Associate Medical Director - Austin

Responsibilities of Physician

The Medical Director or Associate Medical Director (herein referred to as Medical Director) shall provide medical direction and oversight of the clinical aspects of the hospice care program.

• Provide medical oversight to ensure all services comply with applicable state and federal regulations, including CMS regulations.
• Collaborate with the patient's attending physician to manage the palliation and care of the patient's terminal illness and related conditions as part of the Plan of Care (POC). If the attending physician is unavailable, address the medical needs of the patient.

Patient Care and Clinical Supervision

• Review and help ensure the implementation of patient care policies, tailoring care plans to the specific medical needs of each patient.
• Provide clinical guidance to the interdisciplinary team and offer consultation on complex medical cases to ensure optimal team function.

Compliance with Laws and Regulations

• Work with Kindful Health's Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) to ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including CMS, HHS, and Hospice Conditions of Participation (CoP).
• Ensure compliance with rules set by other regulatory bodies with jurisdiction over hospice services.

Education and Training

• Provide education and training to hospice staff, including physicians, nurses, and other team members, on medical care, hospice policies, and regulatory compliance.
• Participate in hospice orientation and ongoing palliative care education.

Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI)

• Actively participate in QAPI activities, including reviewing patient care outcomes and recommending improvements in collaboration with the CCO.
• Provide input into the development and revision of hospice policies and procedures to ensure ongoing clinical and regulatory compliance.

Medical Certifications

• Complete the certification of terminal illness and subsequent recertifications as required by CMS and other relevant agencies, in collaboration with the attending physician as appropriate.

Service Delivery and Visits

• Provide services and visits to hospice patients according to the POC, with express authorization from hospice.
• Schedule patient and family visits through interdisciplinary meetings in alignment with the POC.
• Act as a medical resource for clinical staff and participate as a member of the interdisciplinary team, providing input on the patient's POC.

On-Call and Availability

• Provide 24-hour on-call coverage for medical emergencies and address patient care concerns that arise outside regular hours; on-call will be scheduled collaboratively with the Director of Clinical Services.

Compliance with Hospice Policies

• Adhere to all applicable policies regarding personnel qualifications and patient care standards.
• Ensure qualifications are consistent with state medical board requirements and all services comply with state and federal regulations.
• Allow hospice to perform a criminal history check as required by regulation for all employees or contracted entities who have direct patient contact or access to patient records.
• Allow hospice to complete the OIG Exclusion List check on a monthly basis.

Record Keeping and Documentation

• Maintain accurate, timely records that reflect all services provided, submitting documentation to the hospice office on a weekly basis.
• Ensure clinical documentation includes evidence of compliance with all aspects of patient care as outlined in this agreement.

General Provisions

• Participate in all aspects of the hospice's operations as required, contributing to ongoing improvement in patient care and clinical operations.
• Provide guidance and leadership in maintaining a high standard of medical care, ensuring patient needs are met in accordance with the law and best practices in hospice care.

Responsibilities of Hospice

Pre-Admission

• Assess the patient and family, gathering clinical information necessary for consultation with the physician prior to admission.
• Complete initial and comprehensive assessments for both the patient and family if the patient is admitted, ensuring all relevant clinical data is obtained.

Care Coordination

• Ensure the physician is kept informed about the patient's medical condition, needs, and progress throughout their care, maintaining continuous communication.

Patient Services

• Ensure all services are delivered in a timely, safe, and effective manner, in strict adherence to the Plan of Care (POC).
• Ensure services comply with all applicable state and federal regulations and standards.

Case Management

• Collaborate with the physician to review patient assessments regularly, including changes in medications, drug interactions, side effects, or treatments, updating the care plan accordingly.
• Assist in adjusting the care plan based on any changes in the patient's medical condition.

Training and Education

• Provide palliative and end-of-life care training to the physician during orientation and periodically thereafter, as required by policy and regulation.

Qualified Personnel

• Ensure the availability of qualified personnel to deliver safe and effective care in compliance with state and federal regulations, maintaining appropriate staffing levels and ensuring all team members are properly trained and licensed.

Record Keeping

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date clinical records for all patients, ensuring records comply with regulatory requirements and are available for review by appropriate parties when necessary.

Supervision and Evaluation

• Supervise and evaluate the activities of the physician, ensuring attendance at interdisciplinary team (IDT) and interdisciplinary group (IDG) meetings as required.
• Ensure the physician is responsive to calls and requests for consultation in a timely manner, providing necessary oversight for the quality of care delivered.

Licensure and Qualifications

Physician

• Maintain a current license to practice medicine in the state(s) where the hospice is located.
• Notify hospice immediately concerning any proposed, threatened, or actual revocation, termination of state license, or federal restrictions.

Hospice

• Maintain a current state hospice license and Medicare certification from CMS, providing services in compliance with Medicare Conditions of Participation and state regulations.
• Notify the physician immediately concerning any proposed, threatened, or actual revocation or termination of state license or Medicare certification.

Kindful will run a state and national background check on all potential employees.