Emergency Department Medical Director

Emergency Department Medical Director

The Emergency Department Medical Director provides clinical leadership and hands-on patient care within a busy rural Emergency Department. This physician oversees a team of Emergency Medicine Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), fostering a high-performance culture centered on exceptional, compassionate, and efficient care for patients of all ages.

In this role, the Medical Director ensures clinical excellence by mentoring providers, coordinating regular education and skills development, and offering real-time clinical backup and consultation. The Director is responsible for developing and managing equitable provider schedules, supporting operational workflow, and collaborating closely with nursing, hospital leadership, and ancillary services to maintain seamless ED operations.

The physician serves as a champion for quality, safety, and patient experience, ensuring full compliance with all Minnesota state regulations and federal Critical Access Hospital (CAH) requirements. This leader embraces the unique challenges and rewards of rural emergency medicine, working to enhance access, improve outcomes, and uphold a culture of continuous improvement within the Emergency Department.

Essential Job Duties

• Conduct rapid, comprehensive evaluations of patients presenting with conditions ranging from minor injuries to life-threatening emergencies.
• Order and interpret diagnostic tests (e.g., X-rays, labs, EKGs) while adapting to limited on-site diagnostic resources typical of a rural Critical Access Hospital.
• Manage a wide array of clinical presentations, including trauma, cardiovascular events, pediatric emergencies, and acute exacerbations of chronic illness.

Emergency Treatment & Stabilization

• Deliver immediate, evidence-based interventions to stabilize critically ill or injured patients, including CPR, airway management, wound repair, fracture stabilization, and medication administration.
• Perform emergency procedures such as suturing, abscess drainage, chest tube placement, and central line insertion-often without immediate specialty backup.
• Coordinate patient transfers to regional trauma centers or higher-level facilities when advanced care is required.

Care Coordination & Transfers

• Collaborate closely with nursing, paramedics, EMS, and off-site specialists to ensure safe, coordinated patient care.
• Arrange timely and appropriate transfers via ground or air transport, ensuring clear communication with receiving providers.
• Provide discharge instructions tailored to the realities of limited local healthcare resources.

Independent Clinical Decision-Making

• Make critical, time-sensitive decisions in high-pressure situations, often with minimal on-site diagnostic tools or specialty support.
• Triage and prioritize care in a resource-constrained environment, managing multiple concurrent cases effectively.

Community & Public Health Responsibilities

• Address rural health challenges by managing acute presentations of chronic diseases and limited access to primary care.
• Identify and report public health concerns-such as communicable diseases or suspected abuse/neglect-according to regulatory requirements.
• Participate in community education or outreach to promote emergency preparedness and injury prevention.

Documentation & Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain accurate, timely medical records-including histories, treatments, and transfer notes-in compliance with HIPAA and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) standards.
• Ensure thorough documentation to support billing, legal requirements, and quality assurance in a CAH environment.

Supervision, Oversight & Mentorship

• Review, develop, and update Emergency Department and EMS policies, protocols, and clinical guidelines.
• Maintain Level IV Trauma Designation requirements and Stroke I certification for the ED.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide clinical guidance to nursing staff, physician assistants, paramedics, and other team members.
• Partner with the EMS Director to provide ongoing training and education for EMS personnel.
• Maintain registration with NREMT for EMS Directorship responsibilities.
• Deliver training on emergency procedures and protocols to strengthen team readiness and performance.

Disaster & Emergency Preparedness

• Lead or participate in responses to mass casualty incidents, natural disasters, and public health emergencies.
• Contribute to hospital-wide emergency preparedness planning, with attention to rural challenges such as extended transport times and limited resources.

Emergency Department Medical Director Responsibilities

• Maintain proficiency in emergency medicine procedures in alignment with CAH requirements and Minnesota state regulations.
• Provide clinical leadership, oversee quality improvement initiatives, and ensure regulatory compliance for the ED.
• Collaborate with administrative and clinical leaders to develop policies, protocols, and performance metrics consistent with state and federal guidelines.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Support and mentor APPs in the ED and other care settings, offering clinical oversight and leadership.
• Participate in quality improvement activities, peer review, and compliance initiatives aligned with CMS standards.
• Engage in community outreach to promote health, wellness, and emergency preparedness.
• Work collaboratively with other providers to ensure consistent and reliable patient care coverage.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Employee will comply with all Mille Lacs Health System (MLHS) policies, including safety policies, procedures, and rules. All will be expected to report unsafe conditions to a member of management.

Required Education and Experience

• Medical degree (MD or DO) from an accredited medical school.
• Minimum of two years of clinical experience in Emergency Medicine, with preference for experience in a rural or Critical Access Hospital (CAH) setting.
• Board certification in Emergency Medicine or Family Medicine (with significant emergency care experience).
• Active, unrestricted Minnesota medical license (or eligibility to obtain one prior to start date).
• Current DEA registration and Minnesota Board of Medical Practice registration.
• Active certifications in BLS, ACLS, PALS, and ATLS or CALS.
• Certification in FAST exam (or willingness to obtain certification within six months of hire).
• Certification in Difficult Airway Management (or willingness to complete certification within six months of hire).

Preferred Education and Experience

• Leadership experience or strong interest in serving as a Medical Director or clinical leader within a care unit.
• Demonstrated comfort and effectiveness working in a rural healthcare environment with limited on-site specialty support.
• Well-developed diagnostic and procedural skills, including proficiency in minor procedures and emergency interventions.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a team-based care model, working closely with APPs, nurses, Hospitalists, EMS, and other healthcare professionals.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and establish rapport with patients, families, and the care team.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a 1.0 FTE, exempt position that includes both clinical and administrative responsibilities. Clinical work is typically structured as three to four 12-hour shifts per week, supporting shared 24/7 Emergency Department coverage in a Critical Access Hospital setting.

In addition to clinical shifts, the role includes administrative time for supervising ED Physician Assistants, providing clinical expertise and guidance to EMS personnel, and contributing to mentoring, education, quality improvement, and departmental leadership activities.

Collaboration with all departments is essential to supporting the MLHS Mission and Values and ensuring seamless, patient-centered Emergency Department operations.