Medical Director Hospice

Provides medical leadership for the hospice program and serves as a clinical resource to the interdisciplinary team. Collaborates with attending physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other team members to ensure high-quality, compassionate care that meets the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of hospice patients and their families.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall medical direction for the hospice program.
• Review and certify hospice eligibility in accordance with Medicare regulations.
• Complete hospice recertifications and physician documentation requirements.
• Conduct hospice face-to-face encounters for patients entering their third benefit period and subsequent benefit periods, as required by Medicare regulations, or supervise the process when completed by a hospice nurse practitioner.
• Perform in-home, facility-based, or telehealth symptom management visits, as clinically appropriate, to evaluate complex patient needs and provide recommendations for pain and symptom control.
• Provide consultation regarding pain and symptom management.
• Serve as a clinical resource to hospice staff and interdisciplinary team members.
• Participate in development and review of individualized plans of care.
• Collaborate with attending physicians and other community providers.
• Serve as attending physician for hospice patients when appropriate.
• Ensure medical hospice services comply with Medicare Conditions of Participation, state regulations, and accreditation standards.
• Participate in establishing and maintaining hospice clinical policies and standards.
• Review and certify terminal illness and hospice admissions when required.
• Provide written recertification of terminal illness for subsequent benefit periods.
• Review documentation supporting hospice eligibility.
• Participate in physician review of clinical appropriateness and prognosis.
• Serve as a medical resource to the interdisciplinary team.
• Participate in IDG meetings as required by regulation, either directly or through delegated processes when appropriate.
• Collaborate in development and review of patient plans of care.
• Assist with clinical decision-making and complex symptom management.
• Support staff education and clinical excellence.
• Promote evidence-based hospice and palliative care practices.
• Support compliance with Medicare Conditions of Participation and applicable state regulations.
• Participate in Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) activities.
• Assist with review of hospice outcomes, quality measures, and clinical performance improvement initiatives.
• Support regulatory surveys and compliance efforts.
• Provide consultation regarding pain and symptom management.
• Support development of evidence-based approaches to end-of-life care.
• Be available for physician consultation regarding hospice patients.
• Ensure physician services are available 24/7 to meet patient needs, either personally or through an organized coverage arrangement.
• Serve as attending physician for hospice patients who do not have an attending physician willing or able to continue care.
• Serve as a hospice ambassador within the medical community.
• Build relationships with referring providers, hospitals, nursing facilities, and community partners.
• Promote awareness of hospice and palliative care services.
• Promote educational presentations to physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, volunteers, skilled nursing facilities, and community organizations.
• Mentor hospice clinicians on complex cases.
• Advise leadership on emerging hospice and palliative care best practices.
• Assist with strategic planning and service development.
• Recommend enhancements to clinical protocols and care pathways.
• Participate in recruitment and retention efforts.

Requirements

• Current, unrestricted medical license in the state of Vermont.
• Board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine or eligibility to obtain certification within two years of hire.
• Experience in hospice, palliative care, or related field preferred.
• Strong clinical skills in pain and symptom management.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Commitment to patient-centered, interdisciplinary care.
• Knowledge of Medicare hospice regulations and Conditions of Participation.
• Ability to provide on-call coverage or arrange for coverage as needed.

The role may be structured as a contracted position, part-time employment, or other flexible arrangement depending on the qualifications and availability of the selected candidate.