Senior Clinical Advisor, Age-Friendly Health Systems

Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Senior Clinical Advisor, Age-Friendly Health Systems

 About IHI 

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is a leading, globally recognized not-for-profit health care improvement organization that has been applying evidence-based quality improvement methods to meet current and future health care challenges for more than 30 years. IHI provides millions of people in health care with methods, tools, and resources to make care better, safer, and more equitable; convenes experts to enable knowledge sharing and peer-learning; and advises health systems and hospitals of all sizes in improving their systems and outcomes at scale. IHI's mission is to innovate and lead transformational improvement in health and health care worldwide.

Position Summary:

Reporting to IHI’s Chief Medical Officer, the Senior Clinical Advisor, Age-Friendly Health Systems Spread (Senior Clinical Advisor) provides senior-level clinical, health system, and policy leadership to advance the next phase of the Age-Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) movement and serves a Co-Principal Investigator for IHI’s John A. Hartford Foundation grant award.

This position is contingent upon continued funding by the John A. Hartford Foundation grant award (currently awarded through December 2029 with possibility of funding beyond this period).

Working closely with the AFHS Co-Principal Investigator/Senior Director for AFHS and the full AFHS team, faculty, and partners, the Senior Clinical Advisor will help health systems achieve reliable implementation and system-wide spread of the 4Ms—What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. The Senior Clinical Advisor will engage directly with organizations seeking Age-Friendly Health Systems Exemplar recognition status, helping senior leaders interpret performance data, address barriers to spread, and translate learning into practical guidance for the broader AFHS movement.

The Senior Clinical Advisor will contribute to the overall direction of the AFHS movement through participation on the AFHS Steering Council and Macro-Environment Impact Groups. In these roles, the Senior Clinical Advisor will help identify opportunities to strengthen the policy, measurement, accreditation, and other external conditions needed to support widespread adoption of age-friendly care.

The Senior Clinical Advisor will also inform IHI’s broader healthy aging strategy and support the development of partnerships, programs, and business opportunities that advance better care for older adults and sustain IHI’s ability to advance better health and care for older adults.

Position Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Serve as Co-Principal Investigator for IHI’s award from The John A. Hartford Foundation, sharing accountability for strategic direction, grant deliverables, funder engagement, and the overall success of the next phase of AFHS


• Partner with the AFHS Co-Principal Investigator/Senior Director and broader AFHS team to set priorities, integrate clinical and health system perspectives, and guide the continued development and spread of the movement


• Advise health systems on reliable 4Ms implementation and system-wide spread, working directly with executive sponsors, physician leaders, and clinical and improvement teams


• In partnership with IHI’s AFHS Improvement Advisor, help participating health systems interpret reach, reliability, and outcomes data; identify variation and barriers; and use findings to guide improvement, leadership decisions, and spread


• Provide clinical guidance on AFHS recognition and measurement strategies, ensuring expectations are clinically meaningful, credible, feasible, and aligned with emerging evidence


• Participate in the Steering Council and help shape strategies related to policy, quality measurement, accreditation, payment, workforce, and other external conditions affecting adoption


• Build and strengthen relationships with health systems, academic institutions, professional societies, government agencies, payers, accreditors, and other partners positioned to advance age-friendly care


• Translate learning from leading organizations into practical guidance, tools, and messages for the broader AFHS movement and represent IHI in national meetings, conferences, and partner convenings


• Advise IHI leadership on its broader healthy aging strategy and identify opportunities to align aging-related programs and partnerships across the organization


• Support business development by helping shape new programs and proposals, cultivating prospective partners and funders, and articulating the clinical, strategic, and financial value of improving care for older adults


• Provide teaching, facilitation, thought leadership, and mentorship to strengthen IHI’s internal and external capacity to advance age-friendly care


• Other duties as assigned.

Position Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Deep commitment to improving the health, wellbeing, and experience of older adults and their caregivers


• Demonstrated credibility as a senior physician or nurse health system leader, with the ability to engage clinical and executive leaders as trusted peers


• Strong understanding of how care is delivered across complex health systems and how clinical, operational, financial, and cultural factors affect improvement and spread


• Expertise in large-scale improvement, implementation, transformation, and dissemination across multiple sites or settings


• Ability to interpret clinical and performance data and help leaders translate findings into meaningful action


• Understanding of the health care policy, payment, accreditation, and quality-measurement environment affecting older adults and health systems


• Ability to develop and communicate a compelling clinical and business case for age-friendly care


• Skill in building and sustaining relationships across health systems, academic institutions, government agencies, professional societies, funders, and community partners


• Ability to provide strategic leadership and influence outcomes in a complex, highly collaborative environment without relying on direct authority


• Strong systems thinking, judgment, and ability to navigate ambiguity

IHI Values and Culture

• Commitment to IHI Values of courage, love, equity, trust and impact


• Commitment to equity, anti-racism, and the improvement of societal systems

Position Qualifications :

Required

• MD, DO, MSN, or RN degree with all related licenses active and in good standing


• 10+ years of progressively responsible clinical, administrative, or health system leadership experience


• Experience:


• Demonstrated experience leading or serving in a senior advisory role for a multi-site or system-wide clinical improvement, implementation, or transformation initiative within or across health care organizations


• Demonstrated experience partnering with senior health system leaders, including physician, nursing, operational, and executive leaders, to set priorities, address barriers to implementation, and support adoption and spread of clinical practices


• Experience using clinical, quality, utilization, operational, or performance data to assess implementation, identify variation or gaps, and inform improvement priorities and leadership decisions

Preferred

• Expertise in the care of older adults, geriatrics, or age-friendly health system transformation


• Training in and application of the Model for Improvement


• Experience with health care policy, quality measurement, accreditation, payment models, or professional associations


• Experience developing strategic partnerships, programs, proposals, or business


• opportunities

 This is a remote position that requires frequent domestic travel (approximately 20%). The position manages and works with dispersed teams across multiple time zones

Physical Attributes:

• Ability to Sit for Extended Periods: Capability to work at a desk for long durations


• Manual Dexterity: Proficiency in using a computer, including typing, mouse handling, and other office equipment


• Visual Acuity: Ability to read and view a computer screen for extended periods


• Hearing and Speaking: Clear communication over phone and video calls


• Environment Setup: Access to a quiet, professional home office setup conducive to focused work and virtual meetings


• Lifting: Occasionally requires lifting up to 25 lbs as needed

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list or comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, skills, and qualifications required.

At IHI, we are inspired to do our best work and be our best selves by leaning into our values and uniting in our vision to create a future in which everyone has the best care and health possible. We ensure that people feel valued and supported in meaningful ways, as demonstrated in our total rewards package that features competitive compensation, medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability plans, FSA plans, generous time off including vacation time, wellness and wellbeing time, and other special programs to support employee wellbeing.

IHI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex or gender, marital status, national origin or ancestry, disability, veteran status, military service, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, crime victim status, political belief, and any other protected class under applicable law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to complete our application, please let us know. Veterans are encouraged to apply.