optimization Report: A report analyzing current clinical workflows and proposing optimized processes tailored for the new facility, including recommendations for improvements and
  innovations.
• Training and Development Program: A structured program designed for clinical staff, encompassing training modules, materials, and schedules to ensure smooth adaptation to new workflows and technologies.
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation Strategy: A thorough analysis of potential risks associated with the clinical process transition, accompanied by a detailed mitigation strategy to ensure patient safety and service continuity.
• Regulatory Compliance Documentation: A set of documents ensuring that all clinical processes and workflows adhere to relevant healthcare regulations and standards, both during the transition and in the new operational setup.
• Clinical Integration Report with IT Systems: A report detailing the integration of clinical processes with the hospital’s IT systems, ensuring seamless data flow and technological compatibility in the new facility.
• Post-Transition Evaluation Report: A comprehensive assessment conducted post-transition, reviewing the effectiveness of the transition process, identifying successes, challenges, and areas for future improvement.
• Continuous Improvement Plan: A long-term plan for ongoing evaluation and improvement of clinical processes in the new facility, ensuring that the hospital continues to adapt to evolving healthcare standards and patient needs. This will be part of the overall Sustainability Plan for the new hospital site.
• Emergency Preparedness Protocol: A protocol outlining emergency procedures specific to clinical operations in the new facility, ensuring readiness for any unforeseen situations.
• Clinical Process Transition Plan: A comprehensive document outlining the strategy and steps for transitioning existing clinical processes to the new facility. This should include timelines, resource allocations, and a detailed workflow integration plan.

4.3 Role of the Hospital
The senior management in conjunction with the Board of Directors and the Ministry of Health will participate actively in this consultancy by:

1. Identifying a person/s to serve as a point of contact for the consultant;
2. Supporting the consultant through consultation and participating in open and constructive communication;
3. Providing all necessary information, documentation, and access to staff required to meet the consultancy objectives; and
4. Working in conjunction with the consultant to prepare and present the recommendations, improvement/work plan, and implementation plan for approval and action.

4.4 Reporting Requirements and Responsibilities

• The Process Management Specialist: Clinical will report directly to the Commissioning Director and collaborate with the healthcare team and hospital administration.
• He/she will prepare monthly status reports on all aspects of the commissioning.

4.5 Methodology
The Process Management Specialist: Clinical is required to present a detailed methodology with respect to the activities to be carried out as outlined in the scope of works above.

4.6 Conditions of Works

• Salary will be commensurate with qualification and experience
• Required to maintain a vehicle for the performance of duties and responsibilities
• Institutional support will be provided through appropriate St Jude Hospital Regulations and Guidelines, and statutory Instruments.
• The Commissioning Director will be based at St Jude Hospital or a designated space identified by St Jude Hospital.

4.7 Evaluation Method
Work performance will be evaluated based on the effective implementation of the activities outlined in the scope of works above.

4.8 Key Results Expected

• Seamless Clinical Transition: Successful and smooth transfer of all clinical processes and services from the old facility to the new site with minimal disruption to patient care.
• Optimized Clinical Workflows: Implementation of efficient, updated clinical workflows that enhance patient care and operational efficiency in the new facility.
• Effective Staff Training and Adaptation: Ensuring that all clinical staff are adequately trained and comfortable with the new processes, workflows, and technologies in the new environment.
• Regulatory Compliance Achievement: Compliance with relevant healthcare regulations and standards in the transitioned clinical processes and operations.
• Stakeholder Satisfaction: High levels of satisfaction among clinical staff, management, and patients regarding the transition process and outcomes.
• Risk Mitigation and Management: Identification and effective management of risks associated with the clinical transition, ensuring patient and staff safety.
• Successful Integration with IT Systems: Effective integration of clinical processes with the hospital’s information systems for seamless data management and operations.
• Positive Post-Transition Evaluation Outcomes: Favorable results from the post-transition evaluation, indicating a successful transition and areas for ongoing improvement.
• Established Emergency Protocols: Emergency preparedness protocols aligned to best practice
• Continuous Improvement Initiatives: Ongoing initiatives for the continuous improvement of clinical processes, adapting to future healthcare developments and patient needs

5. Qualifications and Experience

i. Education and Skills

• Advance Nursing Certificate with at least 15 years experience

OR

• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, or a related field with 10 years

OR

• A Master’s degree is preferred.

ii. Experience

• Proven experience in process optimization in a clinical environment.
• Strong understanding of healthcare regulations and standards.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in healthcare IT systems is desirable.

b. Functional Competencies

i. Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes a knowledge-sharing and learning culture.
• Ability to communicate technical information to a varied audience

ii. Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Expert in analyzing and enhancing clinical workflows to improve operational efficiency and patient care.
• Implements and oversees quality control and improvement measures in clinical processes.
• Ability to align clinical process management with the broader strategic objectives of the hospital
• Identifies potential risks in clinical operations and develops effective solutions or mitigation strategies.
• Ensures that all clinical processes adhere to relevant healthcare regulations and safety standards.
• Demonstrates proficiency in utilizing current healthcare technologies and systems, and adapts to new technologies as they emerge.
• Adapts to changing environments and challenges; innovates and embraces new approaches to improve clinical operations.

Application Procedure 

Applications accompanied by resume and certified certificates should be submitted no later
than, May 18th 2024, and sent to:

Human Resources Department

St. Jude Hospital

P.O. Box 331

Vieux–Fort St. Lucia.

Or email job applications to humanresource@stjudehospitalslu.org
(Whilst we thank all applicants, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted)