Physical Therapist-PACE

Job Description

Job Description

About Us

Community health is about more than just vaccines and checkups. It’s about giving people the resources they need to live their best lives. At Neighborhood, this is our vision. A community where everyone is healthy and happy. We’re with you every step of the way, with the care you need for each of life’s chapters. At Neighborhood, we are Better Together.

Neighborhood Healthcare PACE is a managed medical plan built around surrounding participants with a team of physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists and care coordinators to help them maintain good health and a good quality of life. Our goal is to keep our seniors happy and healthy at home surrounded by their family and community.

As a private, non-profit 501(C) (3) community health organization, we serve over 500k medical, dental, and behavioral health visits from more than 100,000 people annually. With two PACE centers located in Riverside County, our PACE program is positioned to serve over 650 senior participants.

ROLE OVERVIEW and PURPOSE

The Physical Therapist supports Neighborhood Healthcare's (NHC) mission and vision by providing participants with rehabilitative physical therapy treatment. This role provides clinical physical therapy evaluations and treatment plans for program participants at the acute restorative or maintenance level. In addition, this role will integrate physical therapy treatment plans into the plan of care (POC) as directed by the provider orders.

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30/5pm. This role is eligible for a $5,000 signing bonus!

Responsibilities

• Screens and evaluates participants for rehabilitation needs of acute, restorative, or maintenance levels according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
• Collaborates with nursing home and assisted living staff regarding the rehabilitation needs of participants
• Documents participant POCs for all referral provided to participants to other NHC services, such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, and medical clinic
• Communicates with staff regarding participants’ needs in areas of positioning, mobility, and safety, as needed
• Communicates with family members and caregivers to ensure that recommendations are feasible for participants and their caregivers can appropriately assist
• Provides physical therapy treatments, including modality treatment, therapeutic exercise, and functional mobility training
• Provides written instructions and illustrations of movements to participants and caregiver for at home use, as needed
• Ensures that participants and caregivers understand the durable medical equipment (DME) loan program’s terms and policies
• Delegates therapy plans for specific participants to the physical therapy support team according to the complexity of the participants’ needs and the nature of procedures according to the California Physical Therapy Practice Act or other applicable state specific regulations
• Instructs participants and caregivers in the use and maintenance of DME and methods used to enhance the mobility, safety, and functional independence of participants
• Makes home visits and educational sessions as needed and indicated in the POC; documents activities and participant/caregiver responses in participant’s chart
• Discusses POC with multi-disciplinary team to integrate services with overall POC for participants
• Participates on the interdisciplinary team, peer review, and QM activities
• Documents all procedures performed in participant’s medical chart according to NHC policies and procedures
• Provides guidance to staff and team members that is consistent with state laws and company policies
• Orders, inventories, distributes, and maintains DME for participants
• Orients and educates contract physical therapists on NHC systems and goals
• Identifies defective DME and takes appropriate action to repair or replace items
• Ensures that DME loans, returns, repairs, and purchases are documented in the appropriate records per department policies
• Makes purchases appropriate for participants and rehab operations within established department budget and goals
• Solicits ideas from staff for ongoing improvements and efficiencies of the rehab department
• Provides specific training to non-rehab staff in relation to participant needs, such as CNAs and drivers
• Participates within the interdisciplinary team in the formulation of POCs for participants, as well as in other interdisciplinary team settings that plan, coordinate, and monitor the care participants.

Qualifications

Education/Experience

• Valid CA Physical Therapist license in good standing required and maintained as a condition of employment
• One year of physical therapy experience in a geriatric setting required; three years of experience preferred
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification though an American Heart Association (AHA)- Approved source is required upon hire and must be maintained as a condition of employment.
  • AHA- approved courses include an in-person, hands-on skills check with a certified instructor using a mannequin to demonstrate CPR and emergency response techniques.
  • Online-only BLS courses without a live skills check do not meet this requirement
  • In addition, current CPR and First Aid certification are required for all PACE employees in accordance with CMS and DHCS requirements. First Aid training will be provided at onboarding and must be renewed annually

Additional Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including superior composition, typing, and proofreading skills
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form
• Knowledgeable about and experience with the practice of occupational therapy and speech and language pathology in relation to geriatrics
• Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations
• Able to analyze data and statistics, draw conclusions, and compile accurate reports.
• Knowledge about profit and loss and managing budgets
• Ability to successfully manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Excellent planning and organizational ability
• Ability to work as part of a team as well as independently
• Ability to work with highly confidential information in a professional and ethical manner

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift/carry 50 lbs/weight
• Ability to stand for long periods of time

COMPLIANCE (Safety & HIPAA)  

• Follow all safety procedures as outlined in Neighborhood Healthcare’s Illness and Injury Prevention Plan (IIPP) and report any injuries and/or unsafe conditions immediately
• Maintain current knowledge of policies and procedures as they relate to safe work practices
• Use appropriate body mechanics to ensure an injury free environment
• Be familiar with location of nearest fire extinguisher and emergency exits
• Follow all infection control procedures including blood-borne pathogen protocols
• Maintain privacy of all patient, employee and volunteer information and access such information only on a need-to-know basis for business purposes
• Comply with all regulations regarding corporate integrity and security obligations
• Report all behavior and/or activity that are unethical, fraudulent, or unlawful

Neighborhood Healthcare offers a generous benefit plan that includes: Partially company paid Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans. Two plus weeks of vacation, Nine Holidays including two Floating Holidays of your choosing, Sick/Personal time, Volunteer Time Off (VTO), 403b Retirement plan (similar to a 401k), optional Health and Wellness events, and much more!

Pay range: $45.91- $67.93 per hour, depending on experience. This role is eligible for a $5,000 signing bonus!

Compensation Disclosure: The posted salary range reflects the designated pay grade for this position. While this range represents the broader classification of the role, actual compensation will be based on several factors, including but not limited to: the candidate’s overall knowledge, skills, and experience, market data and industry benchmarks, internal equity within the organization, Budgetary considerations and organizational needs. As a result, placement within the range is not guaranteed, and the full pay grade range may not be utilized.