Sterile Processing Manager

Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Manager Sterile Processing position exists to provide leadership and direction within the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) in delivering quality service to physicians and patients, ensuring optimal patient safety, outcomes and customer satisfaction. This position is responsible for monitoring the activity related to case carts, processing/sterilization service and inventory control within the department as well as supply/support staff as appropriate.

The Manager Sterile Processing position maintains accountability for department performance and results by reviewing and evaluating department performance reports, revenue reports, usage reports and other fiscal documents for adherence to hospital goals and directives, ensuring compliance with policies and procedures for inventory control and management of sterile supplies, assisting the Director in accomplishing strategic and operational objectives.

Manager position responsibilities include managing the daily work activities of the work unit/department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency while assisting management in accomplishing strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position provides guidance to staff and is responsible for staffing, budget compliance, contributing to staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and assisting in the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment.

This position also implements training, monitoring and operations initiatives that assure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/government regulations.

• Performs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees in SPD as well as supply/support staff as appropriate. Makes and executes decisions within delegated authority. Provides development and mentoring of staff. Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover. Develops direct reports to perform these same functions.
• Provides leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.
• Facilitates the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed. Surfaces issues to more senior leaders for resolution as appropriate.
• Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators: action readiness score, tier level.
• Functions as role model to staff, reinforcing principles of service orientation and ensuring that the focus is always on improving patient care and/or SPD services. Monitors and ensures staff maintain certifications that demonstrates competency per regulatory guidelines.

• Plans and organizes day-to-day SPD operations, schedule and activities of the department. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.
• Drives department service standards and activities to impact department score for customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various perioperative committees as a voice for the SPD.
• Troubleshoots and manages problems and/or issues regarding patient/family care, visitors, and facility department issues on all shifts and weekends as needed.
• Implements, monitors and improves tracking of owned & loaned instruments and equipment to facilitate instrument readiness at or above customer required levels. Collaborates with Supply Chain department to provide case readiness at or above customer required levels.

• Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the Sterile Processing department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines.
• Uses and optimizes information systems to enhance operations; supports entity-specific performance improvement and data management/analysis functions.
• Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes by monitoring and improving the department workflow, using peer-to-peer accountability, and identifying solutions via collaboration. Adopts lean principles in driving process improvements. Role models situational awareness, using…