Lead Advanced Practice Provider

Lead Advanced Practice Provider (PA) Cardiothoracic Surgery

Good Samaritan University Hospital, West Islip, New York, Full-Time | Call Rotation Required

Good Samaritan University Hospital is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Lead Advanced Practice Provider (Physician Assistant) to provide clinical and operational leadership for our growing Cardiothoracic Surgery Program.

This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished APP to combine advanced clinical practice with leadership responsibilities while working alongside an outstanding team of cardiothoracic surgeons, physicians, nurses, and multidisciplinary professionals. The Lead APP will play a key role in delivering exceptional patient care, mentoring APP staff, optimizing clinical operations, and advancing quality initiatives across the cardiothoracic service line.

The Lead APP serves as the clinical leader for the Cardiothoracic Surgery Advanced Practice Provider team, providing direct patient care while overseeing daily clinical operations, staffing, education, and workflow. This role collaborates closely with physician leadership and hospital administration to ensure high-quality, efficient, and patient-centered care throughout the surgical continuum.

Primary Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership

• Serve as the clinical resource and leader for the Cardiothoracic Surgery APP team.
• Mentor, coach, and support APPs through onboarding, education, and ongoing professional development.
• Assist with scheduling, staffing coordination, and daily workflow management.
• Foster collaboration between physicians, nursing, APPs, and ancillary departments.

Clinical Practice

• Perform comprehensive preoperative assessments, history and physical examinations, and risk stratification.
• Manage cardiothoracic surgery patients throughout the perioperative continuum.
• Conduct daily rounds in the ICU, step-down, and inpatient units.
• Evaluate and manage post-operative patients, including chest tube management, pacing wires, anticoagulation, wound care, pain management, and discharge planning.
• Participate in first assisting in the operating room, endovascular and radial harvesting as appropriate.
• Respond to urgent patient care needs and participate in call coverage.

Quality & Program Development

• Lead quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.
• Develop and implement evidence-based clinical protocols and best practices.
• Monitor operational and clinical performance metrics to improve patient outcomes and departmental efficiency.
• Support regulatory compliance, accreditation standards, and documentation excellence.

Collaboration

• Partner with Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Cardiology, Critical Care, Nursing Leadership, Case Management, Rehabilitation Services, and other multidisciplinary teams.
• Serve as the liaison between APP staff and physician leadership.
• Promote a culture of teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Previous Cardiothoracic Surgery supervision experience preferred

Required

• Master's or Doctoral degree from an accredited Physician Assistant program.
• Current New York State PA license.
• National certification - NCCPA.
• Current BLS and ACLS certifications.
• Minimum of five years of cardiothoracic surgery or cardiac surgery PA experience.
• Previous leadership, supervisory, mentoring, or precepting experience.
• Excellent clinical judgment, communication, and organizational skills.

Preferred

• Experience managing post-operative cardiothoracic surgery patients in the ICU and inpatient setting.
• Experience with quality improvement, workflow optimization, and APP program development.