Associate Medical Director for VCU Health at Home Hospice Program | Internal Medicine SOM #M60517

Mission or Goal of Unit: The Division of Geriatric Medicine and the VCUHS Center for Advanced Health Management (CAHM) aim to improve health services and outcomes for senior and adult patients with advanced chronic illness, through a multifaceted, team-based approach featuring cutting-edge care, service, collaboration, research and education. The goals of the program are as follows: Clinical care: to practice the highest quality, safe and cost effective adult care in a comprehensive, innovative environment which is individualized and sensitive to a diverse population; Science: to enhance scientific knowledge and care through creative and pioneering investigation; Education: to provide comprehensive education and training to students and all professionals with enthusiasm and respect.

Chief Purpose of this position: The Division of Geriatric Medicine orchestrates the VCUHS Center for Advanced Health Management (CAHM) which is a multi-faceted, continuum-spanning care system comprised of five sections each led by a physician chief. There is office-based medical care for adults who are comparatively mobile; home-based primary care for those that are less mobile; nursing home care both short-term and long-term; inpatient geriatric inpatient consultation and co-management; a 24/7continuum integration center featuring transitional care and coordination support including post-acute services, remote patient monitoring, telemedicine visits, and a nurse call line. Other service features of CAHM include behavioral health counseling; pharmacy consultation; care management and social work services. The vision of the CAHM program is to be a local, regional and national leader in health care services for seniors and chronically ill adults, and support the efforts of our health care providers, educators, patients, families, and policymakers to improve the health care and quality of life for older adults and those living with advanced chronic disease.

Position Responsibilities:

Teaching: To support teaching directly via interactions with Fellows, residents, medical students, and non-physician professionals. (Affiliate faculty appointment)

Research: To support the research mission of the Division.

Service: To provide service of the highest quality to the people of the state of Virginia and beyond.

Clinical: Anticipated Medical Direction clinical effort is 90%. The workload and time commitments are commensurate with existing Geriatrics faculty, averaging 55 hours of work effort per week for full time roles.

Duties: To be responsible for managing a panel of patients throughout the continuum of care. To assure that care is timely, appropriate, of high quality, and cost effective. To create and enhance systems to assure that all patients receive planned, evidence-based care and care is fully coordinated with ongoing continuity for the patient, family and caregiver. To work collaboratively with Attendings, Fellows, Residents, NPs, PAs, and other staff to ensure a team-based approach to care is fostered. To understand and welcome the importance of roles as care providers, team members, and major influencers of our community’s perception of the geriatrician’s quality and service. This physician, who will start with a role that is part-time (0.5 FTE) will primarily focus on hospice care, in the hospice operated by VCUHS, carrying an active average census of 40 cases and working with an interprofessional team, and will share after hours call (typically from home) with others in the hospice care model. Much of this work may be performed initially using virtual technology, in the context of the COVID pandemic.

Required Qualifications:

• BC/BE in Internal Medicine

• Must be comfortable working with an interprofessional team including nurse practitioners and pharmacists, and must integrate well with members of an extended care team.

• Must have direct experience managing complex adult patients with a solid understanding of the geriatrician role and function.

• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Geriatric fellowship training strongly preferred for most physicians
• Experience with EPIC electronic health records preferred.