County Physician #1621 - Primary Care - Health & Social Services Division

All Hamilton County Health & Social Services Division employees are responsible for ensuring their contact information is current and they are accessible should a public health emergency arise. The division maintains a call-down system to store contact information and mobilize staff in the event of an emergency. During a public health emergency, all staff are required to respond if a call to mobilize is made, and work hours are subject to modification to meet community needs.

This is a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) defined exempt position. Exempt positions are excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations, and other rights and protections afforded nonexempt workers. The employee in this position is paid a salary rather than an hourly wage. FLSA does not limit the amount of work time an employer may require or expect from any exempt employee, on any schedule. Hamilton County Government expects an employee in this position to complete the work assigned regardless of the hours involved.

Responsibilities

• Provides focused care for children, adolescents, and adults, including primary care across all Health Department locations (office care, sick care, and well-patient checkups).
• Diagnoses and treats diseases and injuries; orders and reviews medical tests; provides patient counseling and appropriate referrals to other healthcare providers.
• Provides direct medical care (primary care, chronic disease management, acute care) to underserved populations.
• Provides strategic leadership, clinical oversight, and direct patient care tailored to individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Develops clinical policies, mentors medical staff (physicians/NPs), ensures HRSA compliance, promotes trauma-informed care, manages quality improvement, and collaborates with community partners to address social determinants of health.
• Supports epidemiological responses to disease events and emergency response events; works with Infection Control and employee post-exposure events.
• Assists the County Health Officer in clinical and administrative responsibilities of the Health Department.
• Maintains all appropriate clinical files, records, credentialing, and privileging requirements; performs internal audits of medical charts for completeness and accuracy.
• Establishes, updates, and implements medical policies, protocols, and procedures in compliance with regulations.
• Develops and maintains liaison activities with community health providers, hospital staff, and local specialists and practitioners.
• Provides medical leadership and support for various Health Department committees.
• Recruits, trains, and mentors physicians, nurse practitioners, and clinical staff, including peer reviews.
• Collaborates with the board and executive leadership to align clinic goals with the needs of the homeless population.
• Provides clinical updates and presentations as appropriate.
• Provides medical backup to the County Health Officer and other county physicians.
• Provides medical supervision of nurse practitioners; offers parental counseling and patient counseling on wellness, illness, and preventive care; may provide after-hours call coverage if necessary.
• Works with the community to promote childhood immunizations and improve vaccination rates.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited school of medicine with a State of Tennessee medical license and DEA registration.
• Completion of residency in Family Practice or Internal Medicine and board certification or eligibility for board certification in Family Practice or Internal Medicine.
• A valid driver’s license is required.
• Prior to operating a County-owned vehicle, completion of the HC Defensive Driving course and/or an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) provided at the department level is required.
• This position is deemed essential/situational during inclement weather and must report to or remain at work, even when administrative closings are announced, as determined by the Department Head.
• Experience working with underserved, vulnerable, or homeless populations.
• Experience with Electronic Medical Records (EMR).

Preferred Qualifications

• Study in the field of Family Practice preferred.

Skills

• Knowledge of professional medical practice laws, rules, regulations, practices, and procedures.
• Knowledge of public health laws, rules, regulations, practices, and procedures.
• Knowledge of medical equipment, materials, and supplies utilized in the practice of medicine.
• Knowledge of customer service/public relations practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of counseling methods, practices, and procedures.
• Knowledge of maintaining patient medical records.
• Knowledge of social, psychological, and physical needs of people experiencing homelessness.
• Skill in referring patients for additional medical care or other community resources.
• Skill in providing medical care and assistance to patients who may be upset, argumentative, or non-cooperative.
• Skill in utilizing verbal and written communication for counseling patients, parents, and family members.
• Skill in instructing and utilizing universal health and safety precautions in the practice of medicine.
• Skill in providing oversight to other medical staff and clinical mentorship.
• Skill in utilizing customer service techniques in responding to inquiries and complaints.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Ability to provide respectful, culturally sensitive care to a diverse population.

Physical Requirements

• Work requires risk of exposure to infectious diseases or difficult situations during clinic site inspections or while providing direct medical care services to patients.
• Work requires managing multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.