Medical Director

JOB SUMMARY

Act as Emblem Home Health and Hospice’s (“Agency”) medical director (“Medical Director”), providing medical direction and consultation for Agency’s programs and services.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

ADMINISTRATIVE

The Medical Director:

Meets regularly with Administrator, the Director of Nursing Services, and other decision makers in the Agency and provides leadership and direction in an effort to continuously improve the care delivered by the team to Agency patients. Participates in, and helps respond to, regulatory surveys and interacts with outside regulatory bodies. Participates in disciplinary actions of Agency employees and facilitates performance review of practitioners performing services for Agency, when appropriate.

          PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

                The Medical Director:

Reviews the clinical information for each hospice patient and provides written Certification of Terminal Illness, considering all facts and circumstances of the patient’s condition, including: (a) diagnosis of the terminal condition of the patient; (b) other health conditions, whether related or unrelated to the terminal condition; and (c) current clinically relevant information supporting all diagnoses. Ensures the adequacy and appropriateness of the medical services provided to Agency patients, including being responsible for (in conjunction with patient’s attending physician) the palliation and management of Agency patients’ terminal illness and conditions related to the terminal illness. Works in concert with attending physician and interdisciplinary group (IDG) to establish and periodically review a plan of care for each patient to address the physical, medical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual needs of the hospice patients and families facing terminal illness and bereavement. Regularly attends and helps lead IDG meetings, enters reports into Agency’s electronic medical records system (if applicable), prepares orders for patient care, and reviews recertification and admission reports. Performs and documents face-to-face evaluations, in accordance with hospice conditions of participation and other Federal and State requirements. Serves as consulting physician on patient care issues and questions, including: (a) being on-call to field telephone calls from Agency nursing staff, as agreed upon with Agency and (b) responding to facsimile transmissions, telephone calls, and other communication relating to Agency patient care. Takes responsibility for the medical component of the Agency’s patient care program and oversees the planning and rendering of care, including supervising all work conducted on behalf of the Agency by other Agency physicians (either contracted or employee). Acts as liaison with attending physicians to oversee the rendition, and ensure the quality, of the collective professional services rendered within the Agency. Ensures that proper orders are written and submitted promptly. Helps develop, review, and updates, as necessary, written policies and procedures to guide Agency physicians in admitting and caring for their patients (including delineation of responsibility) at the Agency. Evaluates and ensures the medical services rendered from or within the Agency are compliant with the Agency’s current policies and procedures, including without limitation, the Agency’s Code of Conduct and applicable State and Federal law. Renders necessary medical care to Agency patients when the attending physician is not immediately available. Assists Agency staff in addressing medical emergencies within the Agency. Participates in the periodic evaluation of the adequacy and appropriateness of Agency professional and support staff services. Assures medical coverage during emergencies, and helps develop policies and procedures relating thereto. Organizes, coordinates, and monitors the activities of the physicians delivering care at the Agency, and ensures that the quality and appropriateness of services meets community and regulatory standards.

          QUALITY ASSURANCE

                The Medical Director:

Participates in the monitoring of care within the Agency, serves as a member of the Agency’s Quality Assurance Committee, and attends and participates in Quality Assurance Committee meetings. Maintains knowledge of state and national standards for and regulations applicable to the rendering of hospice services, and ensures that the Agency meets the existing standards of care and conditions of participation. Attends in QAPI meetings and participates in developing and reviewing Agency’s QAPI Program in an effort to ensure Agency’s policies, procedures, and practices regarding patient care comply with all applicable federal and state requirements.

           EDUCATION

                The Medical Director:

Participates in the education and training activities of hospice staff members, and identifies and suggests topics for in-service training through observation and evaluation of patient care. Participates in the development, organization, and delivery of education programs and materials for staff, patients, patient families, board members, and the community at large. At the direction of Administrator, completes any required Agency education and training courses within the timeframe established by the Administrator.

            COMMUNITY

                The Medical Director:

Acts as an advocate for the Agency, encourages and facilitates community involvement in the activities of the Agency, and assists the community in understanding the Agency’s capabilities and services. Serves as a liaison on behalf of the Agency in the community, including, helping to create positive relationships between the Agency and other health care providers in the community.

            SOCIAL, REGULATORY, AND FINANCIAL

                The Medical Director:

Understands the mechanisms for hospice care reimbursement, and establishes relationship with other organizations involved in hospice care to assure that patients’ needs are met across the continuum of care. Immediately discloses to Agency any actual or threatened federal, state or local investigations or imposed sanctions of any kind.

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job.  The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks in addition to those stated in this description.

JOB REQUIREMENTS (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

In addition to the Medical Director being duly licensed, authorized, and capable of performing the Duties & Responsibilities set forth above, the Medical Director:

Must be legally authorized (licensed, certified or registered) in accordance with applicable Federal, State and local laws, and must act only within the scope of his or her State license, or State certification, or registration. All personnel qualifications must be kept current at all times. Must meet the qualifications and conditions as defined in section 1861(r) of the Federal Social Security Act, implemented at 42 C.F.R. § 410.20; specifically that he or she be a doctor of medicine or osteopathy, including an osteopathic practitioner recognized in section 1101(a)(7) of the Social Security Act. May at no time has been an excluded party on the Office of Inspector General’s List of Excluded Individuals/Entities or otherwise excluded from participating in any federally funded healthcare program including Medicare and Medicaid. May at no time have been debarred, suspended or excluded under any state or federal healthcare program, and is currently eligible to participate in Medicare, Medicaid, and all other federally funded health care programs and is not subject to any sanction or exclusion by any of those programs. May not currently be subject to or investigated for any actual or threatened federal, state, or local investigations or imposed sanctions of any kind.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have read this job description and fully understand the requirements and notices set forth therein.  I hereby accept the position and agree to perform the identified essential functions in a safe manner and in accordance with the Agency’s established policies and procedures.  I agree to request guidance from the Agency’s Executive Director in the event that I am unsure of how to interpret any policy.

I further understand that my employment is at-will and thereby understand that my employment may be terminated at-will either by the Agency or myself, and that such termination can be made with or without notice.

This position consistently supports and promotes compliance with the Code of Conduct by maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of information, protecting the assets of the agency, acting with ethics and integrity, reporting non-compliance, and adhering to applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, accreditation and licensure requirements (if applicable), and all policies and procedures.