Medical Director Hospice

at Northern Counties Health Care in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, United States

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Hospice Medical Director provides medical leadership for the hospice program and serves as a clinical resource to the interdisciplinary team. The Medical Director 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. The Medical Director will provide direct patient care through hospice face-to-face recertification encounters and symptom management consultations/visits as needed, helping ensure timely access to expert end-of-life care throughout our service area. 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.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities: 

Medical Oversight:

• 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. 

Hospice Eligibility and Certification:

• 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. 

Interdisciplinary Group (IDG):

• 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. 

Quality and Compliance

• 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. 

Symptoms and Medication Management:

• 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.

Availability:

• 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. 

Community Outreach:

• Serve as a hospice ambassador within the medical community.
• Built relationships with referring providers, hospitals, nursing facilities, and community partners.
• Promote awareness of hospice and palliative care services.

Education:

• Promote educational presentations to physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, volunteers, skilled nursing facilities, and community organizations.
• Mentor hospice clinicians on complex cases. 

Program Development:

• Advice leadership on emerging hospice and palliative care best practices.
• Assist with strategic planning and service development.
• Recommend enhancements to clinical protocols and care pathways.

Leadership:

• Participate in recruitment and retention efforts for hospice providers.
• Assistant with clinical ethics consultations.
• Support interdisciplinary team development and staff engagement. 

The above statements are intended 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.