County Physician - Primary Care - Health & Social Services Division

Job Title

Hamilton County Health & Social Services Division

Job Description

The Hamilton County Health & Social Services Division has a responsibility to respond quickly and efficiently when public health emergencies occur. All Hamilton County Health & Social Services Division employees are responsible for ensuring their contact information is current and they are accessible should a public health emergency arise. The Hamilton County Health & Social Services Division maintains a call down system to store contact information and mobilize staff in the event of an emergency. During a public health emergency, all staff are required to respond should a call to mobilize be made. During a public health emergency, work hours for any and all Hamilton County Health & Social Services Division employees are subject to modification to meet the needs of the community.

Under general supervision, provides medical care to patients and clinical and/or administrative oversight of health department programs.

This is a Fair Labor Standards Act defined Exempt Position - Exempt positions are excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations, and other rights and protections afforded nonexempt workers. The employee in this position is paid a salary rather than an hourly wage for this position. FLSA does not limit the amount of work time an employer may require or expect from any exempt employee, on any schedule. Hamilton County Government expects an employee in this position to complete the work assigned regardless the amount of hours involved in completing the tasks assigned.

Tasks

Provides focused care for children, adolescents, and adults as well as primary care across all Health Department locations including office care, sick care and well patient checkups; diagnoses and treats diseases and injuries; orders medical tests and reviews test results when appropriate; provides patient counseling; provides appropriate referrals to other health care providers when appropriate. Provide direct medical care, (primary care, chronic disease management, acute care), to underserved populations.

Provides strategic leadership, clinical oversight, and direct patient care tailored to individuals experiencing homelessness. Develop clinical policies, mentor medical staff (physicians/NPs), ensure Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) compliance, promote trauma informed care, manage quality improvement, and collaborate with community partners to address social determinants of health.

Supports epidemiological responses to disease events, emergency response events; works with Infection Control and employee post exposure events.

Assists the County Health Officer in clinical and administrative responsibilities of the Health Department.

Maintains all appropriate clinical files, records and credentialing and privileging requirements; performs internal audits of medical charts for completeness and accuracy. Establish, update, and implement medical policies, protocols, and procedures in compliance with regulations.

Develops and maintains liaison activities with community health providers, hospital staff and local specialists and practitioners.

Provides medical leadership and support for various Health Department committees.

Recruit, train, and mentor physicians, nurse practitioners, and clinical staff, including peer reviews. Collaborate with the board and executive leadership to align clinic goals with the needs of the homeless population.

Provides clinical updates and presentations as appropriate.

Provides medical back-up to the County Health Officer and other county physicians.

Provides medical supervision of nurse practitioners; provides parental counseling; provides counseling to patients on wellness; illness and preventative care; may provide after-hours call coverage if necessary.

Works with the community to promote childhood immunizations and improve vaccination rates.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics

Knowledge of professional practice of medicine laws, rules, regulations, practices and procedures.

Knowledge of professional medical practice in area of assignment or specialty.

Knowledge of safety and health laws, rules, regulations, practices and procedures.

Knowledge of public health laws, rules, regulations, practices and procedures.

Knowledge of medical equipment, materials and supplies utilized in the practice of medicine in assigned area.

Knowledge of customer service/public relations practices and procedures.

Knowledge of counseling methods practices and procedures.

Knowledge of maintaining patient medical records.

Knowledge of social, psychological, and physical needs of people experiencing homelessness.

Skill referring patients for additional medical care or other community resources.

Skill providing medical care and assistance to patients who may be upset, argumentative, or non cooperative.

Skill utilizing verbal and written communication in counseling patients and parents, and family members.

Skill instructing and utilizing universal health and safety precautions in the practice of medicine.

Skill providing oversight to other medical staff.

Skill in clinical mentorship.

Skill utilizing customer service techniques in responding to inquiries and complaints.

Skill establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.

Skill effectively communicating in both oral and written form.

Ability to provide respectful, culturally sensitive care to a diverse population.

Minimum Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited school of medicine with State of Tennessee medical license and DEA registration. Must have completed residency in Family Practice or in Internal Medicine and must be board certified or eligible for board certification in Family Practice or Internal Medicine. A valid driver's license is required.

Additional requirements: Prior to operating a County-owned vehicle, all employees are required to complete the HC Defensive Driving course and/or an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) provided at the department level. This position is deemed essential/situational during inclement weather situations and must report to or remain at work, even when administrative closings are announced, as determined by the Department Head. Experience working with underserved, vulnerable, or homeless populations. Experience with Electronic Medical Records (EMR).

Preferred qualifications: Study in the field of Family Practice preferred.

Physical requirements: Work requires risk of exposure to infectious diseases or difficult situations during clinic site inspections or while providing direct medical care services to patients. Work requires managing multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Additional information: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all 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. All positions within Hamilton County Government are considered work in-person and require regular and punctual attendance. All positions within Hamilton County Government may require work on Holidays or weekends. Additionally, irregular hours and shift work may be required, including possible extension of shift hours, at times with short notice. Hamilton County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services. A copy of Hamilton County's Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (EEOP) & Utilization Report is available on the County's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Office home page.

Hamilton County Government

Meeting the needs of the people where they live, work, and play!

Hamilton County, Tennessee offers a lower cost of living, ease of getting around, a lively arts tradition, and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities.

Working for Hamilton County Government provides many great benefits – take a look at a few of those highlighted below…

On-Site Employee Health Clinic

• No copay to utilize clinic services.
• Clinic services include routine office visits, sick visits, labs, flu shots, and more
• TextCare - Access to care 24/7 via TextCare, which is direct, unlimited access to medical care 24/7 through text message.

Telehealth - T wo-way, real-time interactive communication between the patient and a practitioner through telecommunications, which may include audiovisual options.

• One to One Provider Network – Availability to utilize a network of providers that provide a high level of care at a lower copay/cost.
• Health Management Programs – Offered to help employees and their family members in managing the following health conditions: Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), and Hyperlipidemia (High Cholesterol)
• Nutritional guidance – Nutritional education provided to assist in making the appropriate food /health choices.

On-Site Employee Pharmacy

• Low-cost prescriptions available to those covered under the County health plan.
• Over the counter items offered at cost.
• RxLocal App – Mobile app provides a convenient way to stay connected and manage your health. Through the app you can request refills and ask questions.
• On-site Pharmacist available to answer questions and provide information.

Hamilton County Government offers competitive insurance coverage to fulltime employees.

Medical coverage is offered through Cigna to fulltime employees. The County pays a generous portion of the medical premium. Two options are available to choose from: LCP (Local Cost Plus) and OAP (Open