Medical Director Hospice

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information, please see: https://www.vermontjoblink.com/jobs/1412196

Job Summary

The Hospice Medical Director provides medical leadership for the hospice

program and serves as a clinical resource to the interdisciplinary team.

The Medical Director collaborates with attending physicians, nurse

practitioners, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other team members

to ensure high-quality, compassionate care that meets the physical,

emotional, and spiritual needs of hospice patients and their families.

The Medical Director will provide direct patient care through hospice

face-to-face recertification encounters and symptom management

consultations/visits as needed, helping ensure timely access to expert

end-of-life care throughout our service area. The role may be structured

as a contracted position, part-time employment, or other flexible

Arrangement Depending On The Qualifications And Availability Of The

selected candidate.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities

Medical Oversight:

• Provide overall medical direction for the hospice program.
• Review and certify hospice eligibility in accordance with Medicare
  
  

regulations.

• Complete hospice recertifications and physician documentation
  
  

requirements.

• Conduct hospice face-to-face encounters for patients entering their
  
  

third benefit period and subsequent benefit periods, as required by

Medicare regulations, or supervise the process when completed by a

hospice nurse practitioner.

• Perform in-home, facility-based, or telehealth symptom management
  
  

visits, as clinically appropriate, to evaluate complex patient needs

and provide recommendations for pain and symptom control.

• Provide consultation regarding pain and symptom management.
• Serve as a clinical resource to hospice staff and interdisciplinary
  
  

team members.

• Participate in development and review of individualized plans of
  
  

care.

• Collaborate with attending physicians and other community providers.
• Serve as attending physician for hospice patients when appropriate.
• Ensure medical hospice services comply with Medicare Conditions of
  
  

Participation, state regulations, and accreditation standards.

• Participate in establishing and maintaining hospice clinical
  
  

policies and standards.

Hospice Eligibility And Certification

• Review and certify terminal illness and hospice admissions when
  
  

required.

• Provide written recertification of terminal illness for subsequent
  
  

benefit periods.

• Review documentation supporting hospice eligibility.
• Participate in physician review of clinical appropriateness and
  
  

prognosis.

Interdisciplinary Group (IDG)

• Serve as a medical resource to the interdisciplinary team.
• Participate in IDG meetings as required by regulation, either
  
  

directly or through delegated processes when appropriate.

• Collaborate in development and review of patient plans of care.
• Assist with clinical decision-making and complex symptom management.
• Support staff education and clinical excellence.
• Promote evidence-based hospice and palliative care practices.
  
  

Quality and Compliance

• Support compliance with Medicare Conditions of Participation and
  
  

applicable state regulations.

• Participate in Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI)
  
  

activities.

• Assist with review of hospice outcomes, quality measures, and
  
  

clinical performance improvement initiatives.

• Support regulatory surveys and compliance efforts.
  
  

Symptoms And Medication Management

• Provide consultation regarding pain and symptom management.
• Support development of evidence-based approaches to end-of-life
  
  

care.

• Be available for physician consultation regarding hospice patients.
  
  

Availability

• Ensure physician services are available 2 /7 to meet patient needs,
  
  

either personally or through an organized coverage arrangement.

• Serve as attending physician for hospice patients who do not have an
  
  

attending physician willing or able to continue care.

Community Outreach

• Serve as a hospice ambassador within the medical community.
• Built relationships with referring providers, hospitals, nursing
  
  

facilities, and community partners.

• Promote awareness of hospice and palliative care services.
  
  

Education

• Promote educational presentations to physicians, nurse
  
  

practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, volunteers, skilled

nursing facilities, and community organizations.

• Mentor hospice clinicians on complex cases.
  
  

Program Development

• Advice leadership on emerging hospice and palliative care best
  
  

practices.

• Assist with strategic planning and service development.
• Recommend enhancements to clinical protocols and care pathways.
  
  

Leadership

Participate in recruitment and retention effort