PURPOSE AND SCOPE:

Collaborates with internal and external customers, to ensure a positive customer experience for every patient from first point of referral, through education, modality options, and access placement and follow up, as applicable, to eventual admission into Fresenius Kidney Care (FKC) or through smooth transition between modalities. Actively promotes home modalities to physicians, patients, and other groups both internal and external directly and through Kidney Care Advocates and Associate Advocates. Supports all aspects of growth within defined regions or areas of a business.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversees Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) modality education programs for a designated territory to ensure every patient along with their care giver and support system (if applicable) receives comprehensive education on modality options including hemodialysis treatments both at home and in-center, peritoneal dialysis, kidney transplantation as well as education on hemodialysis access types with a focus on the health and safety benefits of AV-Fistula or AV-Graft compared to central venous catheters.
• Responsible for hiring, coaching and counseling employees, including performance reviews, disciplinary action and terminations. Provides leadership, coaching and development plans for all direct reports to maintain an engaged and productive workforce; partnering with Human Resources on employee matters.
• Provides monthly reporting on Home Therapies referrals to Director of Operations, Area Team Leads and/or Market Manager.
• Responsible for training Kidney Care Advocates on all programs relating to the kidney education process.
• Assists with the navigation of patients along the continuum of care from Stage 4 CKD to initiation of dialysis, or in transition from in-center hemodialysis to home therapy, including but not limited to proper and timely access placement.
• Maintains high level, routine communication with physicians, partners, the interdisciplinary team members, Chronic and Home Clinic Managers.
• Supports and implements processes with physician practices as well as local clinics for patient referrals and evaluates the effectiveness of processes through an ongoing basis.
• Ensure timely responses to all referrals for education on modalities.
• Assists in the identification, evaluation and selection of Home Dialysis patients and Care Partners.
• Coordinates the timely admission of patients, including urgent start placements into Fresenius Kidney Care Home Therapy and In-Center programs. Collaborates with management to identify and resolve admission barriers.
• Conducts Home Therapy awareness programs for existing patients and Fresenius staff, as needed or as directed.
• Strives to meet growth goals by maintaining strong physician and partner relationships and identifying opportunities for increasing referrals to Fresenius Kidney Care and Home Therapies.
• Collaborates with Kidney Care Advocate, RVP, Market Development, and HT DO on the development and implementation of the home therapy strategic plan.
• Maintains knowledge of FMCNA Home Therapies products, services and strategies in order to promote FMCNA Home Therapies to the community through outreach programs.
• Participates in all pertinent FMS training and development opportunities to grow and develop business knowledge, skills and leadership competencies.
• Provides educational programs to physicians, as needed.
• Coordinates communication of all corporate and business unit Home Therapies initiatives to physicians in collaboration with the Regional Vice Presidents and home therapy managers.
• Fosters relationships with FKC partners such as NxStage, Azura, and Interwell to ensure opportunities for partnerships are developed and utilized.
• Ensures accurate and timely documentation of patient interactions and status through maintenance of CTH database and Power BI, and/or electronic medical record.
• Provides assistance to junior level staff with general tasks that require a better understanding of functions, as directed my immediate supervisor.
• Trains new managers on company standards and procedures, customer experience and how to properly interact with team.
• Oversee Manager new hire training and development activities, identify training needs for the organization, supervise trainers work and develop effective manager training programs.
• Reports to Director for higher level issues that may arise.
• Adheres to the FMCNA Compliance Program and all regulatory and FMCNA policy requirements. 

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Day to day work includes desk and personal computer work and interaction with patients, facility staff and physicians.
• Requires frequent prolonged periods of standing.
• The work environment is characteristic of a health care facility with air temperature control and moderate noise levels. May be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases/materials.
• Travel to regional, business unit, and corporate meetings will be required. 
• Must be willing to work occasional evening and weekends, as needed, to provide modality education.
• Extensive regional travel to physician groups and advocate and associate advocate home base.

SUPERVISION:

• Responsible for the direct supervision of various levels of Kidney Care Advocate staff.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s Degree required; Advanced Degree desirable.
• Registered Nurse degree desirable.
• Subject to state licensure requirements, MSW or RD (or other applicable licensed professionals) may be eligible under the supervision of Qualified Licensed Staff.

EXPERIENCE AND REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Bachelor’s Degree plus 6 – 8 years’ related experience; or Master’s degree with 4+ years’ related experience; or RN with 5+ years related experience.

• 3+ years’ supervisory or project/program management experience preferred.
• Minimum of 1 year Nursing experience preferred.
• Minimum of 1 year Home Dialysis experience desired.
• Minimum 4 years with proven success in the Kidney Care Advocate Manager or similar role.
• Demonstrated leadership and management competencies and skills including, but not limited to customer service, patient outcomes, continuous quality improvement, team building and employee motivation, decision-making, relationship development and leading cohesive and productive teams.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate with all levels of management through diplomacy and tact.
• High level of emotional intelligence and demonstrated ability to relate to persons of all ages and diverse backgrounds, skills and abilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Results oriented to exceed established goals.
• Proficiency with PCs and Microsoft Office applications.
• Proven ability to be a team player.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

I acknowledge that I have read and accepted this job description.  I understand what is expected of me in this position, and I am able to perform the essential functions as outlined with or without reasonable accommodation.  Furthermore, I understand that the duties and responsibilities listed in this job description are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.  If I have any questions about duties and responsibilities not specified in this job description that I am asked to perform, I should discuss them with my immediate supervisor or my Human Resources representative.

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ADDENDUM:

Characteristics & Competencies

• Passion for Patients      
  • Patient centric.
  • Ability to transform benefits into patient outcomes, thereby articulating a focus on patients.
  • Driving the sense of mission to educate patients according to their stage of renal disease.

• Business Acumen
  • Awareness and understanding of the marketplace, including the regulatory environment and of current and emerging competitor trends.
  • Determination to achieve results, build accountability, establish trust and set high standards for self and others.
  • Ability to implement plans, evaluate progress and adjust to incorporate new learning and information.
• Building Relationships
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across interdisciplinary teams with a high sense of teamwork.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills – confident, with the ability to gain respect, influence and establish a connection.
• Focus on Results & Acts with Urgency             
  • Results are documented and have demonstrated business acumen.
  • Takes charge and holds themselves accountable for increasing referrals and HT.
  • Sense of real urgency & motivation to exceed HT goals.
• Mental Agility                  
  • Ability to maneuver through unforeseen obstacles & uncertainty, never losing sight of the patient.  
  • Solves problems with available resources.
  • Willingness to ask questions.

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EO/AA Employer: Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

Fresenius Medical Care North America maintains a drug-free workplace in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.