Director, Emergency Department Observation Services

ACHE; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 247,000 - 334,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Paid Malpractice Insurance

Retirement Plan

CME stipend

Tuition Remission

Vacation & Holidays

Job summary

The University of Maryland Department of Emergency Medicine seeks a dynamic Director, Emergency Department Observation Services to lead strategic development, implementation, and operational oversight of observation medicine across clinical sites.

The role emphasizes standardized care models, staffing, workflows, performance metrics, and regulatory compliance, working with APPs, physicians, and leadership to improve throughput and patient outcomes.

Qualifications

• Residency in Emergency Medicine with BE/BC required.
• Fellowship in Observation Medicine preferred.
• Eligible for medical staff appointment at all clinical locations.

Responsibilities

• Leads design and management of a multi-site Emergency Department Observation Services program.
• Oversees standards, staffing, workflows, and operational performance.
• Develops observation-specific policies and pathways, and monitors metrics.

Skills

Leadership

Observational medicine

Education

Emergency Medicine residency

Observation Medicine Fellowship

Job description

The University of Maryland Department of Emergency Medicine is seeking a dynamic and experienced Director, Emergency Department Observation Services, to lead strategic development, implementation, operational oversight, and continuous advancement of observation medicine services across the department’s clinical sites. Under the direction of the Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs and working in close partnership with departmental, clinical, and hospital leadership, the Director will design and operationalize a comprehensive Emergency Medicine observation medicine program serving multiple clinical sites.

This leadership role will lead the creation of standardized observation care models, clinical pathways, operational workflows, staffing strategies, and performance metrics that support efficient, evidence-based, and patient-centered care. Provide ongoing program leadership and oversight of day-to-day observation operations, ensuring consistency across sites while driving improvements in patient flow, quality outcomes, resource utilization, and regulatory compliance. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, data-driven decision making, and alignment with national best practices in observation medicine, the Director advances departmental and organizational goals related to throughput, capacity management, care standardization, and exceptional patient care.

Essential Functions

• Leads the design, implementation, and ongoing management of a comprehensive Emergency Department Observation Services program across multiple clinical sites, establishing a standardized and sustainable model of observation care throughout the practice.
• Establishes and oversees operational standards, staffing models, clinical workflows, and daily observation service operations across all sites, ensuring appropriate patient placement, progression of care, timely disposition, and efficient utilization of resources.
• Develops, implements, and maintains observation-specific policies, protocols, order sets, patient selection criteria, and evidence-based clinical pathways that promote safe, consistent, and efficient patient care.
• Establishes and monitors program performance metrics, including observation length of stay, inpatient conversion rates, discharge efficiency, return visits, patient outcomes, patient experience, and resource utilization. Utilizes data to evaluate program effectiveness, identify trends, and drive continuous improvement. Provides regular reporting and recommendations to departmental and organizational leadership regarding operational performance, future needs, strategic priorities, and ongoing program enhancement.
• Provides oversight and performance feedback for APPs practicing within Emergency Department Observation Services. Partners with facility APP leadership to support onboarding, competency development, professional growth, and the consistent application of observation medicine protocols, workflows, and clinical pathways across all sites.
• Works closely with the UMDEM Associate Vice Chair of Quality & Patient Safety in the development and implementation of quality improvement, patient safety, and throughput initiatives designed to optimize observation services, improve patient outcomes, and enhance organizational capacity management.
• Partners with the UMDEM Director of Coding, Compliance & Reimbursement to ensure compliance with CMS observation requirements and support accurate documentation, coding, billing, and reimbursement practices.
• Serves as the departmental subject matter expert for observation medicine, maintaining knowledge of regulatory requirements, national standards, emerging observation care models, and industry best practices.
• Facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration among physicians, APPs, nursing leaders, administrators, and ancillary services to remove operational barriers, improve throughput, and support standardized observation care delivery across all clinical sites.

Minimum Requirements

• Residency Trained and Board Eligible/Board Certified in Emergency Medicine required; BE/BC in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine preferred.
• Completion of an Observation Medicine Fellowship preferred.
• Eligible for medical staff appointment at all departmental clinical locations.
• Experience in establishing and maintaining a multi-site observation program; emergency medicine observation service experience preferred.

What you can expect from the University of Maryland

• Annual patient volumes between 20K to 50K
• Competitive annual salary, including incentive eligibility
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid malpractice insurance
• Retirement plan with employer contribution
• Annual stipend for CME, licenses, professional organization fees, etc.
• Tuition remission at a University System of Maryland institution or reciprocal institution
• Generous paid vacation, sick time, holidays, and personal days
• An academic appointment with the University of Maryland School of Medicine
• Base Salary: $290,700* per year.

University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law or policy.

* Salary based on the rank of Assistant Professor. Final determination of rank is at the sole discretion of the Dean's office.