Director of Patient Pathways

Job Details: Job Location: 164 - 1500 Expo Parkway - Sacramento, CA, Salary Range: $122300.00 - $183450.00Salary, Director of Patient Pathways

Department/Care Stream: Patient Pathways

LIA Reporting Structure

Timecard Approver: VP of Patient Pathways

Primary: VP of Patient Pathways 

Secondary: VP of Ambulatory Care and Medical Services

Supervises: 100+ employees

Status: Full-Time

FLSA: Exempt

Location: Admin Center

Level of Team: Leadership

Pay Range: $122,300 - $183,450/yr

EEO-1: Management

Organization Information

WellSpace's mission is "achieving regional health through high quality comprehensive care." We believe that everyone deserves to be seen, no matter who you are, where you come from, where you work or what place you call home. At WellSpace, we see you!  

We are driven to serve the whole person through comprehensive, integrated care, spanning medical, dental, behavioral health, and supportive services across the region. We do this by building a team of exceptional colleagues who are dedicated to our mission and becoming part of the communities we serve. 

As the region's largest Community Health System, WellSpace utilizes a Confluence Model to integrate an internal network of healthcare modalities, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC), Drug Medi-Cal and Specialty Mental Health programs, California's second largest 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Center, an independent Risk Bearing Organization (WellSpace Nexus), and more into a seamless confluence of care.

To ensure the highest quality of care, WellSpace is accredited by the Joint Commission for Ambulatory Care, Behavioral Health and as a CCBHC. Further, it is certified by the Joint Commission as a Primary Care Medical Home and a Behavioral Health Home. WellSpace's crisis programs are accredited by the American Association of Suicidology and the International Council for Helplines. 

Position Summary

The Director of Patient Pathways provides strategic, operational, and administrative leadership for WellSpace Health's Patient Pathways Department, ensuring patients experience seamless access to care from their first point of contact through ongoing engagement across the organization. This leader oversees the Call Center, Referrals Management, Patient Empanelment, Patient Experience, and Health Information Management (HIM), ensuring these departments function as an integrated system that supports timely access, continuity of care, patient satisfaction, regulatory compliance, and organizational performance.

The Director is responsible for developing high-performing teams, optimizing workflows, implementing technology solutions, monitoring key performance indicators, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, and fostering a culture of service excellence and continuous improvement. This position partners closely with operational, clinical, information technology, quality, compliance, revenue cycle, and executive leadership to improve patient access, care coordination, and organizational effectiveness throughout WellSpace Health.

Required Qualifications

Minimum of four (4) years of progressive management experience in healthcare operations, including  customer service, health information management, or related patient access functions.
Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, Health Information Management, Nursing, or related field preferred.
Demonstrated leadership experience in managing, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
Knowledge of fiscal management, budgeting, personnel management, quality improvement, and regulatory compliance.
Ability to lead cross-functional projects, facilitate meetings, and build collaborative relationships across the health system.
Experience designing, analyzing, and utilizing operational data and performance metrics to drive process improvement and informed decision-making.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills with the ability to effectively manage complex situations.
Excellent organizational, project management, and time management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple initiatives and meet deadlines.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and other standard business applications.
Knowledge and experience with electronic health records, such as Epic.

Essential Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all Patient Pathways functions, ensuring high-quality service, operational efficiency, and achievement of departmental goals.
Lead, mentor, and provide direction to Managers, Supervisors, and department staff by establishing clear expectations, fostering professional development, promoting accountability, and administering performance management and corrective action when appropriate.
Monitor departmental performance through key performance indicators (KPIs), operational metrics, quality outcomes, and trend analysis to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and address performance gaps at the individual, departmental, and system levels.
Ensure appropriate staffing, resource allocation, and operational coverage to support business continuity and patient access.
Develop, implement, and maintain departmental policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), workflows, and quality standards while ensuring compliance with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and applicable laws.
Lead quality assurance and continuous quality improvement initiatives, ensuring corrective actions are implemented, monitored, and sustained.
Collaborate with executive leadership and cross-functional departments to implement operational improvements, maintain organizational alignment, and support strategic initiatives.
Assist with budget development, fiscal planning, resource management, and monitoring departmental financial performance.
Provide vision, innovation, and accountability across Patient Pathways and implement new programs and services to improve operational effectiveness and enhance the patient experience.
Prepare and present reports, dashboards, and operational analyses to leadership as required.
Represent WellSpace Health with external agencies, community partners, regulatory organizations, funding sources, and professional organizations.
Actively participate in leadership, management, and organizational meetings, contributing recommendations and supporting enterprise-wide initiatives.
Complete employee performance evaluations in accordance with organizational timelines and standards.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Patient Access

Average Speed to Answer (ASA)
Call Abandonment Rate
First Call Resolution
Appointment Scheduling Accuracy
Same-Day Access Rate
Patient Portal Adoption

Referrals

Referral Processing Time
Referral Completion Rate
Prior Authorization Turnaround Time
360 Closed-Loop Referral Rate
Referral Denial Rate

Patient Experience

Patient Satisfaction Survey capture
Complaint Resolution Time
Grievance Resolution Compliance

Health Information Management

Release of Information Turnaround Time
Scanning Accuracy
Document Indexing Accuracy
Medical Record Completion Rate
HIM Audit Scores

Management

Patient Pathways Team Retention
Productivity Benchmarks
Budget Performance
Regulatory Audit Readiness
Department Quality Improvement Goal Achievement

Benefits

Successful candidate will receive regionally competitive salary, above average health benefits at reduced costs, company paid life insurance & long-term disability insurance, additional voluntary retirement plan with company match and no vesting schedule requirement.

Paid bereavement and jury duty leave
11 paid holidays per year
Paid time off
Paid sick leave
Flexible Spending Program
Company paid malpractice insurance for all providers
Professional development hours offered annually

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The work environment is characteristic of a typical office environment.  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle, or feel. The employee is also required to stand; walk; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The employee must also possess hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the phone.  The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

The employee may be in contact with individuals and families in crisis who may be ill, using substances and/or not attentive to personal health and safety for themselves or their homes. The employee may experience a number of unpleasant sensory demands associated with the client’s use of alcohol and drugs, and the lack of personal care.  The employee may also be exposed to bodily fluids (blood, urine) and hazardous chemicals.

WellSpace Health is committed to the principals of equal employment.  We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is the intent of WellSpace Health to maintain a work environment free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation because of age, race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state or local laws.  WellSpace Health is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WellSpace Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer

 
Qualifications: