Chair, Pathology and Laboratory Services

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Department

Job Summary

Denver Health is seeking an accomplished physician leader to serve as Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Services at Denver Health Medical Center, one of the nation’s leading integrated safety-net health systems. This role provides strategic, clinical, and academic leadership for all pathology and laboratory operations supporting a large urban academic health system that cares for a diverse and medically complex population.

The Chair is accountable for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe, and efficient pathology and laboratory services that support the clinical mission of the health system. Responsibilities include departmental strategic planning, clinical service oversight, professional and medical staff performance, financial and operational stewardship, and leadership of the department's educational programs. The Chair will cultivate a culture of excellence across pathology and laboratory services by establishing clear performance expectations, advancing evidence-based practice, and ensuring consistency in clinical care standards through strong patient safety practices and outcomes monitoring. The Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Services will be the named holder of the CLIA certificate for the DHMC Laboratory. The Chair will spend a majority of time on leadership and administrative functions in the department, and is also expected to participate in patient care in one or more areas of clinical expertise in support of the department's clinical mission.

As an academic leader, the Chair works closely with University of Colorado School of Medicine through Denver Health's longstanding academic affiliation. Denver Health physician faculty hold full-time academic appointments at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and the Chair plays a central role in advancing the department's efforts in and development of faculty to support scholarly, teaching, and research missions. The Chair provides leadership for medical student, resident, and fellow education based at Denver Health and fosters collaboration between the two institutions to advance innovation, academic productivity, and excellence in clinical training. This role ensures that educational programs remain aligned with national standards while supporting a dynamic learning environment that prepares trainees for practice in complex healthcare systems.

As one of the nation's leading integrated safety-net health systems, Denver Health provides care to a diverse and often medically and socially complex patient population. The Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Services will champion equitable, high-quality care for underserved communities and ensure that diagnostic services support the broader mission of improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Working across hospital, ambulatory, public health, and community-based settings, the Chair will partner with clinical and operational leaders to improve diagnostic accuracy, laboratory efficiency, and care coordination across the system. This includes leveraging data, technology, and process improvement methods to strengthen laboratory operations and support system-wide initiatives focused on access, quality, and value.

The ideal candidate will bring a passion for serving safety-net populations, experience improving complex systems of care, and the leadership skills necessary to engage physicians, trainees, and staff at all levels of the organization. The Chair will foster an inclusive and collaborative departmental culture that prioritizes accountability, innovation, and professional development. Equally important is a deep commitment to academic medicine and to training the next generation of physicians and pathologists who will practice in mission-driven health systems. Through thoughtful leadership and partnership across Denver Health and the University of Colorado School of Medicine, the Chair will help advance the department's clinical, educational, and scholarly impact while strengthening the institution's mission to provide outstanding care for the community we serve.

Interested applicants should submit CV and cover letter to:
Aaron Ortiz, Manager of Provider Recruitment

[email protected]

303-602-4992

Essential Functions:

• Lead and participate in clinical quality initiatives focused on enhancing systems to assure timeliness and efficiency and assuring quality while maintaining fiscal responsibility. (5%)
• Promote and oversee development of critical pathways, protocols and practice guidelines that promote quality, cost-effective care for the patient population. (5%)
• Ensure that appropriate quality improvement standards/metrics are established, maintained and reported for the Pathology department. (5%)
• Lead efforts to optimize operational efficiency within the Pathology Department. (5%)
• Ensure the application of best practices, incorporating regulatory requirements at the local, state, and national level; utilize benchmarking and data analysis from applicable sources. (5%)
• Provide leadership and disseminate practice standards and accountabilities to non-physician Pathology staff, physicians, residents and medical students. (5%)
• Drive innovation in care management and establish efficient operational infrastructure in partnership with support staff and operations to optimize resource allocation and timeliness. (5%)
• Oversight of the substance, quality, review and evaluation of graduate medical education in the Department. (5%)
• Oversight of the quality of medical student education in the Department (5%)
• Responsibility for the substance, quality, review and evaluation of all research and scholarly programs within the department. (5%)
• Oversight of the faculty in accordance with the expectations of the University of Colorado, School of Medicine. (5%)
• Promote scholarly activities by faculty and trainees. Encourage participation in research and conference attendance to enhance the reputation of the department. (5%)
• Promote and support relevant education for all personnel within the Department. Develop and oversee continuing medical education programs for staff at all levels within the Department. (5%)
• Maintain and develop professional knowledge and personal competence through participation in professional organizations and conferences. (5%)
• Oversee the administrative, professional, clinical, financial and educational activities of the department. (5%)
• Provide leadership for the development of standards and policies related to the Department. (5%)
• Support and maintain faculty development, recruitment and succession plans. Coordinate financial impact analysis of plans with administration. (5%)
• Promote implementation and enforcement of process standardization initiatives. (5%)
• Assume joint responsibility with Denver Health Administration for compliance with requirements and standards of regulatory agencies and accreditation organizations, including preparation for and participation in relevant surveys. (5%)
• Ensure that Departmental quality and performance improvement activities are working well and dealt with in the context of Departmental meetings. (5%)
• Create, implement and maintain defined objectives for Pathology services for clinical improvement, growth, an0d the expansion of services.

Education:

• Doctorate Degree Required

Work Experience:

• Eight years of pathology practice experience required and
• Five years of leadership experience required

Licenses:

• MD-Physician - State Medical Board Required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated leadership achievement in a busy high-performing department.
• A strong record as a respected clinician in the area of Pathology.
• Experience in increasing service excellence.
• Attention and focus on maximizing cost effective care delivery and financial stewardship initiatives while maintaining quality.
• Knowledge and interest in multi-disciplinary healthcare environment, including collaborative approach to problem-solving within and across departments and service lines.
• Skill in exercising initiative, judgment, and decision making in solving problems and meeting organizational objectives.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective, collaborative working relationships with other employees, organizations and the public.
• Skill in adapting new information relative to the work assignment through educational seminars, meetings and staff meetings.
• Skill in maintaining and organizing departmental records, reports and files.
• Knowledge of the principles, standard practices, and techniques of pathology.
• Knowledge of department policies, procedures, objectives, safety and infection control standards.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite required.
• EPIC experience preferred.

Shift

Work Type

Salary

Benefits

At Denver Health, we take care of the people who take care of our community. Our benefits are built to support your life, your family, and your future — with generous paid time off, fully paid parental leave, exceptional retirement contributions, comprehensive health coverage, and nationally recognized well-being programs. We invest in your growth through tuition assistance, career advancement pathways, and professional development — while also offering meaningful financial advantages through loan forgiveness eligibility and employer contributions. When you join Denver Health, you’re joining a mission-driven organization that invests in you.

Here is a small list of our benefit programs:

• Paid time off starting at 28 days per year, inclusive of vacation, personal/sick, and 7 Holidays

• 100% paid parental leave up to 6 weeks

• Immediate eligibility for retirement plans with employer contribution up to 9.5%

• Generous medical, dental, vision plans in addition to employer paid disability and life insurance.

• Comprehensive well-being programs including on-site employee fitness center located on Denver Health main campus and nationally recognized RESTORE Center

• Free RTD EcoPass (public transportation)

• Childcare discount programs & exclusive perks on large brands, travel, and more

• Tuition reimbursement & assistance

• Education, coaching, and professional development opportunities through the Workforce Development Center (WFDC) that support internal career growth and advancement pathways

• Professional clinical advancement program & shared governance

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer+ free student loan coaching and assistance navigating the PSLF program

• National Health Service Corps (NHCS) and Colorado Health Service Corps (CHSC) eligible employer

About Denver Health

Denver Health is an integrated, high-quality academic health care system considered a model for the nation that includes a Level I Trauma Center, a 555-bed acute care medical center, Denver’s 911 emergency medical response system, 10 family health centers, 19 school-based health centers, Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety, the Public Health Institute at Denver Health, Denver Health Medical Plan and Denver Health Foundation.

As Colorado’s primary, and essential, safety-net health care system, Denver Health is a mission-driven organization that has provided millions in uncompensated care for the uninsured each year.

Located near downtown Denver, Denver Health is just minutes away from many of the cultural and recreational activities Denver has to offer.

Denver Health is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We value the unique ideas, talents and contributions reflective of the needs of our community. All job applicants for safety-sensitive positions must pass a pre-employment drug test, once a conditional offer of employment has been made. Applicants will be considered until the position is filled.