University Medical Director

Department:

Health Services

Effective Date:

October, 2015

Grade:

USG 19

35 hr/wk

Reports to:

Director, Campus Wellness

General Accountability

This position is accountable to the Director, Campus Wellness for the development, recruitment, oversight and maintenance of effective primary health care services for students and their dependents as dictated by the Regulated Health Professions Act. This position is accountable for occupational health programming, urgent care and first aid treatment for university employees and guests as required by Occupational Health and Safety legislation. Although not a direct reporting relationship, regular consultation with the Associate Provost, Human Resources relating to employee health and sick leave management is required. This position is accountable for the senior medical leadership of the health care professionals within Health Services and for the visionary development of health care services and programs to promote community health on campus.

The position is a member of the Campus Wellness Senior Management Team. Meeting biweekly, the Campus Wellness Senior Management Team oversees the delivery of health and mental health services to the student population. The Senior Management Team collaborates in setting priorities and plans promotion of wellness on campus.

Functions also include:

As a member of Campus Wellness Senior Management Team, visionary and professional physician leadership identifying, developing and implementing programs to meet the unique and changing demographics of students, their families and university employees,
As a member of Campus Wellness Senior Management Team, strategic leadership for Health Services and for the wider campus community to meet the need for preventative community health programming, and to respond to community/campus health risks including pandemic, epidemic and other situations which threaten health and well-being of the campus community,
medical consultation (within confidentiality guidelines) with student service professionals, faculty and administration regarding individual students and community health issues.
consultative role to the Secretariat, Office of Research, Safety Office, AccessAbility and Human Resources.

This position is a member of the Emergency Operations Group under Policy #60. In addition, together with Campus Police and Counselling Services, this position is consultative to the appropriate level of management for crisis intervention. This position ensures administrators responding to disruptive behaviour on campus and persons of concern are advised of relevant regulatory responsibilities and informed by medical expertise/opinion (within what is permitted under PHIPPA and other relevant legislation).

Nature and Scope

This position reports to the Director, Campus Wellness. Other positions reporting to the Director, Campus Wellness are:

Director, Counselling and Psychological Services
Manager, Wellness Administration

The Director, Campus Wellness shall seek the medical opinion and advice of the Medical Director in all operations and programs where medical expertise is required and when there is concern about potential community health risks.

The incumbent will conduct clinical service in the student or family clinic subject to fluctuating demands, and subject to the requirements for ongoing professional development. The proportion of time for such service will normally constitute a minority proportion (1-2 days) of the time for this position. The following reporting lines to the incumbent are required for timely and assertive leadership to ensure continuing services during times when a crisis/urgent response is appropriate such as pandemic, or critical loss of staff complement.

The incumbent is responsible for recruiting and directing all Health Services contracted clinical staff including a group of approximately 12 physicians, 2 nurse practitioners and other health care professionals who may be contracted from time to time. These professionals are engaged to practice medicine within the Health Services facility, normally on a fee-for-service basis. Primary emphasis is on student medicine and primary health care for dependents of students, although faculty and staff are treated on an urgent need and first aid basis during office hours. The incumbent is responsible for recruiting and directing psychiatrists to fulfill senior and junior positions developed to provide psychiatric services and psychiatric leadership in mental health program development on campus. The incumbent is responsible for recruiting, supervising and directing a full-time dietitian.

A nursing staff consisting of 10 full-time nurses and a venipuncturist, report to the incumbent through the student health clinic nurse leader and the family health clinic nurse leader. The clinical work is supported by reception and business administrative staff who are recruited and directed by the Manager, Wellness Administration. The incumbent is responsible for student health care including:

assessment and treatment of illness/injury,
promotion of good health practices,
services focused to meet the health needs of special groups (for example first year students, athletes, students with unplanned pregnancy, students with sexual identity and orientation issues and international students),
Activities to control increases in premium rates to the extent that is possible within the medical practice at Health Services, such as the managed drug formulary.

In addition, the incumbent is responsible for recruiting and directing of the Manager, Occupational Health whose activities relate to workplace health and wellness and relevant Occupational Health and Safety legislation. The occupational health nurse works primarily in partnership with the University Medical Director, Safety Office and Human Resources. Reporting to the occupational health nurse is employee health staff consisting of one full-time nurse and one full-time rehabilitation counselor.

The incumbent is responsible for the following under occupational health care:

provision of first aid and urgent care for university employees and visitors during office hours,
medical consultation to the Joint Health and Safety Committee and the Employee Assistance Program Advisory Committee,
working cooperatively with the Safety Office to screen and monitor health conditions and minimize risks associated with potential workplace hazards,
working with Human Resources in the management of the sick leave and safe early return to work programs and in the administration of Supplementary Health and Disability Benefits for employees.

This position is responsible for providing visionary leadership for Health Services activities and programs, responsive to the unique demographic and cultural characteristics and health needs of the current employee groups and student body. Sensitivity to future and evolving needs will give direction for timely and effective changes within Health Services.

The position is responsible to develop an annual budget, based on analysis of previous year’s activity and based on ongoing needs assessment regarding health care at the university. The budget, once approved will be monitored monthly with the goal of achieving a balance of revenues and expenditures.

Within University policies, policies established by the Student Services Advisory Committee and generalized administrative control, the University Medical Director is responsible for creation and implementation of operating policy, organization and standard tests and treatment.

Statistical Data

This position directs Health Services for 34,000 students and 3,200 employees each year. Health Services has an annual budget of $3,400,000 and currently payroll is $2.300,000. The Medical Director practices medicine within Health Services and revenue from this clinical activity contributes to the income generated by Health Services. Fee-for-service billings are $1,800,000 per year. There are approximately 60,000 patient/client visits per year.

Specific Accountabilities

To ensure that Health Services activities comply with regulatory requirements under the various health professional colleges and the Regulated Health Professions Act.
To articulate and advocate for the resources and policies necessary to appropriately respond to the health needs of the campus community.
To provide the delegated authority and medical supervision required for the day-to-day operation of Health Services as well as special clinics through nurses medical directives, delegation of medical acts, development of clinical guidelines and office procedures within regulatory parameters.
To provide direction regarding recruitment and hiring of non-physician health services staff.
To provide direction regarding progressive staff relations practices for all health services staff.
To recruit, contract, and retain physicians and nurse practitioners in numbers sufficient to provide services for each day Student Health and Family Health clinics are open.
To implement a system of scheduling physician, nurse practitioner, and nursing care that is responsive to needs of patients.
To monitor budgets of the Health Clinics ensuring that resources are utilized efficiently based on patient need.
To ensure the effective administration of sick leave and disability benefits by offering professional advice as needed in collaboration with Human Resources.
To provide advice to the Office of Research, concerning human research ethics.
To assist the occupational health nurse, the Safety Office and AccessAbility in providing appropriate accommodation/supports for individuals with disabilities.
To address occupational health, environmental health concerns and risk of communicable diseases through provision of services informed by best practices and appropriate to the campus environment.
To consult for University of Waterloo senior management and to inform and advise university departments of specific measures, and the campus community as a whole, regarding public health advisories as appropriate to respond to public health events.
To maintain a positive and effective working relationship with partner agencies particularly public health agencies.
To ensure that there are optimum opportunities for students to access community facilities as required by effective interface with community medical services, for example Sexual Assault Treatment Centre and the hospitals.
To ensure that current infection control practices are followed within Health Services and that recommendations for infection control on campus are informed by best practice guidelines.
To consult to the Director of the Anatomy Lab, Optometry Clinic, Animal Facilities, Residences, Food Services and Athletics regarding health issues as required.
To act as privacy commissioner and custodian of records under PHIPPA for Health Services.
To fulfill the university physician roles as defined by university Policy #76 (Faculty Appointment) and the union agreement.
To articulate and advocate for compliance with the Regulated Health Professions Act, public health and infection control directives and related legislation in all aspects of the incumbent’s involvement on campus.
To ensure communication with the Faculty of Applied Health Science and the Centre for Mental Health Research, for the translation of research knowledge, into clinical application wherever possible on campus.

Working Conditions

Required to monitor, read, comprehend and synthesize information from a wide range of sources and then to determine relevance for services and programming.
Required to prioritize activities and delegate effectively, utilizing the skill sets and leadership of others.
Required to communicate in writing and verbally:

to articulate and advocate for necessary resources and policies
to report for accountabilities
to interact with media
to inform the public, committees and patient population groups.

Critical decision making and ethical thinking while balancing competing priorities and needs.
Working under time pressures with multiple demands.
Work hours outside of business hours and there is a potential for prolonged periods of extended working hours.
Carrying a mobile communication device outside of office hours for on-call to patients and a potential for campus emergency.
Judgement required in all aspects of the work with significant consequences if errors:

Failure to interpret legislation correctly could result in risks and losses to the institution and its members
Failure to provide sound advice and guidance to management may result in inappropriate decision making and ineffective strategies
Failure to identify emerging issues may impair effectiveness of service delivery and compromise health protection efforts.

Maintaining respect and trust of the community, senior management and staff is critical to effectiveness of this position.