Director of Optometry Services

JOB SUMMARY This position is responsible for all optometry-related operations at the Oyate Health Center (OHC) including examining, diagnosing, and treating parts of the visual system of pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients/relatives of Oyáte Health Center (OHC), counseling patients, supervising staff, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements necessary to provide the highest quality Optometry care to OHC patients.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Provides leadership and management oversight of all daily activities in the Optometry Clinic related to budget, purchasing, personnel, administration, and performance management.
• Hires, trains/precepts, assigns, schedules, directs, supervises, evaluates and disciplines assigned personnel.
• Develops and manages annual budget; reviews financial reports with Senior Management and takes corrective action to ensure compliance with budgeting targets.
• Responsible for providing optometry services to patients involving the performance of diagnostic, preventative, or therapeutic services to patients.
• Interviews and examines patients, reviews past medical history and requests, and/or performs diagnostic tests and examinations as necessary to make a clinical diagnosis.
• Document history including complaint and relevant symptoms, ocular health, medication usage, medical and family history, current vision aide if applicable, and any other pertinent data.
• Examine eyes using observation, pharmaceutical agents and instruments to determine visual perception, acuity, coordination, and focus.
Tests may include subjective refractions, retinoscopy, lensometry, slit lamp examination, visual fields, pupil and mobility testing, gonioscopy, and tear function testing.
• Diagnoses optometric and ocular problems through external and internal physical evaluation of the eye and adnexa; detects neuromuscular impairment and anomalies of binocular functions; Clearly document diagnosis and treatment plan, including referrals, therapeutic prescriptions and long-term medical management, in patient’s electronic health record.
• Treats visual disorders through examination, prescription of corrective lenses, vision training or pharmacological means; Uses all forms of topical ophthalmic therapeutic medicines and oral therapeutic medicines to manage pathology and trauma; Treats unusual visual disorders through application of advanced optometric techniques.
• Prescribe and fit vision aides such as contact lenses and eyeglasses.
• Maintain communication with ophthalmology, optical, and support staff in order to optimize quality clinical care and service; Refer patients requiring medical, surgical, and/or diagnostic services.
• Provide any necessary low-vision rehabilitation and vision therapy to improve visual issues.
• Provides vision and eye care education and training to other health professionals, patients, and the community.
• Assists with the development and monitoring of the optometry/eye care budget and makes recommendations for the allocation of resources.
• Develops and maintains performance improvement reports.
• Collaborates with grant programs and community organizations to ensure screening of children and diabetic patients is done and data is collected.
• Participates in quality improvement activities such as GPRA, PI, IPC, infection control, and case management.
• Utilization of EHR with accurate timely notes to ensure required documentation is entered for billing and referrals.
• Must comply with federal laws and regulations as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• Performs related duties.
PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR • Effectively plan, organize workload, and schedule time to meet the demands of the position.
• Work in a cooperative and professional manner with OHC and GPTLHB staff.
• Treat Great Plains tribes and collaborators with dignity and respect.
• Utilize effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Advance personal educational development by attending training sessions and seminars as appropriate.
• Exemplify excellent customer service with tribal stakeholders, health board colleagues, program partners, service recipients, visitors, and guests.
• Foster a work environment of wellness, courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness, and respect.
• Relate well and work collaboratively with coworkers and all levels of staff in a professional manner.
• Consistently demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differing capabilities, cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation, and/or personalities.
• Maintain and ensure organizational privacy and confidentiality.
• Handle crisis and tolerate stress professionally.
• Be self-directed and take proactive initiative to assist others.
• Resolve issues with other departments and coworkers without direct supervision if needed.
• Exercise flexibility to alter plans/routines when situations require and continue to perform without projecting stress/frustration that would adversely affect the work environment.
• Promote an alcohol, tobacco and drug-free lifestyle.
• Embrace modes of appearance and attire that reflect a professional presence.
• Adhere to GPTLHB policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned by the Supervisor.
REQUIREMENTS • Exemplify excellent customer service with tribal stakeholders, health board colleagues, program partners, service recipients, visitors and guests.
• Foster a work environment of wellness, courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and respect.
• Relate well and work collaboratively with coworkers and all levels of staff in a professional manner.
• Familiarity and/or experience working with American Indian populations and respect for and knowledge of traditional, cultural and spiritual practices of diverse American Indian communities, as well as an ability to work with other culturally and ethnically diverse populations.
• Consistently demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differing capabilities, cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation and/or personalities.
• Maintain and ensure organizational privacy and confidentiality.
• Must be able to handle crisis and tolerate stress professionally.
• Must be self-directed and take proactive initiative to assist others.
• Possess the ability to resolve issues with other departments and coworkers without direct supervision.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of records and information.
• Ability to be flexible and change to adapting situations.
• Able to exercise flexibility to alter plans/routines when situations require and continue to perform without projecting stress/frustration that would adversely affect the work environment.
• Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule, including evenings, weekends and overnight or extended travel as necessary.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to community members, consumers and other employees of the organization.
• Valid driver’s license must be kept current, and certificates, credentials or licenses must be kept current and consistent with regulations required by applicable federal, state and/or grant regulations.
• Ability to promote an alcohol-, tobacco- and drug-free lifestyle.
• Skill in analytical, critical thinking and interpretive skills to apply various employment situations against numerous complicated employment laws and regulations.
• Skill in oral and written communication with particular ability to communicate complex and/or sensitive information in a clear, concise, diplomatic, and professional manner.
• Skill in organizing, tracking, and prioritizing assignments and tasks.
• Skill in interpersonal relations and providing exceptional customer service.
• Skill in prioritizing and planning.
• Embrace modes of appearance and attire that reflect a professional presence.
• Adhere to GPTLHB policies and procedures.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS The supervisor sets the overall objectives and resources available.
The employee and supervisor, in consultation, develop deadlines, projects, and work to be done.
The employee is considered an expert and is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment, resolving most of the conflicts that arise, coordinating the work with others as necessary, and interpreting policy on their own initiative in terms of established objectives.
In some assignments, the employee also determines the approach and methodology to be used.
The employee keeps the supervisor informed of progress and potentially controversial matters.
Completed work is reviewed only from an overall standpoint in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness in meeting requirements or expected results.
GUIDELINES Guidelines for performing the work are scarce or of limited use.
Administrative policies, precedents, laws and regulations are applicable but are stated in general terms.
The employee uses initiative and resourcefulness in deviating from traditional methods or researching trends and patterns to develop new methods, criteria, or proposed new policies.
COMPLEXITY The work typically includes varied duties that require many different and unrelated processes and methods, such as those relating to well-established aspects of an administrative or professional field.
Decisions regarding what needs to be done include the assessment of unusual circumstances, variations in approach, and incomplete or conflicting data.
The work requires making many decisions concerning such things as interpretation of considerable data, planning of the work, or refinement of the methods and techniques to be used.
SCOPE AND EFFECT The work involves establishing criteria; formulating projects; assessing program effectiveness; or investigating or analyzing a variety of unusual conditions, problems, or questions.
The work product or service affects a wide range of organizational activities, major financial activities, or the operation of other programs and divisions of the organization.
PERSONAL CONTACTS Contacts are typically with clinical providers, patients, employees, community resource agencies, patient family members, CDC, State Departments of Health, local Health Departments, Tribal Health programs, and the general public.
PURPOSE OF CONTACTS Contacts are primarily for obtaining, furnishing, exchanging and providing factual medical information.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS The work is sedentary.
Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work.
However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items, such as papers, books, or small parts; or driving an automobile.
The employee must be able to read, write, speak and hear.
WORK ENVIRONMENT The work involves moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions, e.
g.
, working around moving parts, carts, or machines; exposure to contagious diseases or irritant chemicals.
Employees may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields.
SUPERVISORY AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY This position is a first level supervisor and is usually responsible for the work performance of a small group of employees or a larger group with a homogeneous objective (i.
e.
, employees all perform same basic type of work).
The employee is responsible for planning, organizing, and monitoring day‑to‑day work on a short‑term cycle.
This position assigns work to subordinates, adjusts workflow to maintain balance among positions and meet priorities or deadlines, and makes minor changes in structure, methods, or procedures as necessary to accommodate changes in work pattern, emphasis, or capability.
The employee may recommend major changes for higher-level action.
The employee usually counsels' employees, hears, and resolves minor complaints and grievances, and participates in performance evaluation and personnel management recommendations.
QUALIFICATIONS MINIMUM EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS Education/Relevant Experience: Doctorate degree; or master’s degree and five (5) years of relevant experience; or bachelor’s degree and seven (7) years of progressively responsible relevant experience.
The experience required for management positions will be inclusive of at least five (5) years of supervisory experience and three (3) years of senior management experience.
Advanced clinical professional and/or executive-level management positions requiring post-secondary education and/or considerable experience.
Individuals must have applicable education and/or experience applying a wide range of concepts, principles, and practices of a professional or administrative occupation to difficult and complex work assignments; or applicable education and/or experience applying comprehensive, intensive, practical knowledge of a technical field, and skill in applying this knowledge to the development of new methods, approaches, or procedures.
PREFERRED EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS Doctor of Optometry (O.
D.
) Degree Completion of one-year ACOE accredited residency program; Clinical experience The GPTLHB is a tribal organization that follows tribal preference laws.
Our policy is to give preference to qualified Indian/Tribal candidates over qualified non-native candidates in hiring decisions if all other qualifications are equal.
Employment is contingent upon the outcome of all required criminal background checks.