Physician Assistant - Occupational Health

Physician Assistant

The Work Connection is the Employee Health and Occupational Health Department of Holyoke Medical Center. With two locations, Holyoke and East Longmeadow, we serve both our own employees and third party clients ranging from 1 employee businesses to 2000. We are seeking an experienced Physician Assistant to join our team to perform a wide variety of clinical, consultative, and operational support duties both within and in support of Occupational Health Services. Position falls under the joint direction of the Medical Director of Occupational Health Services and the Director of Operations. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Assess the health status of employees and patients by obtaining health histories, performing physical examinations on hospital employees, Occupational Health Service client employees, and post-injury patients, and establishing treatment plans under the supervision of the Medical Director of Occupational Health Services.
• Perform specialized examinations and evaluations including, but not limited to, return-to-work examinations, disability evaluations, respirator clearances, medical surveillance examinations, and vision and hearing screenings.
• Coordinate activities pertaining to pre-placement and surveillance examinations in cooperation with Occupational Health physicians, nursing staff, Human Resources personnel, and client company representatives.
• Perform and/or oversee additional screenings and testing, including pulmonary function testing, EKG, imaging, laboratory review, and appropriate follow-up of abnormal findings in accordance with established protocols.
• Assess, triage, and refer employee and occupational health concerns to appropriate healthcare providers, specialists, or community resources both within and outside the organization.
• Maintain a current working knowledge of OSHA standards, DOT regulations, NFPA guidance, workers compensation requirements, and other applicable occupational health regulations and best practices.
• Serve as a liaison and resource to contracted and non-contracted client companies by assisting with occupational health initiatives, medical surveillance programs, regulatory compliance efforts, preventive health strategies, and employee wellness programming.
• Support relationship development with client organizations through responsive communication, professional consultation, and coordination of services.
• Maintain accurate, timely, professional, and confidential medical records in accordance with regulatory and organizational requirements.
• Protect the confidentiality of information within areas of responsibility by preventing unauthorized release, both verbally and in writing.
• Carry out and coordinate healthcare prevention measures for hospital employees and client organizations including immunization programs, respiratory protection programs, hearing conservation activities, influenza vaccination clinics, wellness initiatives, and other employee health surveillance activities in cooperation with Occupational Health physicians and staff.
• In collaboration with the Medical Director of Occupational Health Services and the Operations Director, assist in the development, refinement, and implementation of clinical workflows, service delivery models, operational procedures, quality improvement initiatives, and service expansion opportunities designed to enhance efficiency, regulatory compliance, patient experience, client satisfaction, and departmental growth.
• As necessary, assist in developing and revising Occupational Health policies, procedures, and educational materials.
• Attend meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, and continuing education programs both within and outside the organization as applicable to position responsibilities.
• Engage in continuing education activities specific to Occupational Health Services to maintain current knowledge of regulatory requirements, clinical best practices, industry standards, and emerging trends in occupational and employee health care, and to support ongoing compliance, quality improvement, and professional development.
• Promote a continuous commitment to quality improvement and customer service by demonstrating professionalism, collaboration, sensitivity, accountability, and respect in interactions with patients, employees, physicians, client representatives, and Occupational Health staff.
• Observe and comply with all applicable health, safety, infection prevention, and organizational requirements.
• Perform other similar and related duties as required or directed.

Requirements:

• Current licensure as a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Current NCCPA certification
• Current DEA registration and Massachusetts Controlled Substance Registration, as applicable.
• Current BLS certification required; ACLS preferred.
• Ability to obtain and maintain credentialing and privileging through the organization.
• Demonstrated clinical competency in assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care within scope of practice.
• Ability to evaluate and manage occupational injuries and illnesses in accordance with organizational protocols and applicable regulations.
• Working knowledge of occupational health principles, OSHA standards, DOT regulations, workers compensation processes, and related compliance requirements preferred.
• Ability to perform occupational health examinations and screenings including, but not limited to, preplacement examinations, return-to-work evaluations, respirator clearances, and medical surveillance examinations.
• Ability to interpret clinical findings, diagnostic studies, and screening results and provide appropriate follow-up recommendations.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills with the ability to interact professionally with patients, employees, employer representatives, physicians, and staff.
• Ability to appropriately handle sensitive and confidential information in accordance with HIPAA, PHI, and organizational policies.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to prioritize responsibilities in a fast-paced clinical environment.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Proficiency with electronic medical records and clinical documentation systems.
• Knowledge of infection prevention, workplace safety practices, and quality improvement principles.
• Ability to maintain continuing education and professional competency related to occupational and employee health services.
• Experience in Occupational Health, Urgent Care, Emergency Medicine, Orthopedics, Primary Care, or related fields preferred

Note: The compensation range noted above represents the base salaries for all positions at a given grade across the health system. Typically, a new hire can expect a starting salary somewhere in the lower part of the range. Actual salaries will be determined based on the candidate’s relevant experience. No employee will be paid below the minimum of the range.