Job Description

Position Description

The Medical Director is a hospice employee who is a doctor of medicine or osteopathy who assumes overall responsibility for the medical component of the Hospice Care Program.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

As required by 42 C.F.R. 418.102, the Medical Director has the responsibility for the medical component of the Hospices Patient care program at all Hospice locations, including but not limited to, the following:

* Management of Terminal Illness - Physician, in conjunction with the Hospice Patients Attending Physician, if any, is responsible for the palliation and management of the terminal illness and conditions related to the terminal illness of the Hospice Patient. Such services shall either be provided directly by Physician or through coordinating the patient care with the Attending Physician
* Policies and Procedures - Physician, in conjunction with the Hospice administrator and/or his or her designee(s), agrees to participate in developing, executing, and periodically reviewing Hospices written policies, procedures, palliative care protocols, and the services provided to Hospice Patients. Physician shall maintain full responsibility for developing, executing and periodically reviewing such policies, procedures and protocols related to the medical component of the Hospices Patient care program
* Interdisciplinary Group - Physician agrees to oversee and maintain responsibility for all activities of the IDG, which may include meeting with the members of the IDG (including the hospice contracted physicians) to develop, periodically review and update a written plan of care for each Hospice Patient in accordance with applicable federal and state law and Hospice policy
* Licensed Professionals - Licensed professional services must be authorized, delivered, and supervised only by health care professionals who are licensed, certified or registered in accordance with Paragraph 2.1(a), and who practice under Hospices policies and procedures. Physician agrees to actively participate in the coordination of all aspects of the Hospice Patients care, in accordance with current professional standards and practice, including participating in ongoing interdisciplinary comprehensive assessments, developing and evaluating the plan of care, and contributing to patient and family counseling and education. Physician agrees to participate in Hospices quality assessment and performance improvement program and Hospice sponsored in-service training
* Authorization of Services - All Hospice Services provided by Physician must be furnished in a safe and effective manner, and delivered in accordance with the Hospice Patients Hospice Plan of Care
* Initial Certification of Terminal Illness - Physician will review the clinical information for each Hospice Patient and provide written certification, as appropriate and in accordance with state and federal guidelines, that it is anticipated that the Hospice Patients life expectancy is 6 months or less if the illness runs its normal course. Physician must consider the following when making this determination, and document his or her findings in the clinical record:
* The primary terminal condition;
* Related diagnosis(es), if any;
* Current subjective and objective medical findings;
* Current medication and treatment orders; and
* Information about the medical management of any of the Hospice Patients conditions unrelated to the terminal illness.
* Recertification of Terminal Illness - Before the recertification period for each Hospice Patient, as described in 42 CFR 418.21(a), Physician must review the Hospice Patients clinical information, and agrees to document, as appropriate and in accordance with state and federal guidelines, the Hospice Patients continued eligibility for Hospice Services
* Supervision - Physician is responsible for supervising all physician employees and those under contract with Hospice
* Unavailability of Attending Physician - Physician is responsible for meeting the medical needs of the Hospice Patient if the Hospice Patients Attending Physician is unavailable
* Availability During Surveys - Physician agrees to be reasonably available during licensure, certification and/or accreditation surveys, at the request of Hospice, for those matters associated with the provision of medical services under this Agreement
* In-service Training - Physician agrees to provide periodic in-service training for Hospice employees at the request of Hospice
* Committees - Physician agrees to participate in Hospice committees, at the request of Hospice, this includes, but not limited to, IDG coordinating committee
* Admissions - In consultation with the Hospice Patients Attending Physician, if any, Physician agrees to participate in the admission of the Hospice Patient, including admission to the Hospice, as well as admissions to inpatient settings, as applicable
* Discharges - In consultation with the Hospice Patients Attending Physician, if any, Physician agrees to participate in the discharge of the Hospice Patient
* Community Education - Physician agrees to participate with Hospice in developing strategies to build relationships with local healthcare providers, including physician education on Hospice Services
* Documentation - Physician agrees to complete all documentation, including timesheets or other documentation that may be required by Hospice to verify the services provided hereunder, and entries in the Hospice Patients clinical record, in accordance with accepted standards of practice, Hospice policies and procedures, and applicable federal and state laws and regulations
* Call Coverage - Physician agrees to provide on-call coverage through direct telecommunication for consultation, assistance with medical emergencies, or patient referrals, and to ensure the availability of such coverage twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. In the event that the Medical Director is not available, the Alternate Medical Director will assume On Call coverage
* Attending Physician - At the request of Hospice, and subject to consent by the Hospice Patient or his or her legal representative, Physician agrees to become the Hospice Patients Attending Physician for those Hospice Patients admitted without an attending physician
* Consultations - Physician agrees to provide hospice consultations as requested by Hospice
* Other Services - Physician agrees to provide any other medical services which may be necessary to comply with state or federal regulations governing Hospice Services

REQUIRED Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

* Is a Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathy
* Legally authorized to practice medicine in the state of practice
* Has mental and physical health necessary to meet the demands of the position