Physician Inpatient

About Us

We are VITAS Healthcare, the nation’s leading end-of-life care provider since 1978. Our hospice organization kickstarts careers in caring, promotes from within, and provides a nationally recognized best-in-class employee experience. Supported by industry-leading experts and an expanding network of programs in 15+ states, VITAS empowers team members to grow toward their goals while transforming patients’ lives. Our priority is to care: For our patients, for each other, and for the future.

Responsibilities

• Build meaningful relationships with patients and families, providing the highest-quality care at the most challenging point in life.
• See the person behind each prognosis and create care plans centered around the patient’s wishes, needs, and beliefs, often collaborating with the patient’s primary care physician.
• Advocate for patients by discussing goals for their care while addressing their hopes and fears.
• Educate patients, caregivers, and communities on the benefits of compassionate, dignified end-of-life care.
• Spend most of your time caring for hospice patients admitted to an inpatient unit (IPU) in a hospital, nursing facility, or hospice house, providing round-the-clock care for patients whose symptoms cannot be managed effectively at home.
• Attend a weekly interdisciplinary team meeting to discuss cases with social workers, chaplains, and nurses, collaborating to provide holistic support for patients and families.

Requirements

• Licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy in the state where the program operates.
• Inpatient physicians must be members in good standing at the hospital(s) where they provide care.
• Board-certified or board-eligible in hospice and palliative medicine, internal medicine, family practice, or a related specialty.
• Familiarity with the principles of hospice and registered with the DEA.
• Commitment, compassion, and a can-do attitude, with patient welfare at the center of everything you do.

Where You’ll Work

You will primarily care for hospice patients in an inpatient unit (IPU) located in a hospital, nursing facility, or hospice house. These units provide round-the-clock care for patients whose symptoms cannot be managed effectively in a home setting.