Director of Inpatient Services (Med/Surg, ICU, and Case Management)

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Provide leadership and operational oversight for the Medical-Surgical unit, Intensive Care Unit, and Case Management department.


• Ensure safe, effective, and efficient delivery of inpatient care services.


• Develop and implement departmental goals that align with hospital strategic priorities.


• Monitor daily patient census, staffing levels, and patient flow to ensure optimal resource utilization.


• Collaborate with physician leadership to support efficient care delivery and clinical excellence.

Clinical Quality and Patient Safety

• Ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards including CMS, state regulations, and The Joint Commission.


• Monitor quality metrics including infection prevention, patient outcomes, readmission rates, and patient satisfaction.


• Lead performance improvement initiatives focused on clinical quality, safety, and patient experience.


• Promote evidence-based practice and adherence to clinical standards across inpatient units.

Workforce Leadership and Staffing

• Provide leadership, mentorship, and supervision to nurse managers, supervisors, and case management leaders.


• Ensure appropriate staffing models and staffing plans to support patient acuity and census fluctuations.


• Support recruitment, retention, and professional development of nursing and case management staff.


• Conduct performance evaluations and leadership development planning for direct reports.


• Promote a positive work environment that supports staff engagement and teamwork.

Care Coordination & Case Management

• Oversee case management operations including discharge planning, utilization review, and care coordination.


• Collaborate with physicians, social services, and post-acute providers to ensure appropriate care transitions.


• Monitor length of stay, avoidable days, and readmission trends.


• Support case management initiatives that improve patient outcomes and reduce unnecessary utilization.

Patient Throughput & Capacity Management

• Partner with hospital leadership to optimize patient flow and bed utilization.


• Support initiatives that reduce length of stay and improve discharge efficiency.


• Collaborate with emergency department leadership and procedural areas to improve admission and transfer processes.


• Monitor hospital throughput metrics and implement improvement strategies.

Financial and Operational Performance

• Manage departmental budgets, productivity, and operational performance.


• Monitor labor utilization, staffing productivity, and operational expenses.


• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency while maintaining high standards of care.


• Participate in strategic planning and growth initiatives related to inpatient services.

Clinical Technology & Informatics

• Support effective utilization of the electronic health record, including Epic, to improve clinical documentation, communication, and patient care coordination.


• Ensure staff competency in documentation and use of clinical information systems.


• Partner with clinical informatics teams to optimize workflows and reporting.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Direct supervision of:




• Nursing staff (Med-Surg and ICU)


• Case Management leadership


• Clinical supervisors, charge nurses or coordinators as assigned




• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across departments.


• Serve as a key member of the nursing leadership team.


• Participate in hospital committees, leadership councils, and quality initiatives.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required.


• Master’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, or related field preferred.

Licensure

• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of practice.

Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive leadership experience in hospital inpatient services.


• Experience managing Med-Surg, ICU, or critical care services preferred.


• Experience overseeing case management, care coordination, or utilization review strongly preferred.


• Demonstrated experience in quality improvement, staff development, and hospital operations.

Key Competencies

• Inpatient clinical operations management


• Critical care and acute care leadership


• Patient flow and throughput management


• Case management and care coordination


• Regulatory compliance and accreditation readiness


• Workforce development and leadership


• Budget and operational management


• Quality improvement and patient safety

Working Environment

• Hospital inpatient clinical setting.


• Requires collaboration with physicians, nursing staff, ancillary services, and executive leadership.


• May require participation in leadership call rotations and hospital operations oversight.