Outreach and Practice Support Specialist, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario

Reports to: Manager, Professional Education
Department:  Research, Advocacy and Health Promotion
Status:  Permanent full-time

Role Definition

With the guidance of the Manager, Professional Education, the Outreach
and Practice Support Specialist is responsible for the coordination of
activities associated with the healthcare provider (primary care
physicians, nurses/nurse practitioners, and community pharmacists)
components of the High Blood Pressure (HBP) Strategy Provider
Management Initiative (PMI). The Outreach and Practice Support
Specialist will also work closely with the Senior Specialist, Outreach
and Practice Support to assist in the development of and effectively
implement the tools and interventions associated with the
initiative.  This position will also routinely interface with the
project's key pharmacist partner, the Ontario Pharmacists' Association
(OPA).  A major component of this work will involve the building
and management of both internal and external relationships with the
providers named above, but primarily within the context of pharmacy so
as to respond to any internal pharmacy-related issues, and to assist in
facilitating participation of recruited providers in all aspects of the
PMI.  In addition, the Outreach and Practice Support Specialist
will provide elements of a Quality Improvement (QI) and change
management perspective to the overall PMI. The development and
application of operational skill sets in working within the PMI, in
areas such as knowledge exchange and adult behaviour change principles,
will be instrumental in identifying/reporting any barriers and enablers
to achieving overall project outcomes.
    
Key Accountabilities

Pharmacist Recruitment and Orientation

• Recruit community pharmacists using tools/resource materials
  developed by HSFO, as well as leveraging existing networks through OPA,
  recruited physician groups, and current pharmacist participants.
• Assist in the development of any additional tools/resources to be included in the pharmacist communication package.
• Oversee pharmacist orientation for all recruited sites, and
  manage this orientation at the sites assigned to the Outreach and
  Practice Support Specialist.

Relationship Development and Management:

• Continue to develop relationships with all participants,
  including pharmacists as outlined in orientation above, to ensure
  ongoing dialogue and support.
• Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with OPA and other pharmacist bodies as appropriate.
• Develop and manage healthcare provider relationships at HBP
  Strategy PMI sites as appropriate, with a focus on the pharmacists,
  including training sessions for the adoption and use of tools and
  interventions developed as part of the Initiative.
• Work closely with the Senior Specialist, Outreach and Practice
  Support, along with HBP Strategy PMI team members in the implementation
  and ongoing improvement of these tools and interventions.
• Inter-professional communications:
• Facilitate communication channels among all implicated healthcare professionals.
• Assist in design and implementation of inter-professional communication tools and interventions for pharmacists.

Additional HBP Strategy PMI Responsibilities

• Assist in the team's development, organization, implementation, and evaluation of PMI tools, interventions, and programming.
• Collect and analyze data and information from all sites to
  identify and drive quality improvement, implementation and evaluation
  of PMI tools.
• Facilitate quality improvement and change management at all
  sites, including the uptake of tools and interventions via site visits
  and academic detailing.  Also gather feedback from all
  participants at all assigned sites (including administrative staff) and
  provide them with support.
• Assist in coordinating ethics review process for the overall PMI.

Communications

• Communicate (verbal and written) and collaborate effectively with internal/external team members and stakeholders.
• As with Relationship Management above, develop and maintain
  strong working relationships with healthcare professionals, with an
  attention to inter-professional relationships, in particular with
  pharmacists and OPA.
• Work effectively with and through volunteers.
• Collaborate with Manager of Professional Education, Associate
  Manager of Professional Education, and Evaluation Specialist in the
  execution and continuous improvement of knowledge exchange applications
  for the HBP Strategy PMI.
• Develop and apply knowledge exchange and adult behaviour change principles specific to Continuing Health Education (CHE).

Other Roles This Position Works With

• Member of the HBP Strategy's Provider Management Advisory Group (MAG).
• Interactive role with various Foundation departments/individuals interested in the pharmacist perspective.
• Participatory role in HBP Strategy cross-functional staff team.
• Interactive role with various HBP Strategy PMI expert consultants (e.g. behaviour change) as appropriate.

Key Challenges/Constraints

• Possible barriers in participant recruitment (e.g. established relationships with non-participant providers/patient base).
• Potential resistance to uptake of tools and interventions (e.g. available time issues).
• Project is dynamic with potential for frequent changes.

Other Requirements

• Innovative
• Strong team player
• Takes initiative/self-starter
• Decidedly comfortable working in a healthcare environment
• Familiar with pharmacists and their environment
• Knowledge in Continuing Education, Knowledge Exchange/Adult Learning Principles, Quality Improvement, primary healthcare issues
• Effective under pressure
• Significant travel required
• Knowledge of hypertension and volunteer management experience would be assets
• Windows 97: Word, Excel and PowerPoint efficiency

If you are interested in applying for this position, please forward your application by March 20th, 2006, to

People Resources
1920 Yonge Street, 4th Floor
Toronto, ON M4S 3E2
resumes@hsf.on.ca

We thank all applicants but will only be contacting those selected for interviews.