Chief of Gastroenterology

Denver Health, in collaboration with the University of Colorado, School of Medicine, is seeking a clinically skilled and experienced leader, educator, manager, and communicator for the position of Chief of the Division of Digestive and Liver Health to be based at Denver Health Medical Center. The Chief will have oversight of all care delivered by the Division of Digestive and Liver Health at Denver Health and will provide overall leadership within the Division.  The Chief will be responsible for strategic planning, clinical services, professional performance, business performance and medical education for the department. 

Denver Health is uniquely positioned as an integrated healthcare system, nationally recognized for its passion and commitment in providing exceptional care to the communities it serves.  Denver Health is considered a national model of an integrated urban safety net health care system which includes inpatient care, emergency services, community and school-based health centers, correctional care, addictions treatment, public health and an insurance plan. 

Denver Health is affiliated with the University of Colorado School of Medicine, (UC-SOM) and Denver Health physician faculty have full-time academic appointments at UC-SOM.  The Chief has primary responsibility for all aspects of the scholarly and educational programs based at Denver Health and will foster collaboration, innovation and excellence in meeting our joint missions.

The Chief will be an individual who has a passion for providing outstanding care to the underserved, a desire to improve systems and processes to maximize efficiency, the leadership skills to engage staff at all levels and an enduring commitment to training the next generation of physicians.

Denver Health’s Mission is to:

• Provide access to the highest quality healthcare, whether for prevention, or acute and chronic diseases, regardless of ability to pay;
• Provide life-saving emergency medicine and trauma services to Denver and the Rocky Mountain region;
• Fulfill public health functions as dictated by the Denver Charter and the needs of the citizens of Denver;
• Provide health education for patients;
• Participate in the education of the next generation of healthcare professionals; and
• Engage in research, which enhances our ability to meet the healthcare needs of Denver Health system patients

Today, Denver Health serves a diverse patient population, including low-income and immigrant populations.  Each year, Denver Health sees persons from around the world who speak more than 50 languages, most commonly Spanish.  In total, Denver Health cares for 25% of all Denver residents, including 37% of all children.   With approximately 7,000 employees, Denver Health is the fourth largest employer in Denver. 

Position Summary

The Chief for Digestive and Liver Health will be a mid-career to senior faculty member preferably qualified to be appointed to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor of Gastroenterology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.  He/she should have a demonstrated reputation of excellence in clinical care, teaching, collegiality, mentoring and scholarship.

Gastroenterology Scope of Practice

The Division of Digestive and Liver Health delivers an integrated service model and offers seamless transitions between the outpatient sites and the hospital.  Denver Health provides ~4,000 visits per year done at three clinic sites.  The outpatient provider team is comprised of Gastroenterologists/Hepatologists Physicians and Physicians Assistants, who work collaboratively to deliver the appropriate care for each patient. Physicians in the Division of Digestive and Liver Health  are available for consultation and continuing care for all common and complex digestive and liver disorders as well as a broad spectrum of preventative, consultative, diagnostic and interventional endoscopic services. 

The Digestive and Liver Health Service performs 4,500 procedures annually, including colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, and flexible sigmoidoscopies.  The Division also provides diagnostics and interventional procedures such as capsule endoscopy as well as advanced biliary and pancreatic endoscopy.

Denver Health is formally affiliated with the University of Colorado, School of Medicine where all faculty have full-time academic appointments.  Denver Health is an essential teaching site for the School of Medicine.  Among the 15 GI fellows, approximately 1/3 of their clinical work is at Denver Health.  The Department serves additional learners – family medicine residents, emergency medicine residents, medical students, nurse practitioner and physician assistant students.

Reporting Relationships

The Chief of GI will report to the Director of Medicine Services at Denver Health. 

Candidate Qualifications

Education/Academic Credentials

• Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine from an accredited school of medicine; Board Certification in Gastroenterology discipline and eligibility for licensure in Colorado are required.
• Academic credentials ideally qualify he/she to be appointed to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor of Medicine, have a demonstrated local and national reputation of excellence in scholarship, teaching/mentoring and clinical care.
• Demonstration of successful research in the one or more of the fields of medical education, GI disease treatments, public health and/or epidemiology. A biostatistics background would be highly favorable.

Experience

• Demonstrated success within a Gastroenterology Division. A track record of delivering strong results in mission-driven organizations–preferably those serving vulnerable and Medicaid populations.
• Demonstrated ability to grow revenues, meet budgets, measure and improve outcomes and take appropriate business risks to achieve goals.
• A history of academic commitment through excellence in education and/or scholarly work.
• A history of successful mentorship of colleagues and/or junior faculty in clinical care, research, scholarly work or education.

Preferred Professional Experience

• Demonstrated leadership achievement in a busy high-performing Division.
• A strong record as a respected clinician in the area of Gastroenterology and/or Hepatology.
• Experience in increasing service excellence, including innovation ways of delivering care
• Attention and focus on maximizing cost effective care delivery and money-saving initiatives while maintaining quality and access to care.
• Advocacy for marginalized populations including volunteerism, national/international speaking engagements, research/scholarly activity, or notable outstanding experience with these populations in direct clinical care.
• A history of working successfully with Surgeons, Radiologists and Oncologists, preferably in a collaborative practice.
• A history of working successfully with Family Physicians and Primary Care Providers, including Advanced Practice Providers to provide excellent consultative services in a patient-centered fashion.

The Search Committee will review and accept applicants until February 15, 2020.  

Denver Health values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by law.