Technical Practice Lead

In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values, and strategic directions of PHSA safety, including both patient and employee safety, is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA’s Agencies/Divisions/Services, and as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.
The Technical Practice Lead works in a team-based environment and is accountable for the development, implementation and maintenance of practice standards and provides lower mainland wide technical leadership, direction and guidance on practice activities and advancing practice, research and education. Duties include reviewing and implementing consistent practice standards, goals and objectives in conjunction with designated Medical Leads, Operations Directors and other team members. Leads the development, assessment and standardization of lower mainland practice specific policies and standard operating procedures, continuing education and training programs. Accountable for the practice specific Quality Assurance Program through collaboration with the Medical Lead. Oversees the implementation of new equipment, tests and methods, key quality indicators and monitors and develops corrective action plans.

Duties/Accountabilities:

1. In consultation with the Laboratory Operations team, leads the development of a practice environment within a specified discipline of Medical Technology at Lower Mainland Laboratory and Pathology sites by methods such as establishing effective working relationships with and between Medical Lead(s), Operations Director(s)/Manager(s), supervisory and technical support staff and discipline specific staff, medical staff and other leads to assure open and on-going communication. Determines practice priorities and goals in collaboration with the Medical/Operations team and supervisory/support staff. Provides leadership and direction towards advancing practice by assessing and implementing the strategic direction related to practice, developing and implementing annual goals to achieve the strategic direction, and preparing regular reports on progress towards these goals. Ensures goals include a focus on practice guidelines/standards, resources, evidence based practices, and review of work practices to address identified issues. Actively promotes a culture of efficiency, innovation and creativity, utilizing a variety of methodologies such as LEAN.
2. Develops, implements and evaluates discipline specific practice standards, guidelines, protocols, policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Reviews in collaboration with Technical Coordinators, existing policies and procedures at assigned sites and facilitates meetings to develop new standards to ensure consistency of practice. Sustains and monitors practices that are consistent with the guidelines and code of conduct of provincial, national and, where applicable, Canadian professional and associations' guidelines. Ensures the implementation of approved new/revised policies and procedures by collaborating with supervisory and technical support staff to coordinate implementation and training requirements, instructing staff on the policies as required, providing on-site support as required, and resolving issues and concerns.
3. Develops a discipline specific Quality Assurance Program in collaboration with the Medical Leader and by consulting with operations, supervisory, medical, discipline specific and workplace health staff; researching literature for information, liaising with professional agencies and other external agencies. Participates as an active member on the lower mainland Quality Team. Identifies, implements, and monitors key quality indicators; and compares them to benchmarks. Updates the operation management team on status of indicators. Develops corrective actions as required and ensures the implementation through the development of detailed action plans. Prepares quarterly summary reports for the laboratory operations team. Complies with safety responsibilities as outlined in the WorkSafeBC Regulation and Lower Mainland Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Safety Manual.
4. Develops education programs for staff and students in consultation with the Medical Leader, Laboratory Operations Manager, Site Supervisor, and Technical Coordinators. Assesses needs within the practice and develops recommendations which may include presenting or facilitating in-services, conferences, or local workshops to ensure consistent practices. Oversees student placement, sets up training schedules in consultation with site leadership team, and develops standardized checklists for monitoring student progress. Recommends library acquisitions and reviews new material. Working collaboratively with Technical Coordinator, ensures that technical and training manuals are updated as required and that changes to education standards/programs are communicated. Actively promotes a culture of continuous learning among staff, and provides opportunities for staff to meet across sites to discuss practice issues.
5. Ensures on-site support, technical guidance/advice, and facilitates workplace solutions to ensure consistency with the standards of professional practice. Ensures that optimal service contributions are made to the discipline development and that the delivery of a quality health care system, as part of a continuum of integrated care, is performed in an effective, efficient, and cost-effective manner. Promotes improvement and capacity enhancing measures, communicates and demonstrates best practices to ensure that accreditation, quality control, safety standards and sustainability are maintained. Provides input as required into annual operating and capital budget proposals including identifying, documenting and making recommendations to the operations team on a variety of issues such as, program expansion, expenditures, products/equipment planning and evaluation, from a practice, education perspective.
6. Works collaboratively with medical, operations, and site leadership team to assess discipline specific capital equipment requirements across the regions and makes recommendations for replacement of existing equipment. Provides leadership in the planning and implementation of new equipment and monitors performance of equipment on an ongoing basis, develops evaluation and implementation plans, provides onsite support as required, reviews and summarizes evaluation data for presentation to Laboratory Operations Directors/Managers. Ensures that equipment is purchased in a timely manner.
7. In collaboration with the Site Supervisor and Medical Directors, provides leadership in the facilitation of regional standardization of software through evaluation and LIS testing. Ensures appropriate testing of new or upgraded software and provides guidance to ensure standardization across all sites. In collaboration with the Laboratory Operations Director initiates or approves all LIS/IS change requests, and develops the testing protocols. Facilitates timely decision making and seeks input from Medical leader and others as required.
8. Consults and collaborates with the operations team and site leadership team in developing, maintaining and evaluating a human resources plan including roles, expectations, competencies, specialized credentials, and skill requirements to support effective and efficient service delivery. Ensures standardized tools for training plans, competencies, and standards are implemented across Lower Mainland Labs.
9. Develops and fosters effective professional relationships with academic institutions such as BCIT, professional associations, other external agencies, and the Diagnostic Accreditation Program in order to; actively participate in the professional associations, keep informed of developments, discuss goals objectives and training requirements, and implement/uphold teaching programs and the professional practice within the organization.
10. Evaluates and coordinates the development of new tests and methods, and promotes a culture of research through promoting staff awareness and involvement in research activities, identifying relevant research opportunities such as issues/practice which require research, assisting staff in the development of research and grant submissions, and integrating the application of research findings into practice by incorporating information into policies, procedures, educational programs and materials. Oversees the Technical Coordinators with implementation of new tests and methods and liaises with vendors to obtain information and testing material.
11. Maintains a variety of records and prepares reports as required on various activities by methods such as setting up and updating computerized files and spreadsheets using word processing and spreadsheet software, compiling, recording and tabulating data from various sources, and summarizing information into report form for budgetary requirements and workload monitoring purposes.
12. Attends and participates on relevant committees to facilitate the resolution of issues and to advocate for the goals and objectives of the practice. Liaises with other professionals including Professional Practice Leads from other Health Authorities, provides and receives input, evaluates effect of changes in practice, and recommends alternative approaches to ensure regulatory, accreditation, quality control, safety and practice standards are consistent. Supports the initiatives and advancement of Medical Technology by facilitating and leading approved special projects in collaboration with designated personnel/team and other health care professionals.
13. Maintains knowledge of developments within Medical Technology and sets measurable goals and objectives within a team or individual environment, incorporating the organization's mission, vision, values, goals and corporate plan by methods such as reviewing relevant literature/resources/product information to keep abreast of new developments and research, consulting with colleagues and other experts within the field, evaluating practice, participating in professional development activities to improve care through new practices, and developing a plan in collaboration with the Director, for professional development; reviews progress to ensure that goals are achieved within established time frames.
14. Travels throughout the lower mainland, as per a site rotational basis, to provide onsite support to various Pathology and Laboratory Medicine sites.
15. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience
Certified by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science. Bachelor of Science degree or an Advanced Registered certificate or completion of a supervisory/management program plus a minimum of five (5) years’ recent, related experience in relevant discipline or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. A valid BC driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle for business related purposes.
Skills and Abilities
• Comprehensive knowledge and recent related experience in laboratory discipline
• Comprehensive knowledge of the standards of practice and guidelines for Medical Laboratory Technologists established by the CSMLS and/or other relevant national professional associations
• Comprehensive knowledge of method development and evaluation and research processes.
• Comprehensive knowledge of organization policies, procedures, and standards of care, including practice of safe work procedures with discipline equipment
• Knowledge of administrative structure and function of laboratories of varying sizes
• Demonstrated ability to develop, procedures, protocols, and manuals
• Demonstrated ability to function as a team member, leader, teacher, motivator, and facilitator and to coach and deal with others effectively and in a supportive manner
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with co-workers, medical personnel and other health care staff, both one-to-one and in groups.
• Demonstrated ability to deal with and/or guide others in resolution of conflict issues
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and in collaboration with others
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure in a constantly changing environment and to organize and prioritize competing demands
• Demonstrated ability to manage own learning to meet future challenges within the organization
• Demonstrated knowledge of computerized systems relating to the Laboratory and current software applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position
• Ability to operate related equipment
• Ability to travel to designated facilities