Hospice Medical Director

Responsibilities

• Certifies and confirms patient eligibility and diagnosis for all admissions to the Hospice program based upon available diagnostic and prognostic indicators and recertifies patient as appropriate.
• Ensures that competent physician services are routinely available on a 24-hour basis to meet the general medical needs of the Hospice patient to the extent the needs are not met by the attending physician.
• Acts as primary physician for patients who referring/attending physician's desire to relinquish that care and/or if the referring/attending physician are not available for further contact.
• Covers the responsibility of the Hospice physician/physician designee when they are off duty.
• Collaborates in a team approach with the IDT and attends the IDT conferences to ensure the medical needs of the patients are met; that the patient receives appropriate measures to control uncomfortable symptoms by oversight of medications and treatments and provides oversight of the plan of care and continuity of Hospice medical services.
• Collaborate with the patients attending physician, as needed to develop and update the patient's plan of care to identify needs not met by the attending physician and to ensure patient comfort.
• Conducts in-person visits as needed to evaluate and document the patient’s clinical condition, including symptom management and disease progression; ensures timely documentation in the clinical record to support face-to-face (F2F) and medical visit requirements.
• Demonstrates knowledge and communications and counseling patient/family in dealing with end-of-life issues.
• Maintains current knowledge of the latest research and trends in Hospice care and pain/symptom management.
• Reviews and develops protocols for treatment and proposes the most current options for interventions.
• Participates in the development and updating of patient care policy's emergency procedures.
• Meets with the local office senior management and marketing team members in the development of marketing plans.
• Champions quality improvement, takes an active role in QAPI projects when improving medical practice and/or interdisciplinary practice affecting patient or organizational outcomes.
• Serves as a hospice champion in the community.
• Provides training regarding the medical aspects of caring for terminally ill patients to physicians, personnel, and volunteers.

Qualifications

• Current physician license in good standing.
• Board certified in a related specialty and has expertise in the medical care of terminally ill individuals.
• Experience in treating the symptoms of the terminally ill.
• Extends the agency's mission by treating each customer, patient, and team member with respect and kindness.
• Demonstrated ability to work well with an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and interruptions.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Ability to develop and maintain report with patients and families.
• Must operate a car in a safe manner and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Ability to pass DHS background study.
• Preferred: Board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Hospice Medical Director Certification.