Medical Director

Medical Director

Work where you matter! At St. Croix Hospice we guide patients and families through the end-of-life journey. Through compassionate care, we focus on our patient's quality of life, empowering them to make the most of their time with dignity, comfort, and respect. If you are ready to be part of an extraordinary team of caregivers, then come work where you matter.

Medical Director (MD)

Position Overview

The Hospice Medical Director serves as the physician responsible for the medical component of the hospice program in accordance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation. The Medical Director provides clinical leadership, physician oversight, and consultation to ensure the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered hospice care. The Medical Director collaborates with the interdisciplinary team, organizational leadership, attending physicians, and community providers to promote clinical excellence, regulatory compliance, quality improvement, and compassionate end-of-life care. The Hospice Medical Director is the organization's designated Medical Director for the assigned Medicare-certified hospice (PTAN). The Medical Director may delegate clinical responsibilities to Hospice Physicians and Physician Designees as appropriate but retains overall responsibility for the medical component of hospice services.

Essential Functions and Skills Responsibilities

• Provides overall medical leadership for the hospice program in accordance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation.
• Oversees the medical component of hospice services and serves as the organization's designated Hospice Medical Director.
• Certifies and confirms patient eligibility and diagnosis for all admissions to the Hospice program based upon available diagnostic and prognostic indicators and recertifies patient as appropriate.
• Ensures physician services are available on a 24-hour basis to meet patient needs when not otherwise provided by the attending physician.
• Acts as primary physician for patients who referring/attending physician's desire to relinquish that care and/or if the referring/attending physician are not available for further contact.
• Covers the responsibility of the Hospice physician/physician designee when they are off duty.
• Designates a qualified Physician Designee to provide physician coverage during periods of absence, consistent with organizational policy.
• Collaborates in a team approach with the IDT and attends the IDT conferences to ensure the medical needs of the patients are met; that the patient receives appropriate measures to control uncomfortable symptoms by oversight of medications and treatments and provides oversight of the plan of care and continuity of Hospice medical services.
• Collaborates with attending physicians and the interdisciplinary team to develop, review, and revise individualized plans of care.
• Conducts in-person visits as needed to evaluate and document the patient's clinical condition, including symptom management and disease progression; ensures timely documentation in the clinical record to support face-to-face (F2F) and medical visit requirements.
• Reviews emerging clinical evidence and promotes implementation of best practices in hospice and palliative medicine.
• Participates in the development and updating of patient care policy's emergency procedures.
• Collaborates with organizational leadership on strategic initiatives, program development, physician engagement, and clinical operations.
• Champions quality improvement, takes an active role in QAPI projects when improving medical practice and/or interdisciplinary practice affecting patient or organizational outcomes.
• Ensures physician services comply with Medicare Conditions of Participation, accreditation standards, applicable state and federal laws, and organizational policies.
• Provides oversight and guidance in the development, evaluation, and enforcement of clinical protocols and organizational policies to ensure compliance with established standards, optimize quality and cost outcomes, and support patient care, medical education, and emergency preparedness.
• Acts as a liaison and provides consultation to community physicians and health care providers regarding agency services, admission criteria for Hospice and participates in community programs and events to help promote the agency's mission in the end-of-life care.
• Manage comprehensive administrative duties, including death certificates, CTIs, physician narratives, FMLA documentation, capacity forms, and various other medical paperwork.
• Adheres to requirements, terms, and conditions required by Medicare conditions of participation, CHAP, and federal and state statutes governing the provision of services.

Qualifications

Requirements/Qualifications

• Current physician license is in good standing.
• Board certified in a related specialty and has expertise in the medical care of terminally ill individuals.
• Experience in treating the symptoms of the terminally ill.
• Extends the agency's mission by treating each customer, patient, and team member with respect and kindness.
• Demonstrated ability to work well with an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and interruptions.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Ability to develop and maintain rapport with patients and families.
• Must operate a car in a safe manner and maintain a valid driver's license.
• Ability to pass DHS background study.

Preferred

• Board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
• Hospice Medical Director Certification.

Physical Requirements

• Pushing/Pulling and Lifting/carrying up to 10 pounds. Occasionally up to 30 pounds.
• Ability to adapt to a variety of work conditions to ensure the highest quality of patient care in a home setting.
• May be exposed to infections and contagious diseases. Contact with patients under wide variety of circumstances. May be exposed to/occasionally exposed to patient elements. Subject to varying and unpredictable situations. Travel required. OSHA exposure category: Category I - Position includes tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids, tissues. Category II - Position includes tasks that involve no exposure to blood, body fluids, tissues, but employment may require unplanned Category I tasks. Category III - Position includes tasks that involve no exposure to blood, body fluids, tissues; would not be required to perform Category I tasks.