We are hiring a contracted Medical Director to join Hospice of Western & Central Massachusetts!
Working with our team and residents will give you purpose in your professional and personal life.
Here at Athena Health Care Systems, our employees are the heart of our organization, and we take immense pride in their dedication. We are not only committed to delivering high-quality care and customer service to our patients and their families, but we also aspire to be the employer of choice. We strive to create a workplace where your skills and talents are nurtured to allow you to grow within the company.
As the Medical Director, you 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 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.
Experience & Education:
- Licensed as a Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathy in the state without restriction or subject to any disciplinary or corrective action.
- Maintains controlled substances registration with state and federal authorities.
- Have experience in hospice or palliative care and/or training in end-of-life care.
- Participates in ongoing medical education activities related to the medical care of hospice and palliative care patients.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Providing overall medical direction to the program.
- Assuring that the established policies, bylaws, rules, and regulations of the organization are followed in the program.
- Adhering to requirements, terms, and conditions required by Medicare Conditions of Participation, accrediting body, and federal and state statutes governing the provision of services.
- Establishing and continually reviewing policies and procedures related to patient care, medical education, and emergency procedures.
- Developing and continually reviewing, in cooperation with the CEO/Executive Director/Administrator and/or Chief Clinical Officer/Clinical Director, criteria to monitor the quality of the education programs provided to physicians, personnel, and volunteers.
- Evaluating quality assessment performance improvement (QAPI) plans and monitoring to identify medical education needs in cooperation with the CEO/Executive Director/Administrator and/or Chief Clinical Officer/Clinical Director. Participates in QAPI teams and activities, as needed.
- Proposing organizational programs to address the needs identified (with the assistance and input of consultants of the specialties where medical education needs were identified)
- Working with the CEO/Executive Director/Administrator and/or CCO/Clinical Director, after implementation of the programs, to determine the impact of said programs on the quality of care.
- 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.
- Acting as medical liaison with other physicians at Organization's Name
- Providing training regarding the medical aspects of caring for terminally ill patients to physicians, personnel, and volunteers
- 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
- Providing written certification of the terminal illness for all subsequent benefit periods
- Performing 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.)
- Consulting with attending physicians regarding pain and symptoms management for hospice patients
- Managing oversight of the patient’s medications and treatments
- Acting as medical resource to the hospice interdisciplinary group
- Attending interdisciplinary group meetings and working in a team approach with the group
- 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.
- Documenting care provided in the patient’s clinical record, providing evidence of progression of the end-stage disease process.
- 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.
- Maintaining current knowledge of the latest research and trends in hospice care and Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.pain/symptom management
- Reviewing and developing protocols for treatment, and proposing the most current options for interventions
- Develop and implement procedures and protocols regarding OSHA standards, including the handling of hazardous medications.
- Demonstrating knowledge in communications, and counseling patients and family/caregivers dealing with end-of-life issues
- Participating in resolution of interpersonal conflict and issues of clinical and ethical concern
- Ensuring that competent physician services are routinely available on a 24-hour basis to meet the general medical needs of the hospice patient to the extent the needs are not met by the attending physician.
About Athena Health Care Systems:
Hospice of Western & Central Massachusetts is managed by Athena Health Care Systems. Athena Health Care Systems, headquartered in Connecticut, has been a pioneer in delivering exceptional healthcare services since its establishment in 1984. Operating nursing homes across Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, Athena stands out as one of the premier and highly regarded providers of skilled nursing centers in Southern New England. Through our commitment to improving both the lives of our residents and the quality of our environments, we have transformed our managed facilities into thriving communities where residents enjoy an enhanced quality of life, and employees find a fulfilling and supportive work environment.
Become a vital part of our team committed to delivering exceptional care to the residents we serve.
Athena’s Benefits:
- Competitive and Weekly Pay
- Holiday Pay for Hourly and Salaried Employees
- Overtime Pay for Hourly Employees
- Career Advancement Opportunities
- Exclusive Employer Discount Program
Benefits Available for Eligible Team Members:
- Employer Paid Life Insurance
- 401(k) with Employer Match
- Vacation and Personal Time
- Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Health insurance among the lowest employee contributions in the state (Employee Contributions as low as $12.00 for singles & $39.00 for families)
We are an equal-opportunity employer that values diversity at all levels. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. Athena Health Care Systems and its managed centers follow federal and state mandatory guidelines regarding staff vaccinations; our vaccination policy requires all newly hired staff, regardless of position or work location, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they receive an approved exemption from Athena, except where prohibited by state law.
Job Features
Job Category | Home Care/Hospice |