HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE PHYSICIAN
The Hospice and Palliative Care Physician is responsible for oversight of the medical component of hospice and palliative care to our patients in conjunction with the Medical Director. This Physician will provide clinical support and education to the hospice and palliative multi-disciplinary team, collaborates with internal and external providers and referral sources to expand access to services. The Hospice and Palliative Care Physician will work within an interdisciplinary team to provide consultation to patients with serious illness who are seeking assistance with advanced symptom management, clarifying goals of care, addressing end of life care issues and transition planning.
Responsibilities:
• Maintains overall responsibility for the medical direction, care and treatment rendered to patients by the hospice and palliative care teams
• Rounds at the hospice house daily. Provides emotional support to families by explaining the dying process in lay terms
• Makes home visits to patients and provides support to clinical teams in the field with difficult cases; answers calls from patients and families as directed
• Provides back up support to Medical Director, serves in an on-call rotation to accept after-hour calls and/or evaluate eligibility for a patient for hospice care
• Serves as a medical resource to the interdisciplinary team by sharing information and knowledge
• Develops and presents in-service programs in conjunction with Medical Director
• Assists in developing the plan of care for each patient/family in coordination with the primary care physician and the interdisciplinary team; evaluates effectiveness of symptom management interventions and makes necessary recommendations/changes
• Certifies the medical prognosis of patients as appropriate for hospice or palliative care based on available prognostic indicators
• Consults with primary physician and consultants when additional information is required
• Verifies and documents the ongoing medical appropriateness for hospice services based on local coverage determinations, NHPCO guidelines, the medical literature and examination of the patient
• Collaborates with primary physician with regard to discharge/decertification from hospice program
• Assists medical director with execution of certification paperwork for each hospice patient
• Attends and participates in weekly interdisciplinary team meetings as assigned; participates, as needed, in ad hoc team consultation meetings. Serves on the internal QAPI committee
• Meets the general medical needs of the patients to the extent that these needs cannot be met by the patient's primary care physician
• Provides home, hospital, nursing home and residence visits when necessary. Collaborates with primary care physicians to assure adequate symptom management. Communicates assessment/findings to IDT and primary physician. Documents care provided and evidence of end-stage disease process.
• Provides 24-hour coverage by consulting schedule developed in advance by executive team and Medical Director. Executes share of on-call schedule and communicates in advance any schedule conflicts
• Serves as liaison with members of the medical community and other health care professionals to expand access to and utilization of hospice care concepts. Educates physicians regarding UH policies, procedures, practices, pain and symptom management and other pertinent subjects related to end-of-life care.
• Conducts educational seminars for physicians, nurses and other health care audiences whose support/understanding of the hospice program is integral to assuring that hospice services and philosophy are made accessible to patients/families.
• Participates in resolution of interpersonal conflict and issues of clinical and ethical concern.
• Participates in performance improvement activities.
• Accepts other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
• Current license to practice medicine in New York State and a graduate of an accredited school of medicine and training program
• Minimum of five years' experience as a primary care physician, internist, oncologist or other medical specialty identified as appropriate by UH
• Current DEA registration/license.
• Certification or eligibility for certification by the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine or comparable program as directed and subsidized by Hospice
• Completes Hospice Medical Director Training certification program as assigned and subsidized by Hospice
• Possesses working knowledge of PC based applications
• Familiarity with, and commitment to, the Hospice philosophy of care
• Must have or be eligible for membership in good standing on medical staff of area hospitals
• Ability to relate well to patients and family members facing advanced illness.
• Ability to work in a collaborative manner.
• Maintain medical staff privileges at a hospital which Hospice has a contract.
• Qualifies for insurance coverage under Hospice's professional liability policy.
