Hospice Physician

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This position is a full-time Hospice Physician to lead the Capital Caring DC hospice team and will include the role of in-person home visits within the District of Columbia itself as well as daily remote patient management.
The Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) Physician is a member of the Active Medical Staff of
Capital Caring Health and provides services to our patients throughout our continuum of care. This
continuum includes but is not limited to: home, facility-based hospice, and inpatient hospice.

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physician provides a varied array of services to patients within Capital Caring Health Hospice Services and Capital Caring Health Palliative Medicine Services. These services/essential functions may change based on the care program of the patient. Within the philosophy, objectives and policies of Capital Caring Health, these essential functions are as follow (H = specific to hospice patients; PC = specific to palliative care patients; H/PC = applies to both hospice and palliative care patients):

Quality Provision of Services:

1. Provides medical management across all care settings within Capital Caring Health at the direction of the General Manager with support from the Neighborhood Lead Physician. (H/PC)

2. Effectively complements attending physician care. (H/PC)

3. Acts as a medical resource person to the IDT/IDG. (H/PC)

4. Assures overall continuity medical services provided to hospice patients. (H)

5. Assures that the patient receives appropriate measures to control uncomfortable symptoms. (H/PC)

6. Serves as a medical resource to Capital Caring Health staff, patients, families, and attending physicians regarding pain and symptom control management. (H/PC)

7. Ensures the provision of direct medical services to patients either directly or through arrangement, as appropriate, in the absence of the patient's attending physician. (H)

8. Attends IDT/IDG conferences. Actively participates in the interdisciplinary team/group meetings as assigned, Arranges for alternative physician coverage if unable to be present for the entire meeting. (H)

9. Participates in the plan of care development and managing oversight of medications and treatment. (H/PC)

10. Documents care provided in the patient's clinical record providing evidence of progression of the end-stage-disease process. (H)

11. Provides triage, after hours, and weekend coverage for region and hospice inpatients within the context of the Capital Caring Health after hours and weekend coverage system. (H/PC)

12. Provides palliative medicine consultation for pain and symptom management for non-hospice patients, as requested by attending physicians, in home, hospital, or long-term care settings. (PC)

13. Consults with representatives of the IDT/G. If necessary, amends the plan of care and initiates appropriate therapy to ensure that the medical care/plan of care is consistent with appropriate palliative care. (H/PC)

14. Is readily available for hospice visits for patients needing a palliative medicine consultation to guide care, as determined collaboratively by the hospice medical director, the interdisciplinary team, and/or the attending physician. (H/PC)

15. Acts as a liaison to physicians in the community. (H/PC)

16. Assumes Attending Physician responsibility for patients when needed to assure 24-hour physician coverage of all patients receiving Capital Caring Health Services. (H)

17. Educates and develops relationships with referral sources. (H/PC)

18. Participates in collaborative research projects as possible. (H/PC)

Organizational/Regulatory Compliance:

1. Re-certify patients, as appropriate, for continuation of Medicare Hospice benefit at appropriate levels of care. Adheres to best practices using the Capital Caring Health clinical algorithms. Signs certifications, re-certifications, orders, and completes documentation within specified time frames. Prepares thorough and complete documentation of any and all clinical encounters to support charges. (H)

2. Maintains current knowledge of the latest research and trends in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, particularly in regard to pain/symptom management. Maintains continuing education as required for licensure and to insure specialty level expertise in end-of-life care. Must attend at least one hospice/palliative care educational program per year and have a professional development plan for passing the (ABMS Hospice and Palliative Medicine) certification exam within 24 months of employment (or other appropriate competence evaluation). (H/PC)

3. Participates in QAPI activities as needed, including regular medical record reviews and medical peer review. Seeks to continually improve the care practices of Capital Caring Health to assure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards. (H/PC)

4. Completes all facility and payer credentialing in a timely fashion - not more than two (2) weeks after receipt.

5. Documents in appropriate chart and forms in an accurate and timely manner to provide a written record of assessments, plans of care, and to assure the availability of information to team members. Updated 12/27/18 Page 4 of 7 Capital Caring Health complies with all Federal and State and local laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex or any other protected category.

6. Reviews and develops protocols for treatment and proposing the most current options for interventions. (H/PC)

7. Participates in resolution of interpersonal conflict and issues of clinical and ethical concern. (H/PC)

8. Participates in development and updating of patient care policies and emergency procedures when requested. (H/PC)

People/Communications:

1. Participates in medical staff activities including weekly fellow teaching and related activities. (H/PC)

2. Demonstrates knowledge in communications and counseling patient/family in dealing with end-of-life issues. (H/PC)

3. Encourages and models coordination and communication with the patient's attending physician. Helps to keep the team mindful of the importance of customer service with regard to the attending physician and other referral sources. Demonstrates high "consultant etiquette" by a willingness to call attending physicians to discuss patient matters. (H/PC)

4. Demonstrates commitment to educate and increase knowledge and skill level of staff, trainees or visitors in caring for chronically ill/ terminally ill patients and their families. Emphasizes the importance of each individual team member. Participates in the supervision of all trainees to optimize their educational experience in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. (H/PC)

5. Participates in performance improvement programs, as indicated. (H/PC)

6. Works in a team approach with the IDT/IDG. (H/PC)

7. Provides consultation and education to colleagues and attending physicians related to admission criteria for hospice and palliative care. Is available for consultation by members of the IDT/G between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and urgently as needed.

8. With the GM, GO Team/Care Reps, and other stakeholders, promotes Capital Caring Health in hospice and palliative care concepts in the medical community in order to: a. Ensure collaborative relationships with the medical community b. Continuously improve relationships between Capital Caring Health and the medical community c. Stimulate referrals to Capital Caring Health Financial Stewardship

1. Implements time-based billing procedures using the electronic medical record system software and other appropriate methods to capture timely billing (weekly for home and nursing home; daily for inpatient and clinic charges). Achieves expected productivity standards as defined by the organization and in alignment with best practices/the Capital Caring Health model. (H/PC)

Experience Requirements

The HPM Physician must have at least 3 years of related experience.

Palliative Care Fellowship i preferred.

Expertise in the medical care of terminally ill individuals is required.

The HPM Physician must have a MD or DO from an accredited institution.

The HPM Physician must also be board certified in an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABME) certified medical specialty with current recertification and be ABME Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine with current recertification.

Required Certificates and/or Licenses:

The HPM Physician must have medical practice licensure from the governing body for medical practice for the District of Columbia, State of Maryland, and/or the Commonwealth of Virginia.

DEA and State Controlled Substances Registration in above jurisdictions is required.

Overall Skills:

The ability to perform a thorough nursing assessment to include physical exam and psychosocial assessment of the patient and family; offer recommendations for evidence-based best practices; function as a member of the facility IDT and the CH/CPCC team; anticipate the needs of patients/family and IDT; demonstrate superlative oral and written communication skills as well as ability to organize and manage projects within defined timeframe and budget; work both independently and as part of a team; demonstrate excellent interpersonal and collaborative; demonstrate organizational skills with ability to delegate and follow up; manage multiple tasks and stressful situations with a positive attitude; demonstrate a strong work ethic and attention to detail.

Physical/Mental/Emotional Skills:

The ability to possess exceptional leadership skills, including a faculty for conceptual thinking, peer motivation, problem solving, and who can demonstrate initiative, follow-up and follow-through; work in a fast paced environment utilizing tact, patience, and diplomacy; work independently; resolve conflict and be comfortable with conflict resolution and management; facilitate the development of trusting relationships and partnerships with physicians, payers, patients and co-workers; maintain a positive public image for Capital Caring Health by dealing with patients and employees; communicate respectfully, openly, honestly and directly; display comfortably with possible blood, bodily fluid, communicable diseases, and etc. exposure; push and pull heavy objects; display a full range of body motion including handling and lifting patients weighing over 50 pounds; serve as coach, mentor and a positive role model; drive long distances, on a tight schedule, sometimes in heavy traffic; provide physical care to patients.

Technological Skills:

The ability to learn and efficiently use patient health information systems and demonstrate proficiency in Microsoft Office and internet browsers. Experience with electronic medical record system software is preferred.

Reasoning Ability:

The ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written or oral form and deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; taste or smell and push, pull, lift/carry > 50 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Must be able to drive distances including freeways and mountains when necessary.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee would normally encounter while performing the essential functions of this job in an office. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Works in business office with computers, printers, copy/fax machines and telephones. The noise level in the work environment is usually light to moderate. The environmental conditions are that of what is to be expected in a temperature-controlled building. Occasionally required to drive to alternate work locations.

Compensation Pay Range:
$34,500.00 - $805,000.00

This position requires consent to drug and/or alcohol testing after a conditional offer of employment is made, as well as on-going compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Policy.

All Chapters Health System employees performing services for Florida affiliates are submitted through the Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse to verify eligibility after a conditional offer of employment is made as well as ongoing eligibility. For more information, please visit