Medical Director for Hospice Services

SUMMARY

Responsible for the overall medical component of the Hospice's patient care, including direct medical care and indirect consultative medical advice. Administratively responsible for developing and maintaining policies and standards of medical management on palliative care and symptom control. Collaborates with the Hospice patient's primary attending physician and the Hospice Interdisciplinary Group to ensure optimum terminal medical care in a coordinated, cooperative approach. Functions as an expert terminal medical care resource for the patient's attending physician and all Hospice caregivers. Functions as liaison and Hospice educator to potential referral sources.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

· Participates with the Hospice Interdisciplinary Group in determining patient eligibility for the Hospice Program.

· Participates in the development, evaluation and updating of the Plan of Care for Hospice patients.

· Participates in Hospice admission decisions, whether Home Care or Inpatient, in conjunction with the IDG. Reviews the clinical material of the patient’s attending physician that documents the patient’s disease process, medications prescribed, current health status and medication regimen.

· Assures 24-hour, seven-day/week availability of physician services for routine and emergency situations.

· Acts as liaison between the patient's attending physician and members of the IDG.

· Certifies patient eligibility for Hospice in conjunction with the attending physician and recertifies patient eligibility for Hospice when appropriate.

· Ensures that all patients electing the hospice benefit beyond 180 days, or second certification period receive face-to-face evaluations to assess eligibility.

· Acts as liaison with community physicians, hospitals and the community at large.

· Attends and participates in the Hospice Interdisciplinary Group meetings.

· Participates in the development of in-service education for caregivers.

· Resolves conflicts in patient care decisions.

· Develops and maintains Hospice medical management policies and standards for symptom control.

· Assumes full responsibility for medical management of individual patients who do not have attending physicians. This includes performing an admission history and physical examination and writing comprehensive medical orders for the patient.

· Assumes full responsibility for the medical management and approves all care orders for individuals receiving inpatient and respite care in a facility. Works in conjunction with patient’s attending physician to ensure that orders are reasonable and necessary for the hospice patient.

· Assures continuity of the Hospice patients' medical management.

· Participates in development, implementation, and evaluation of the Quality Assessment Performance Improvement Program.

· May provide leadership to the agency designated Interdisciplinary Group with responsibilities to establish policies governing the day-to-day provision of hospice care and services.

· Assists the Administrator in developing policies and procedures for the delivery of physician services, for the orientation of new hospice physicians, and for the continued training of hospice physicians.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

· Hospice and/or Palliative Care documented experience of at least one year on a hospice care team or in another setting managing the care of terminally ill patients.

· Extensive knowledge and expertise in the care of terminally ill patients, medicine, oncology, and pharmacology, pain and symptom control and psychology of loss required.

· Requires an understanding and commitment to the Hospice philosophy of care, particularly related to palliation and symptom control.

· Ability to communicate effectively with other physicians, caregivers and Hospice patients and families is required.

· Thorough knowledge of management and organizational concepts.

· Extensive knowledge of healthcare and long-term care organizations and their structure.

· Considerable ability to plan and direct subordinate staff in the execution of their activities and prioritize workload.

· Ability to effectively communicate and present information in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in writing.

· Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, department heads, administrators, member organization presidents and their leadership teams, and the general public.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathy with knowledge and experience in geriatric medicine, patient/family care and/or internal medicine with admitting privileges at one or more hospitals serving the Hospice’s geographic service area.

Work Location: In person