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ECMO Program Manager

Methodist Dallas Medical Center

Position Summary

The ECMO Program Manager provides administrative, operational, educational, quality, and clinical leadership for the Methodist Dallas Medical Center Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Program. Working in partnership with the ECMO Medical Director, Critical Care Leadership, Cardiovascular Services, Respiratory Care, Perfusion, and Nursing leadership, the ECMO Program Manager is responsible for the development, implementation, maintenance, and growth of a high-performing ECMO program consistent with Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) guidelines and industry best practices. The ECMO Program Manager serves as the primary operational leader for the ECMO program and is accountable for program quality, staff competency, regulatory readiness, data management, process improvement, and strategic program advancement.

Essential Functions

Program Leadership and Operations

• Provides operational leadership for the ECMO program across all applicable patient populations and care settings.

• Collaborates with the ECMO Medical Director to establish strategic goals, annual objectives, and program priorities.

• Oversees daily ECMO program operations and ensures alignment with organizational goals and service line strategies.

• Facilitates multidisciplinary collaboration among physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, respiratory therapists, perfusionists, pharmacists, rehabilitation specialists, and ancillary departments.

• Coordinates ECMO committee activities, agenda development, meeting facilitation, and follow-up action plans.

• Participates in hospital and system committees as the ECMO program representative.

• Supports business planning, resource allocation, capital equipment planning, and budget development for the ECMO program.

Clinical Practice Leadership

• Serves as a clinical expert and resource for ECMO patient management and ECMO specialist practice.

• Promotes evidence-based care and standardization of ECMO management practices.

• Participates in multidisciplinary rounds and clinical case discussions as appropriate.

• Collaborates with physician leadership regarding patient selection criteria, clinical pathways, and best practices.

• Supports safe initiation, maintenance, transport, and decannulation processes for ECMO patients.

• Assists with implementation of new ECMO technologies, equipment, and clinical innovations.

Education and Competency Management

• Develops and maintains a comprehensive ECMO education program for ECMO specialists and multidisciplinary care teams.

• Oversees initial training, onboarding, annual competency validation, continuing education, and remediation activities.

• Coordinates simulation training, emergency response drills, water-drill exercises, and ongoing professional development programs.

• Maintains records demonstrating competency compliance and regulatory readiness.

• Collaborates with clinical educators and leadership teams to ensure competency standards are met.

• Promotes certification and professional advancement among ECMO team members.

Quality, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance

• Leads ECMO-specific quality improvement initiatives designed to improve patient outcomes and reduce complications.

• Establishes and monitors key program performance indicators and outcome metrics.

• Coordinates case reviews, mortality reviews, multidisciplinary debriefings, and process improvement activities.

• Conducts trend analysis and develops action plans based on identified opportunities.

• Maintains ECMO policies, procedures, protocols, and clinical practice guidelines.

• Ensures compliance with hospital policies, accreditation standards, regulatory requirements, and ELSO recommendations.

• Supports achievement and maintenance of ELSO Center of Excellence designation goals.

Data Management and Outcomes Reporting

• Oversees ECMO registry participation and submission activities.

• Ensures accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of ECMO data collection and reporting.

• Performs outcome analysis, benchmarking, and performance reporting.

• Develops dashboards and reports for organizational leadership and clinical teams.

• Utilizes data to drive program improvements and strategic initiatives.

• Supports research, publication, and scholarly activities related to ECMO services.

Equipment and Resource Management

• Collaborates with Supply Chain, Biomedical Engineering, Respiratory Care, and Perfusion Services to ensure equipment readiness.

• Oversees ECMO equipment inventory, maintenance schedules, disposables management, and emergency preparedness.

• Evaluates new equipment, technologies, and vendor solutions.

• Participates in capital equipment planning and replacement strategies.

• Ensures compliance with equipment-related safety standards and documentation requirements.

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Program Development and Growth

• Identifies opportunities for growth, innovation, and service expansion.

• Collaborates with referral facilities and regional partners to strengthen ECMO patient access and referral pathways.

• Supports development of transport capabilities and regional ECMO partnerships.

• Promotes community awareness, physician outreach, and program visibility.

• Assists leadership with long-term planning and development of future ECMO capabilities.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Provides leadership, mentorship, and professional development for ECMO specialists and program staff.

• Promotes a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Facilitates conflict resolution and interdisciplinary communication.

• Serves as a change agent for evidence-based practice and operational excellence.

• Participates in recruitment, retention, and succession planning initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Perfusion Science, or related healthcare field required.

Experience

• Minimum five (5) years of critical care experience.

• Minimum three (3) years of ECMO specialist experience.

• Demonstrated experience in program leadership, education, quality improvement, or clinical operations.

Licensure/Certification

One of the following:

• Current Registered Nurse license.

• Registered Respiratory Therapist credential.

• Certified Clinical Perfusionist credential.

Additionally:

• Current BLS certification.

• Current ACLS certification.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in an ELSO-recognized ECMO program.

• Experience with ECMO registry management and outcomes reporting.

• Experience leading quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.

• Experience supporting ELSO Center of Excellence activities.

• CCRN, CSC, CMC, FCCS, CHSE, or other applicable specialty certification.

• Adult Certified ECMO Specialist (CES-A) or ELSO Adult ECMO Practitioner Certification (E-AEC) preferred

Key Performance Expectations

The ECMO Program Manager will be accountable for:

• ECMO patient outcomes and quality metrics.

• Annual staff competency completion rates.

• ECMO education program effectiveness.

• ECMO registry submission compliance.

• Regulatory and accreditation readiness.

• Reduction in preventable ECMO complications.

• Policy and procedure compliance.

• Program growth and strategic development initiatives.

• Team engagement and retention.

• Continuous quality improvement and evidence-based practice implementation.

Reporting Structure

Reports To: Director, Critical Care Services

Dyad Relationship: ECMO Medical Director

Collaborates With:

• Cardiovascular Service Line Leadership

• Critical Care Medical Directors

• Respiratory Care Leadership

• Perfusion Services

• Nursing Leadership

• Advanced Practice Providers

• Quality and Patient Safety Departments

• Supply Chain and Biomedical Engineering

Methodist Dallas Medical Center is one of North Texas’ best places to work. And it keeps getting better. The flagship hospital of Methodist Health System, Methodist Dallas is a 595-bed acute care teaching and referral hospital. It is home to the only adult Level I Trauma Center in southern Dallas, the first and only Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center in southern Dallas, and the newly renovated Linda and Mitch Hart Breast Center. Celebrating more than 90 years of service, we strive to have a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve and welcomes the skills and talents of all groups. Our reputation as an award-winning employer shows in the distinctions we’ve earned:

• Magnet®-designated hospital
• 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review, 2023
• Top 10 Military Friendly® Employer, Gold Designation, 2023
• Top 10 Military Spouse Friendly® Employer, 2023
• Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation programs