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.

Position Qualifications:

Required:

Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
Current or eligible for unrestricted Vermont medical licensure.
Eligible to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Maintain DEA and state controlled substances registrations, as applicable.
Maintain continuing medical education relevant to hospice and palliative care.
Strong communication and collaboration skills.
Commitment to patient-centered, compassionate end-of-life care.

Preferred:

Experience in hospice, palliative care, geriatrics, oncology, family medicine, internal medicine, or hospital medicine.
Hospice Medical Director experience.
Experience in rural health, home-based care, geriatrics, oncology, family medicine, internal medicine, or palliative care.
Experience conducting hospice face-to-face encounters and managing complex pain and symptom needs in home, facility, or outpatient settings.
Board Certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Experience working with interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
Knowledge of Medicare hospice regulations.

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Medical Director Hospice