Physician

Description of Duties

• Supports the delivery of medical care services for detainees held in the custody of ICE at a detention facility.
• Provides direct patient care to detainees at their facility, who may include adult men and women and children.
• Provides clinical oversight and consultation to other medical staff caring for detainees at the facility.

Required Education, Licensure, and Experience

• Doctor of Medicine degree from a U.S. or Canadian program accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association (AMA).
• Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
• Unrestricted license to practice medicine in the state in which the duty station is located.
• Unrestricted license from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to prescribe controlled medications in the state in which the duty station is located.
• Three years of medical specialty training in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, or Pediatrics leading to board eligibility in that field, with board certification preferred.
• Experience in a detention/correctional or residential healthcare setting (preferred, not required).

Attributes and Professional Qualities

• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Cultural competence to be able to serve a diverse patient population.
• Integrity and honesty.
• High degree of independence, initiative, and follow-through on sensitive and complex issues.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent current knowledge of clinical medicine and the current standards of medical practice.
• Ability to serve proficiently as a clinical expert, providing technical assistance and consultation to clinic medical staff.
• Ability and proficiency to properly use equipment, materials and supplies involving primary care diagnostic and treatment procedures.
• Ability to review medical cases/records for appropriateness of care and provide recommendations for care management.
• Highly effective managerial and administrative practices, to include expertise in routine management of ambulatory clinic functioning and responsibilities.
• Capacity to develop and access clinical educational programs for their staff.
• Proficient teaching skills and dedicated to the education of clinical professionals at all levels.
• Knowledge of issues confronting the healthcare delivery system, including specific problems and concerns of special population groups.
• Knowledge of medical practice management theory with skillful ability to implement program policies, guidelines and operating procedures relating to healthcare delivery systems.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-disciplinary care environment, and to effectively apply social determinants of health practices in delivery of medical care.
• Ability to utilize telephone, video and in-person interpreter services to complete assigned duties if not fluent in a language understandable by patients being provided medical care.
• Ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and flexibility in work requirements.
• Ability to communicate proficiently in English (verbal and written) to develop positive rapport with patients, co-workers and other stakeholders.
• Ability to maintain high productivity in an electronic work environment notably involving electronic health records, web-based training, and communications.
• Knowledge of, and moderate proficiency in, common Microsoft Office programs including but not limited to Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, and Teams.
• Knowledge of regulations (HIPAA/Privacy Act) regarding the confidentiality of patient medical records and information as well as personally identifiable information (PII).
• Verbal and written proficiency in Spanish (preferred, not required).

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Serves as on-site medical authority within the scope of services provided by IHSC, responsible for developing and coordinating all aspects of healthcare delivery at assigned facility.
• Routinely sees a patient at least every 30-45 minutes, depending on complexity of the patient encounter.
• Signed all assigned patient encounter notes daily.
• All chart reviews /co-signatures, referrals submissions/reviews, lab reviews, telephone encounters, actions, and message reviews are to be completed within policy guidelines.
• Supervises advanced practice providers (APPs), nursing staff, pharmacists, and medical assistants, including fulfillment of APP collaborative practice duties and requirements and delineation of scope of practice for medical assistants.
• Provides direct care to patients throughout the lifespan within physician scope of practice and performs functions in accordance with currently accepted practice defined by the profession, licensure, certification, and granted privileges.
• Conducts physical assessments, initial and follow-up assessments for acute and chronic medical condition, ensuring appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic tests and services are available, utilized and monitored.
• Acts as initial reviewer and/or approver for all outside referrals/consults to specialty services not offered at the local facility.
• Conducts daily rounds on patients housed in the Medical Housing Unit and/or consults with clinicians as necessary regarding their care, if applicable to the facility.
• Responds to and/or coordinates response to medical emergencies.
• Seeks guidance from and provides clinical report to the IHSC Medical Director, Deputy Medical Director, Regional Clinical Directors or other IHSC senior leadership as appropriate.
• Supports facility performance improvement activities, and grievance and case review taskings.
• Completes all discipline specific testing, initially and during recertification periods.
• Maintains patient confidentiality, and confidentiality of medical records, in compliance with the Privacy Act and HIPAA regulations in all work activities.
• Adheres to, and maintains awareness of, IHSC policies, procedures, directives, operational memoranda and accreditation standards as prescribed by ICE/IHSC.
• Attends and participates in general/medical staff meetings.

Duty Hours / On-Call Requirements

• IHSC operates 24/7/365.
• This position is required to respond with physical presence during an emergency activation.
• This full-time position is required the incumbent to provide rotational on-call coverage telephonically.
• The incumbent may need to return to the facility during non-core hours to provide care.

Security Requirements

• The Department of Homeland Security’s Personnel Security Unit (PSU) must render a Preliminary Favorable Fitness Determination to be considered a qualified candidate.
• A Complete Favorable Fitness Determination must be rendered by PSU upon completion of initial and subsequent background investigations to meet the requirements of this position.

Physical Demands

• The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking or jogging unaided over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy patients or equipment.
• The work may require specific, but common, physical characteristics and abilities, such as agility and dexterity, visual, and hearing capabilities.
• Must be able to respond to any medical emergency in the facility, via foot, within four minutes and perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
• Must have the ability to assist sick, injured, or aging detainees or staff exiting the building during an emergency.