Chief Operations Officer

Position Summary

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as the operational leader responsible for driving access, efficiency, and consistency across all clinical sites. Reporting directly to the CEO, the COO oversees front office operations, clinic workflows, outreach, and site-level leadership to ensure high-quality, patient-centered care delivery aligned with CHCFD’s mission.

This role partners closely with the Chief Clinical/Medical Officer (CCMO) to operationalize care models, improve patient flow, and achieve performance targets related to access, patient experience, and financial sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operational Leadership & Site Performance

• Provide direct oversight of office managers, front office supervisors, and site operations
• Standardize workflows across all locations (Fort Dodge, Mason City, Dayton, Eagle Grove, Clarion, Spencer)
• Ensure consistent execution of scheduling, registration, and patient flow processes
• Lead daily, weekly, and monthly operational performance reviews

2. Front Office & Patient Access Optimization

• Oversee all front desk operations, including:
  • Registration accuracy
  • Scheduling practices (Epic Book It optimization)
  • Copay collection and financial workflows
• Implement strategies to improve:
  • Booked rate
  • Show rate
  • Cycle time / patient throughput
• Ensure same-day access and appropriate appointment utilization

3. Care Model Execution (in partnership with CCMO)

• Operationalize care delivery models including:
  • Integrated behavioral health
  • TCM/CCM workflows
  • Care gap closure initiatives
• Align staffing models and scheduling templates to support provider productivity
• Ensure clinic operations support clinical quality and UDS metrics

4. Outreach & Patient Engagement

• Oversee outreach teams responsible for:
  • Care gap outreach
  • MyChart enrollment and patient engagement
  • Community-based navigation and access support
• Ensure outreach efforts are aligned with:
  • UDS measures
  • Preventive care goals
  • Chronic disease management

5. Workforce Leadership & Accountability

• Direct supervision of:
  • Office Managers
  • Front Office Supervisors
  • Outreach Leadership
• Establish clear expectations for performance, professionalism, and accountability
• Coach leaders to:
  • Address performance issues
  • Improve team engagement
  • Maintain a strong customer service culture

6. Financial & Operational Performance

• Drive performance in:
  • Visit volume and productivity
  • Revenue cycle front-end accuracy
  • Denial prevention through registration quality
• Partner with finance and revenue cycle teams to improve:
  • Clean claim rates
  • Point-of-service collections

7. Data-Driven Decision Making

• Monitor and act on key performance indicators, including:
  • Booked vs. completed visit rates
  • No-show and cancellation rates
  • Registration accuracy and error rates
  • Care gap closure metrics
• Use data to identify trends and implement corrective actions

8. Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure operational adherence to:
  • HRSA/FQHC requirements
  • Patient confidentiality and HIPAA standards
  • Organizational policies and procedures
• Support readiness for audits, including OSV and UDS reporting

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong understanding of FQHC operations, workflows, and compliance requirements
• Expertise in front office operations, scheduling systems (Epic preferred), and patient flow optimization
• Demonstrated ability to lead multi-site healthcare operations
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret and act on performance data
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and accountability management skills
• Ability to drive change and standardization across diverse teams
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills across all levels of the organization
• Ability to balance patient experience, staff engagement, and financial performance

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Booked visit rate and completed visit rate
• No-show and late cancellation rates
• Patient cycle time and throughput
• Registration accuracy and denial rates
• Point-of-service collections
• Care gap closure rates (aligned with UDS measures)
• MyChart enrollment and utilization
• TCM/CCM enrollment and revenue support (in partnership with CCMO)