Associate Medical Director

Oversee, coordinate and review the medical care provided to hospice patients in order to ensure pain and symptom management control, minimize the risk of polypharmacy and assure patient goals of care are in line with hospice philosophy.  Certify and recertify client eligibility for hospice care in accordance with applicable Medicare Hospice regulations and guidelines.  Ensure hospice plans of care are medically appropriate and consistent with federal and state laws and regulations.  Provide exemplary team leadership in keeping with HCP’s Guiding Principles - Service, Compassion, Excellence, and Inclusion – under the supervision of our full-time Hospice Medical Director.

Qualifications

1. Education:  Completion of medical education and relevant residency training required.  Fellowship in Palliative Medicine preferred.
2. Experience:  Work experience in internal medicine, family medicine, geriatrics, palliative medicine or other relevant field of medicine is required.  Work experience in a certified hospice program and administrative experience preferred.
3. License/Certification:  Physician licensure by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a doctor of medicine or osteopathy required; board certification in hospice and palliative medicine preferred.  Valid driver’s license with an automobile that is insured in accordance with state and/or organizational requirements and is in good working order required.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Administrative:

1. Provide guidance to the interdisciplinary team (IDT) in conflict and ethical issues.
2. Utilize appropriate resources to maintain knowledge and skills for hospice care in various settings including regulatory/reimbursement guidelines and integration into clinical practice.
3. Assist in the development and review of clinical protocols and emergency care procedures and patient care policies.
4. Review and analyze pharmacy/infusion utilization costs, along with Medical Director and PBM provider, and provide ongoing re-evaluation of formulary coverage and expenses incurred for hospice patients.
5. Participate in quality improvement initiatives and programs; identifies opportunities for quality improvement in patient care and safety.
6. Periodically provides insight of reviews for provider staff performance.

Clinical:

1. Provides coverage and support to hospice staff for provisions of medical services in the absence of the attending physician on or after normal business hours.
2. Share in on-call duties (blocks are either Monday-Thursday nights from 5pm-8am, or Friday night and 24 hrs. on Saturday & Sunday) for an estimated total of seven days of on-call per month.  On- call duties may be lessened depending on availability of other providers to q 5-6 weeks instead of q 4 weeks.
3. Perform hospice rounds at the six-bed Carolyn’s House residence once per week.  (This is a personal care home belonging to Hospice of Central PA, caring for hospice patients with an anticipated prognosis of <30 days under a Routine Home Care level of hospice care.)
4. Renders the necessary medical management, in consultation with the attending physician, consistent with the plan of care and the patient’s needs.
5. Perform or arranges for designee to perform palliative care consult visits in facilities or patient homes as needed.
6. Share on-call rotation with the Provider staff, providing 24-hour, seven days a week coverage to patients and families.
7. Perform other duties as assigned by the Medical Director.

Education and Community Support:

1. Acts as a liaison to physicians in the community and provides for consultation and education to colleagues related to admissions criteria for hospice and palliative care.
2. Provide ongoing educational instruction regarding hospice care and symptom management to the HMC Palliative Medicine Fellows, as well as to the UPMC Internal Medicine Residents who rotate and shadow with HCP on a regular basis.
3. Ensures appropriate educational experience for visiting medical students and residents.
4. Collaborate with the Clinical Education RN and Director of Nursing Education to provide continuing education seminars on a PRN basis to all IDT members on topics related to symptom management and end-of-life care.
5. Ensures provisions of continuing education for direct-care hospice staff.
6. With guidance from the Medical Director, participate in the fellowship training program.

Other Job Functions

The following is a list of responsibilities of this position, but is not intended to cover other related duties that this position may be required to perform from time to time.

1.  Demonstrate understanding of hospice philosophy and pain and symptom management.
2. Works with diverse social and economic situations without imposing own values; maintains appropriate professional boundaries.
3. Demonstrates understanding of team approach and communication.
4. Contributes to positive atmosphere; demonstrates positive interactions with internal and external customers.
5. Demonstrates ability to be a productive member of a high performing team.
6. Provides timely and appropriate response to internal and external customer needs.
7. Participates in meetings and quality assurance and program improvement activities as required and necessary.
8. Assists with new orientation of new staff as assigned.
9. Offers suggestions to improve policies, procedures and services in appropriate manner and time.
10. Demonstrates understanding of HIPAA Privacy Standards and related organization policies.
11. Demonstrates understanding and compliance with organization policies, including but not limited to documentation, continuing education, attendance/work schedules and required HR documentation, state and federal policies and procedures, laws and regulations.

Benefits:

• 401(k) with Employer Matching
• Health Insurance (3 options)
• Health Saving Accounts (2 options)
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life Insurance (Employer Paid)
• Short Term Disability (Employer Paid)
• Long Tern Disability (Employer Paid)
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) program
• Unique Recognition & Reward program
• Employee assistance program
• Employee Referral program