Project Manager

Department/Unit:

Practice Administration

Work Shift:

Day (United States of America)

Salary Range:

$94,957.00 - $147,183.00

The Project Manager for Access & Schedule Optimization is responsible for leading strategic initiatives that improve patient access, provider productivity, and template utilization across ambulatory and procedural settings. This role partners closely with clinical, operational, and IT stakeholders to design, implement, and sustain Epic-based scheduling optimization solutions that align with organizational access goals, regulatory requirements, and patient experience standards.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Leadership & Execution

Lead end-to-end project management of access and scheduling optimization initiatives within the Practice.

Develop and manage project plans, timelines, milestones, and deliverables across multiple service lines.

Utilize structured methodologies to drive measurable improvements.

Epic Optimization & Build Collaboration

Partner with Epic analysts to design and optimize:

Provider templates and scheduling protocols

Visit types, slot utilization, and block release logic

Decision trees and scheduling workflows

Ensure Epic build aligns with access strategies (e.g., third next available, same-day access, continuity).

Support testing, validation, and activities for Epic upgrades.

Access Strategy & Performance Improvement

Translate organizational access goals into actionable scheduling strategies.

Identify inefficiencies in scheduling workflows, template design, and referral management.

Drive improvements in:

Third Next Available

No-show rates

Template utilization

Cycle time from referral to visit

New patient visits

Standardize best practices across departments while allowing for specialty-specific needs.

Data Analysis & Reporting

Analyze Epic reporting tools (Reporting Workbench, SlicerDicer, dashboards) to monitor access performance.

Develop and present dashboards and executive summaries on key metrics.

Use data to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for optimization.

Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management

Serve as a liaison between operations, IT, and leadership.

Lead change management efforts including communication, training, and adoption strategies.

Provide education to clinic managers on scheduling best practices.

Sustainment & Governance

Establish ongoing monitoring processes to ensure sustained performance.

Support development of standard work, policies, and SOPs related to scheduling and access.

Lead regular template reviews and optimization cycles.

Qualifications:

Education:

Bachelor’s degree required (Healthcare Administration, Business, Nursing, or related field)

Master’s degree (MHA, MBA, MPH) preferred

Experience:

5+ years of experience in healthcare operations

Direct experience with Epic

Experience in ambulatory care, access management, or scheduling optimization strongly preferred

Core Competencies:

Deep understanding of ambulatory access metrics and scheduling best practices

Strong analytical and data interpretation skills

Ability to influence without authority across clinical and operational leaders

Excellent communication and executive presentation skills

Change management and process improvement expertise

High level of organization and ability to manage multiple priorities

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

Improvement in Third Next Available

Increased template utilization rates

Reduction in no-show and cancellation rates

Decreased referral-to-visit cycle time

Improved patient access satisfaction scores

Adoption rate of standardized scheduling workflows

Increase new visit ratio

Thank you for your interest in Albany Med Health System!

This role may require access to information considered sensitive to Albany Med Health System, its patients, affiliates, and partners, including but not limited to HIPAA Protected Health Information and other information regulated by Federal and New York State statutes. Workforce members are expected to ensure that:

Access to information is based on a “need to know” and is the minimum necessary to properly perform assigned duties. Use or disclosure shall not exceed the minimum amount of information needed to accomplish an intended purpose. Reasonable efforts, consistent with Albany Med Health System policies and standards, shall be made to ensure that information is adequately protected from unauthorized access and modification.