Associate Medical Director for Pediatrics

At Community Hospice & Health Services and its affiliates, Community Hospice & Health Services Foundation, and CHI Management, Inc. (herein referred to collectively as “CHHS”) you will find a family-based and compassionate work environment. Our goal is to provide a wonderful work experience that allows our employees to thrive by feeling engaged and fulfilled each day. CHHS is the largest and oldest nonprofit hospice, palliative care, and support services provider in the Central Valley.

We are proud to indicate that CHHS has been supporting and providing compassionate and quality services to our community since 1979. Our mission is to embrace individuals and families facing life-changing journeys, enhancing quality of life for all. CHHS is accredited by Community Health Accredited Program (CHAP).

REPORTS TO:Medical Director

SUPERVISES: Clinical care       

SUMMARY: The Pediatric Associate Medical Director is responsible for supervision of the clinical care provided to assigned pediatric hospice patients.  The Pediatric Associate Medical Director is also responsible for the quality of care, cost effectiveness of care, and regulatory compliance. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible to provide general management of medical care provided to assigned pediatric hospice patients, including clinical staff related to patient care and the functioning of the assigned interdisciplinary team.
• Responsible to determine and certify and recertify (when appropriate), in conjunction with the attending physicians, patients’ eligibility for hospice care based upon confirmation of terminal diagnosis and 6 month prognosis along with the appropriateness of hospice services.
• Responsible to serve as a medical resource, providing education and consultation to the interdisciplinary teams.
• Responsible to render the necessary medical management of the pediatric patient’s care related to the terminal illness to ensure development, updating, and implementation of the plan of care and  that all services are provided in accordance with the plan of care and the patient’s needs at all times and in all settings.
• Responsible for the consultation with the patient’s primary care and/or attending physician regarding pain and symptom control or the overall plan of care.  Also responsible to issue prescriptions for medications as needed, including Schedule II drugs.
• Responsible to serve on such committees and projects as assigned by the Medical Director to develop, implement, monitor, and improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of hospice services.
• Responsible to be available to be on-call as needed.
• Responsible to visit patients in their homes, inpatient hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, residential care facilities, and at the Hospice House as necessary.
• Follows all Community Hospice policies and procedures including, but not limited to, safety, infection control, privacy and confidentiality, and HIPAA.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex terms and abstract concepts to patients, their families, and hospice staff.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with patients, their families, hospice staff, community physicians, and other community medical providers.
• Ability to function as part of an interdisciplinary team with other professionals in medical, psychosocial, and spiritual care specialties.
• Ability to drive to hospice patients’ homes and to provide care for patients within their homes.
• Physical ability to read data visually from a CRT/VDT screen and a pager or other text messaging device, to operate a standard computer terminal, to operate a standard multi-line, desktop telephone unit, and to operate a wireless telephone.

Qualifications

• Must be a doctor of medicine or osteopathy
• Maintain current license to practice medicine in the State of California, without any restrictions.
• Maintain current DEA license.
• Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Family Practice, or Internal Medicine preferred.
• Hands-on experience in hospice and palliative care preferred. Knowledgeable with respect to the philosophy of hospice and the medical aspects of hospice care.
• Maintain valid California Driver’s License and current automobile insurance.

• Will maintain physicals and/or immunizations as required by Community Hospice.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  The main environment for this position is in the patients' homes, which vary in levels of cleanliness, accessibility, and climate control.  The employee may be exposed to virus, disease and infection from patients.  The employee may experience situations, with emotionally disturbed, substance abuse, serious illness, and deceased patients.  While performing the duties of this position, the employee will travel by automobile and is exposed to changing weather conditions.