Medical Director - Hospice - San Diego

Job Description Summary

The Hospice Medical Director will have overall responsibility for the medical component of the hospice program. The Hospice Medical Director will provide oversight of physician services by complementing attending physician care, acting as a medical resource to the interdisciplinary group, assuring continuity of hospice medical services, and assuring appropriate measures to control patient symptoms. The Hospice Medical Director will serve as a hospice champion promoting and representing the program to physicians, physician groups, discharge planners, other referral sources, community health organizations, and potential donors, as appropriate. 

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the Hospice Medical Director will include, but not be limited to, 

the following:

1. Devoting his/her best ability to the proper management of the program.
2. Providing overall medical direction to the program.
3. Assuring that the established policies, bylaws, rules, and regulations of the organization are followed in the program.
4. Adhering to requirements, terms, and conditions required by Medicare Conditions of Participation, accrediting body, and federal and state statutes governing the provision of services. 
5. Establishing and continually reviewing policies and procedures related to patient care, medical education, and emergency procedures. 
6. Developing and continually reviewing, in cooperation with the Executive Director/ Administrator and /or Clinical Director/ Director of Patient Care Services criteria to monitor the quality of the education programs provided to physicians, personnel, and volunteers.
7. Evaluating quality assessment performance improvement (QAPI) plans and monitoring to identify medical education needs in cooperation with the Executive Director/ Administrator and/or Clinical Director/ Director of Patient Care Services. Participates in QAPI teams and activities, as needed.
8. Proposing organizational programs to address the needs identified (with the assistance and input of consultants of the specialties where medical education needs were identified).
9. Working with the Executive Director/ Administrator and/or Clinical Director/ Director of Patient Care Services, after implementation of the programs, to determine the impact of said programs on the quality of care.
10. Serving as a hospice champion in the community. 
11. Acting as a liaison to community physicians by providing consultation and education to colleagues and attending physicians related to admission criteria for hospice and palliative care.
12. Providing training regarding the medical aspects of caring for terminally ill patients to physicians, personnel, and volunteers
13. Reviewing patients’ medical eligibility for hospice services, in accordance with hospice program policies and procedures, and establishing the plan of care in conjunctions with attending physician and interdisciplinary group prior to providing care written certification of terminal illness.
14. Providing written certification of terminal illness for all subsequent benefit periods.
15. Perform face to face encounters within thirty (30) days of the third and subsequent hospice benefit certification periods and attest to the encounter. (NP may complete the encounter and report findings to the hospice physician). 
16. Consulting with attending physicians regarding pain and symptoms management for hospice patients.
17. Managing oversight of the patient’s medications and treatments
18. Acting as medical resource to the hospice interdisciplinary group.
19. Attending interdisciplinary group meetings and working in a team approach with the group.
20. In conjunction with the attending physician and interdisciplinary group, reviewing and updating the plan of care at least every 15 days, or more frequently as needed.
21. Documenting care provided in the patient’s clinical record, providing evidence of progression of the end-stage disease process. 
22. Acting as primary physician for patients whose referring/ attending physicians desire to relinquish that care and/or if the referring/ attending physicians are not available for further contact.
23. Maintaining current knowledge of the latest research and trends in hospice care and pain/ symptoms management.
24. Reviewing and developing protocols for treatment and proposing the most current options for interventions.
25. Develop and implement procedures and protocols regarding OSHA standards, including the handling of hazardous medications.
26. Demonstrating knowledge in communications, and counseling patients and family/ caregivers dealing with end-of-life issues.
27. Participating in resolution of interpersonal conflict and issues of clinical and ethical concern.
28. Ensuring physician services are routinely available on a 24-hour basis to meet the general medical needs of the hospice patient.
29. Assisting with evaluation of protocols and procedures with respect to quality and cost outcomes.
30. When the Hospice Medical Director is not available, ensure the hospice team physician will assume responsibilities and obligations as the Hospice Medical Director.
     
     

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job related tasks other than those stated in this description.

Position Qualifications

1. Licensed as a Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathy in California without restriction or subject to any disciplinary or corrective action.
2. Maintains controlled substances registration with state and federal authorities.
3. Have experience in hospice or palliative care and/or training in end of life care.
4. Participates in ongoing medical education activities related to the medical care of hospice and palliative care patients.
5. Not excluded from participating in the Medicare program
6. Must be PECOS enrolled as of May 1, 2024.

Physical Requirements

1. The ability to sit occasionally for 1-3 hours. 
2. The ability to frequently stand for 3-6 hours. 
3. The ability to occasionally drive/ operate foot control for 1-3 hours. 
4. The ability to walk occasionally on level surface for 1-3 hours. 
5. The ability to walk intermittently on unlevel surface for less than 1 hour. 
6. The ability to intermittently bend or climb for less than 1 hour. 
7. The ability to occasionally twist, kneel, crouch and crawl for 1-3 hours. 
8. The ability to lift 50 pounds intermittently in less than 1 hour. 
9. The ability to carry up to 50 pounds intermittently in less than 1 hour. 
10. The ability to push up to 50 pounds intermittently in less than 1 hour. 
11. The ability to pull up to 50 pounds intermittently in less than 1 hour.
12. Maintains current and valid California Driver’s License and Automobile Insurance coverage at all times. 
13. Must have a reliable form of transportation.