Hospice Medical Director: End-of-Life Care Leader

At St. Croix Hospice we guide patients and families through the end-of-life journey. Through compassionate care, we focus on our patient’s quality of life, empowering them to make the most of their time with dignity, comfort and respect. Medical Director (MD) Position Overview Support the chief medical officer to develop, maintain and monitor the standards of medical care of the agency. Responsible as liaison with members of the medical community. Responsibilities Essential Functions and Skills Certifies and confirms patient eligibility and diagnosis for all admissions to the Hospice program based upon available diagnostic and prognostic indicators and recertifies patient as appropriate. Ensures that competent physician services are routinely available on a 24-hour basis to meet the general medical needs of the Hospice patient to the extent the needs are not met by the attending physician. Acts as primary physician for patients whose referring/attending physician's desire to relinquish that care and/or if the referring/attending physician are not available for further contact. Covers the responsibility of the Hospice physician/physician designee when they are off duty. Collaborates in a team approach with the IDT and attends the IDT conferences to ensure the medical needs of the patients are met; that the patient receives appropriate measures to control uncomfortable symptoms by oversight of medications and treatments and provides oversight of the plan of care and continuity of Hospice medical services. Collaborate with the patients attending physician, as needed to develop and update the patient's plan of care to identify needs not met by the attending physician and to ensure patient comfort. Conducts in-person visits as needed to evaluate and document the patient’s clinical condition, including symptom management and disease progression; ensures timely documentation in the clinical record to support face-to-face (F2F) and medical visit requirements. Demonstrates knowledge and communications and counseling patient/family in dealing with end-of-life issues. Maintains current knowledge of the latest research and trends in Hospice care and pain/symptom management. Reviews and develops protocols for treatment and proposing the most current options for interventions. Participates in the development and updating of patient care policy's emergency procedures. Meets with the local office senior management and marketing team members in the development of marketing plans. Champions quality improvement, takes an active role in QAPI projects when improving medical practice and/or interdisciplinary practice affecting patient or organizational outcomes. Ensures that care is provided with respect for patient and family rights. Provides oversight and guidance in the development, evaluation, and enforcement of clinical protocols and organizational policies to ensure compliance with established standards, optimize quality and cost outcomes, and support patient care, medical education, and emergency preparedness. Acts as a liaison and provides consultation to community physicians and health care providers regarding agency services, admission criteria for Hospice and participates in community programs and events to help promote the agency's mission in the end-of-life care. Manage comprehensive administrative duties, including death certificates, CTIs, physician narratives, FMLA documentation, capacity forms, and various other medical paperwork. Adheres to requirements, terms, and conditions required by Medicare conditions of participation, CHAP, and federal and state statutes governing the provision of services. Serving as a hospice champion in the community. Provides training regarding the medical aspects of caring for terminally ill patients to physicians, personnel, and volunteers. Qualifications Requirements/Qualifications Current physician license is in good standing. Board certified in a related specialty and has expertise in the medical care of terminally ill individuals. Experience in treating the symptoms of the terminally ill. Extends the agency's mission by treating each customer, patient, and team member with respect and kindness. Demonstrated ability to work well with an interdisciplinary team. Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and interruptions. Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. Ability to develop and maintain report with patients and families. Must operate a car in a safe manner and maintain a valid driver’s license. Ability to pass DHS background study. Preferred Board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Hospice Medical Director Certification. Physical Requirements The physical requirements described are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential responsibilities of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made. Pushing/Pulling and Lifting/carrying up to 10 pounds. Occasionally up to 30 pounds. Ability to adapt to a variety of work conditions to ensure the highest quality of patient care in a home setting. #J-18808-Ljbffr St. Croix Hospice