Executive Direct Access Optimization

Cleveland Clinic

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Cleveland Clinic Health System, we believe in a better future for healthcare. And each of us is responsible for honoring our commitment to excellence, pushing the boundaries and transforming the patient experience, every day. We all have the power to help, heal and change lives — beginning with our own. That’s the power of the Cleveland Clinic Health System team, and The Power of Every One. Join the Cleveland Clinic team where you will work alongside passionate caregivers and provide patient-first healthcare. Here, you will receive endless support and appreciation while building a rewarding career with one of the most respected healthcare organizations in the world. The Executive Director, Direct Access Optimization is responsible for designing and building enterprise-wide patient access and scheduling pathways, translating clinical and operational needs into scalable solutions within Epic and other enabling technologies. This role leads the design and build of outpatient appointment workflows that support accurate patient self-scheduling and call center scheduling, ensuring seamless integration between technology, operations, and access strategy. The executive director enables and optimizes call center capabilities, orchestrates cross-functional teams, and proactively solves complex access challenges while overseeing Access Optimization, Capacity Management, Virtual Health Strategy, and Access Improvement functions. The role provides strategic and operational leadership for approximately 50 caregivers, including 5 direct reports, with a focus on enterprise alignment, performance optimization, and improving timely patient access across the system. A caregiver in this role will work Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm with the opportunity to work remotely while traveling to various Cleveland Clinic hospital and facilities in the area.

Requirements

Applicants must reside in Northeast Ohio
Master's degree in Business, Healthcare Administration, Information Systems, or related field required
Minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership in healthcare access, technology management, or operations improvement
Demonstrated success implementing technology-enabled solutions and process optimization at enterprise scale
Proven record in optimizing scheduling, referral management, and digital access workflows
Experience with Epic Cadence, Prelude, MyChart, and integration of CRM and telephony platforms
Strong financial management and vendor negotiation experience
Manual dexterity sufficient to operate office equipment.
May require extended periods of sitting, standing and walking.
Must be able to walk to attend meetings; must have normal or corrected vision to normal range.
Ability to clearly communicate by phone and in person.
Follows Standard Precautions using personal protective equipment as required for procedures

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for multiple departments and teams, including Access Transformation and Capacity Management teams across the enterprise.
Define and execute the enterprise strategy for access optimization and technology transformation enterprise wide.
Develops systemwide annual and long-term plans to establish access standards, technology decisions and initiatives that drive organizational goals.
Lead the Access Optimization and Capacity Management teams to standardize scheduling templates, improve referral workflows, and optimize capacity utilization.
Drive systemwide consistency in scheduling, orders, and referral management to reduce friction and improve patient throughput.
Oversee Epic access modules, CRM, digital engagement, and AI platforms.
Lead the design, implementation, and governance of AI-enabled scheduling, predictive analytics, chatbots, and virtual agents.
Partner with IT and digital engagement teams to ensure technology solutions support access goals.
Oversee telephony, IVR, CRM, and omnichannel systems supporting patient access.
Implement automation and self-service tools to reduce handle time and improve first-contact resolution.
Manage budgets, vendor relationships, and technology contracts for all access-related platforms.
Deliver measurable ROI through increased throughput, reduced cost per contact, and improved patient satisfaction.
Build and develop high-performing teams across optimization and technology disciplines.
Foster collaboration with IT, Revenue Cycle, Digital Health, and Ambulatory Operations to ensure coordinated execution.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and accountability.