Hospice & Palliative Care Medical Director – Physician Leadership | Bowling Green, KY (BB 135315)

1. Medical Leadership and Clinical Oversight

Provide clinical leadership and oversight for hospice and palliative care medical programs, ensuring consistent, high-quality, patient-centered care.

Oversee and, as applicable, supervise Associate Medical Directors, nurse practitioners, and contracted physicians in collaboration with the CEO.

Ensure appropriate physician coverage and timely delivery of medical services when attending physicians are unavailable.

Ensure daily physician rounds for General Inpatient (GIP) patients at the Hospice House and local hospitals are completed by the Medical Director or another qualified physician.

Provide guidance to hospice leadership and clinical staff on medical care standards, clinical decision-making, and treatment approaches.

Promote a collaborative, respectful, and accountable work environment aligned with the organization's mission and objectives.

2. Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Care Coordination

Attend scheduled Interdisciplinary Group (IDG) meetings and collaborate with team members to develop, review, and oversee individualized patient plans of care.

Partner with attending physicians, facility providers, and other healthcare professionals to establish, implement, and revise treatment plans as patient needs evolve.

Promote effective communication and coordination among physicians, nursing staff, social workers, chaplains, and other care team members.

Develop and maintain strong professional relationships with hospitals, long-term care facilities (LTCFs), community physicians, and other healthcare organizations.

Support community outreach and organizational growth by strengthening referral relationships and increasing awareness of hospice and palliative care services.

Educate physicians and healthcare professionals on hospice services, admission criteria, eligibility requirements, and available care options.

3. Clinical Consultation and Patient Care

Serve as a primary medical resource for hospice staff, patients, families, attending physicians, and community providers on pain management, symptom control, and complex clinical concerns.

Maintain availability for timely clinical consultation and medical decision-making, both in person and by telephone.

Conduct home visits, required face-to-face encounters, Hospice House rounds, hospital visits, and long-term care facility visits as clinically indicated.

Provide pre-election evaluations and counseling for prospective hospice patients and their families when requested.

Guide patients and families through discussions involving disease progression, prognosis, goals of care, treatment options, and end-of-life decisions.

Review patient medications at admission and throughout care as appropriate, ensuring prescribing decisions align with individualized care plans and formulary guidelines.

Provide clinical oversight of pharmacy utilization, intravenous (IV) therapy, and treatment-related expenses while maintaining appropriate standards of care.

Support care decisions that respect patient preferences, advance directives, individual values, and family needs.

4. Regulatory Compliance and Clinical Documentation

Ensure physician and nurse practitioner documentation, billing, coding, and medical records meet applicable regulatory, professional, organizational, and accreditation standards.

Maintain accurate, timely, and complete documentation to support continuity of care, medical necessity, regulatory compliance, and appropriate reimbursement.

Obtain and maintain required medical staff privileges at hospitals and long-term care facilities, as applicable to assigned responsibilities.

Ensure clinical practices comply with applicable federal and state laws, regulations, accepted medical standards, and organizational policies and procedures.

Respond promptly to requests for physician signatures, medical orders, certifications, recertifications, and other required clinical documentation.

Support appropriate documentation and verification of hospice eligibility and ongoing medical necessity in accordance with applicable requirements.

5. Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement

Participate actively in the organization's Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program.

Identify opportunities to improve clinical outcomes, patient comfort, care coordination, documentation quality, and operational effectiveness.

Support the development and implementation of clinical policies, protocols, and evidence-based practices.

Review clinical concerns, care delivery trends, and performance indicators to identify improvement opportunities.

Collaborate with leadership and interdisciplinary teams to implement corrective actions and promote continuous improvement.

Encourage a culture of patient safety, professional accountability, and high-quality, compassionate care.

6. Education, Training, and Professional Development

Provide ongoing clinical education, training, and guidance to hospice physicians, nurse practitioners, nursing staff, and other relevant team members.

Promote evidence-based approaches to pain management, symptom control, palliative care, and end-of-life decision-making.

Educate staff on clinical protocols, documentation requirements, hospice eligibility, and relevant regulatory developments.

Support professional development and the consistent application of clinical best practices across the organization.

Maintain current knowledge of advances in hospice and palliative medicine, regulatory requirements, and accepted standards of care.