ASSOCIATE MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Palliative Care Service

The Associate Medical Director will work with the Medical Director and Clinical Care Team to plan, provide and evaluate clinical care. The Associate Medical Director provides inpatient medical care to hospice patients who require hospitalization for symptom management or respite care.

Essential Functions

• Assures appropriate physician coverage, equipment and supplies are available to meet patient care needs.
• Ensures that the best pain and symptom management expertise is rendered to patients and their families by working with the interdisciplinary teams.
• Ensures quality Hospice care through planning, implementation and evaluation of all services.
• Meets regularly with the Senior Management and Joint Management to promote coordination, communication and collaboration in support of the delivery of quality patient care.
• Engages physicians in the development of policies and procedures to establish and maintain a patient care environment that promotes quality patient care and patient safety.
• Provides appropriate response and resolution to patient or family complaints.
• Develops uses, maintains and continuously improves a hospice formulary to meet the patient's needs by symptom, in coordination with the contracted pharmacist.
• Ensures 24/7 physician coverage.
• Provides patient care in hospital or other setting including hospice visits, pain management and palliative care consults (approximately 25% of time per week).
• Make home visits to hospice and palliative care patients.
• Reviews physician's documentation for consistency and written protocols including protocols for pain management
• Provides leadership in long range planning for hospice issues relating to medical program development, legislation, certification and reimbursement.
• Develops an appropriate planning process with the medical staff to ensure input, collaboration and consensus on annual and long-term goals and objectives.
• Assists in introducing the benefits of hospice care to long term care providers, managed care providers, hospitals and others; provides educational presentations for community physicians and others in support of Catholic Hospice.
• Provides leadership in long range planning for hospice issues relating to medical program development, legislation, certification and reimbursement.
• Ensures that plans are developed and implemented that will promote hospice as a needed service to the community and ensure the viability of the corporation.
• Provides oversight and collaboration to nurse practitioners providing palliative consultative services for patients in the community and at a local community hospital.

* Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Other Duties

• Serve as physician team member for the hospice teams if needed.
• Visits the patient and/or family in the event of an emergency or when requested by a Hospice physician or administration.
• Serve on the Business Development Team and supports the Provider Relations activities of the organization in addition to input to the Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) committee.
• Works in close conjunction with the Admissions department, Director of Clinical Care and Corporate Compliance to ensure all necessary documentation requested by a Third party (i.e. Joint Commission, AHCA) is available and complete in a timely manner.
• At a minimum, participates on the following committees: Performance Improvement, Ethics, Joint Management and Senior Management.
• Participates as a presenter in physician education training at contract hospitals, as allowed to share information on end of life care to be provided by the host facility.
• Ensures that the provisions of services are in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, accreditation standards and Policies.
• Ability to handle sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
• Able to communicate effectively, personally and on behalf of Catholic Hospice, to Board, staff, patients, families and the public.
• Applies for and maintains medical staff privileges at hospitals in service areas.
• Signs death certificates as necessary.
• Meets with Catholic Hospice Inc. physicians bimonthly with recorded minutes, communicates by telephone as needed. Meets with pharmacist at least quarterly.
• Conducts seminars on hospice and palliative care for the community and in-service education for Catholic Hospice staff.
• Provides staff support and leadership in the development of orientation programs and ongoing education and training programs for Board members, staff, volunteers and others involved in Catholic Hospice.
• Responsible for on call emergencies, including weekends and holidays.
• Remains current in knowledge about hospice and palliative care and dedicated to the provision of quality patient care.
• Ability to work within diverse social and economic situations without imposing own values.
• Promotes positive employee engagement, teamwork, mutual respect and safety work practices.
• Maintain required mandatory skill updates.
• Comply with all policies, local, state and federal laws and regulations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility

• May serve as an interim department leader depending on need

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and push/pull up to 250+ pounds, walk, climb stair or ladders, stand on feet for extended periods of time, etc.

Disclaimer

The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

EEOC Statement

CHS provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Knowledge & Experience Requirements

• Medical Degree from an accredited School of Medicine required.
• MD or DO licensed to practice medicine in the State of Florida.
• Must be board certified or eligible in Hospice/ Palliative Care.
• 3-5 years full time paid hospital experience.
• Medical Director experience in Hospice preferred.
• 2-3 years of Hospice and Palliative care preferred.
• EPEC training preferable.
• Demonstrate an understanding of hospice philosophy and pain and symptom management.
• Demonstrate an understanding of team approach and communication.
• Must have knowledge of computer office/clinical software.
• Must be able to read, write and understand the English language.