Overview

The Medical director shall be a physician licensed to practice medicine in the state where the hospice is located. In his/her absence, the medical director shall designate another physician to serve as acting medical director. The Medical director of VITAS fulfills two primary functions, each of which is expected to consume approximately one half of the time and work effort of the position:The Medical director has overall responsibility for medical direction of the care and treatment of patients and their families rendered by the hospice care team, and shall consult and cooperate with the patient's attending physician. The medical director provides physician direction and guidance to the hospice program, its physician employees, and other staff and volunteers to assure the maintenance of quality standards of care for patients and families.The Medical director educates practicing physicians and others engaged in health care services regarding the hospice program and its potential benefits to patients.In fulfilling the two primary functions explained above, the Medical director performs the following duties:Quality of Clinical CareAssure appropriate evaluation and certification of terminal prognosis of patients.Assure the quality of initial plans of care.Assure the quality of comprehensive plans of care.Assure the accuracy of documentation.Review revocations.Review recertifications of terminal prognosis.Review the quality of pain and symptom management.Provide medical expertise on pain and symptom management to admission and patient care staff.Provide medical expertise on the evaluation of terminal prognosis to admission and patient care staff.Actively participate in formal QI functions and committees.Actively participate in Interdisciplinary Group.Actively participate in Ethics Committee.Interact with attending physicians as necessary regarding pain and symptom manage ment issues and issues involving patient prognosisPeriodically attend home care team meetings and rounds in inpatient units.Supervision of team physicians (home care and inpatient)Interview and participate in the hiring and contracting of team physicians with the general manager, patient care administrator and/or team manager.Orient team physicians as to clinical responsibilities and the principles of palliative medicine.Periodically review the quality of clinical care provided by the team physician.Periodically review the quality of the quality of the documentation of visits made by the team physician.Assure that documentation of visits supports the CPT coded level of service billed.Ensure proper team physician participation and support in team meetings.Ensure proper team physician support to the VITAS nurse, team manager, and other clinical team members.Participate with the team manager in the yearly formal evaluation of the team physician.Ensure that a physician on-call rotation is established so that there is team physician support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.ManagementParticipate as an active member of the local/regional management team (includes budget process, strategic planning, etc.)Actively participate in responding to audits and denials from third party insurance and intermediaries (i.e. Medicare)Ensure that all contracted physicians (team physicians and consulting physicians) are properly credentialed via the VITAS Credentialing process.Serve on the VITAS Credentialing Committee.In Wisconsin the medical director also supervises the following functions of the consultant pharmacist:Ensure medications are utilized within accepted standards of practice.Ensure a system is developed and maintained that documents the disposal of controlled drugs.Community RelationsEducate community physicians on the principles of palliative medicine.Provide resource and consultative support to community physicians in palliative medicine.Attend and present at medical staff and other medical community conferences on palliative medicine.Serve as liaison between the h