DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND HEALTH POLICY

American Association of Nurse Anesthetists - AANA

Park Ridge, Illinois

SUMMARY

The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (“AANA”) is an organization that is in active transformation, so this kind of opportunity doesn’t come around often. We’re looking to add a talented Director of Research and Health Policy to our dynamic team of professionals who are deeply dedicated to advancing the nurse anesthesia profession. While work experience and educational preparation are certainly important, a can-do attitude and strong work ethic are the most desired characteristics for this position. All AANA colleagues are expected to foster a workplace culture that promotes divergent thinking, openness, respect, trust, and the desire to be epic! 

The Director of Research and Health Policy plays a critical role in driving the mission, vision and values for the research, advocacy and policy initiatives in support of the AANA’s overall strategic plan. You will lead your team’s research projects that ultimately advance policy initiatives for nurse anesthetists. Research and policy initiatives support the development and implementation of practice, federal and state regulatory policies that include reimbursement, scope of practice and access to anesthesia services. You will collaborate with the Chief Advocacy Officer in shaping the agenda for anesthesia issues in healthcare delivery, quality and policy.

The Director of Research and Health Policy reports to the Chief Advocacy Officer.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy:

• Identifies opportunities in research and evidence to advance the AANA’s policy agenda
• Develops strategies, provides leadership and maintains knowledge base related to Medicare policies and private plan payment policy that includes drafting and assisting in filing comments regarding reimbursement for CRNA services
• Strategically contributes to and provides critical appraisal of research by examining methodological and statistical analysis appropriateness, and extracts relevant information to use in evaluation of specific issues pertaining to healthcare delivery, quality, health policy and/or research related to reimbursement

Research:

• Develops proposals for outside contractors/researchers and manages implementation of activities
• Creates scientific documents/research and provides to external policy staff, federal agencies, consumer groups, consultants, healthcare societies, MedPAC and AANA members to promote the AANA’s healthcare policies
• Contributes as part of the study team to the development of project proposals, manuscripts, IRB submission, standard operating procedures, research methodology, in addition to all other products developed by the Research and Policy division
• Communicates research finds to internal and external groups
• Engages with and educates AANA members through relevant research and quality articles, news bulletins about research, quality and reimbursement issues of anesthesia and surgery
• Maintains, edits and provides content to the Research and Policy division web page
• Responds to routine member inquiries related to research/quality issues

Health Policy:

• Analyzes regulatory-based policies and researches issues of importance to the nurse anesthesia profession and drives the evaluation of specific issues
• Addresses research, quality, reimbursement and other health policy issues
• Participates in the development and execution of studies to support the AANA’s advocacy efforts
• Maintains a knowledge base with organizations involved in quality and reporting initiatives (ie. CMS, QPP, AHRQ, NQF, AQI) and proposed payment/reimbursement and delivery models (ie. CMMI, fee-for-service, bundled, global payment, ACO’s PCMH)

Leadership:

• Assures responsible development and management of department budget
• Manages, leads and develops a staff of internal content experts
• Serves as an internal research and quality staff liaison; provides guidance, coaching, and facilitation of research and quality staff in identifying key research, quality and policy priorities for the Research and Policy division; drives goal setting and monitors work progress, expectations for products such as research papers, abstracts, policy briefs, white papers, surveys and other documents regarding research, quality and healthcare policy in anesthesia and surgery
• Develops and/or participates in webinars, teleconferences and national meetings
• Becomes cross-trained to handle the most common routine issues and inquiries in the CAO’s absence
• Assists in staffing AANA committees, task forces or other internal/external entities and/or meetings
• Travels for company business