Geriatrics, Hospice & Palliative Care

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive hospice and palliative care to Veterans with serious, advanced, and life-limiting illnesses across inpatient, outpatient, long-term care, home hospice, and telehealth settings.
• Manage complex symptom control, including pain and non-pain symptom management, while supporting patients’ physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs.
• Deliver inpatient and outpatient palliative care consultations, including end-of-life care planning and coordination with primary and specialty care teams.
• Participate in the hospice after-hours on-call program and provide timely clinical support as needed.
• Collaborate closely with the interdisciplinary Hospice and Palliative Care team, including physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and community partners.
• Supervise, mentor, and educate hospice and palliative care staff, fellows, residents, and medical students as part of graduate medical education and ongoing staff development.
• Contribute to quality improvement, program development, and compliance with VHA directives, national hospice and palliative care standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as an advocate for Veterans and their families by promoting compassionate, culturally sensitive, and patient-centered end-of-life care.

Position Overview

The Hospice and Palliative Care Physician will provide comprehensive, interdisciplinary care to Veterans with serious, advanced, and life-limiting illnesses within the VA Maine Hospice and Palliative Care (H&PC) Program. This role focuses on comfort, symptom management, and quality of life through the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual support of patients and their families across the continuum of care. Overall, the role is well-supported operationally and clinically, with consistent staffing, defined schedules, and mission-aligned leadership. As the service continues to expand access, this provider will meaningfully contribute to program development and continuity of patient services.

Compensation & Benefits

• $200,000-$315,000 salary
• Eligibility for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) up to $200,000
• Comprehensive federal benefits package including:
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Federal retirement programs with matching contributions
• Paid federal holidays and paid annual leave
• Continuing education support and malpractice coverage
• Opportunity for additional compensation through on-call responsibilities or extended coverage, where applicable
• Retention and relocation incentives may be available for highly qualified applicants