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.