Hospitalist Virtual Practice

Christiana Care anticipates your duties as a hospitalist will involve delivering high quality inpatient health care in a cost-effective manner. Your minimum responsibilities are outlined below:

A. Schedule. Physician shall provide a minimum average of forty (40) scheduled hours per week, averaged over four (4) weeks, of predominantly hospital based care, in accordance with a schedule jointly and mutually developed by the Physician, the CCHP Medical Director, or his designee, to meet the needs of the inpatient hospital site(s) at which Physician provides services. Physician and Christiana Care intend and agree that Physician shall maintain the patient care schedule outlined above in providing patient care, subject to absences permitted hereunder for continuing medical education, vacation and sickness, provided any such absences during scheduled Practice hours shall be arranged with any other physicians in the Practice, should there be any, and, with the exception of sickness, approved in advance by the CCHP Medical Director or his/her designee and the Medical Director of TMGCC). For purposes of this Section, "patient care" is defined to mean direct inpatient care services rendered personally by Physician to patients of the Practice, and outside activities described in Section C.

B. You will be operating under the supervision of and will report to the CCHP Medical Director or Senior Vice President, TMGCC. CCHS adult medicine staff and hospital privileges will be under the responsibility of the Chair of Medicine.

C. You will participate in the supervision of the inpatient service with the managers of TMGCC to include supervising support staff, participating in recruitment of additional physicians, reviewing all revenue and expense items and participating in practice development and growth. Christiana Care shall provide such facilities equipment, supplies and other support services as Christiana Care shall deem reasonable for the provision of professional and administrative services to patients and administration of the practice.

D. You will maintain a very positive customer service orientation, which will serve as an example for support staff. Physician recognizes that patient satisfaction is extremely important to Christiana Care and that Christiana Care shall use surveys which it conducts and other surveys conducted by third party payers to gauge patient satisfaction. In the event that the results of such patient satisfaction surveys are not satisfactory to Christiana Care, Christiana Care will work with Physician to remedy such shortcomings.

E. To maintain status as a full-time employee, you will be expected to achieve a minimum average of forty (40) scheduled hours per week of direct patient care.

F. You will participate in marketing activities to promote the Practice (e.g., speaking engagements and membership in social, civic, professional and other appropriate organizations).

G. You will submit billing capture data or input forms for services provided by you or under your direction daily for the services provided that day; all charges will be supported by documentation in the medical record within twenty-four (24) hours of the patient visit.

H. Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides quality direct medical care to hospitalized adult patients from admission until discharge
• Works closely with patient's primary care provider in management of patient's care
• Works in an independent and interdependent, multidisciplinary relationship with members of the medical staff, which allows for consultation, collaboration, and/or referral
• Performs inpatient medicine consults as needed
• Maintains legible, accurate, and confidential medical records. Documents all medical evaluations, diagnoses, procedures, treatment, outcomes, education, referrals, and consultations consistent with NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance), TJC (The Joint Commission), and state regulatory standards
• Participates in and leads research and scholarly activities
• Participates in adult hospitalist group quality and performance improvement projects
• Supports utilization management and care management activities
• Participates in continuing medical and hospital medicine education
• Works closely with resident physicians and medical students to assure high-quality medical education
• Maintains required licenses and credentials
• Performs assigned work safely, adhering to established departmental safety rules and practices; reports to supervisor, in a timely manner, any unsafe activities, conditions, hazards, or safety violations that may cause injury to oneself, other employees, patients and visitors.
• Performs other related duties as required.
• Works extensively with patients and families, residents and students, mid-level providers and other clinical and administrative staff, referring physicians, and specialists
• Review of discharge instructions for clarity and approrpirate plan for ACO members.
• Appropriate referral to Palliative Care for advanced disease with frequent readmissions.
• Identification of barriers to care in outpatient setting (ride, cost, family involvement, etc.)
• Appropriate disposition, reassessment of level of care, discharge appointment set up to decrease admissions (with a focus on appropriateness with virtual post-discharge visits).
• Expedite labs/imaging/prescription cost determination and preapproval on day of discharge.
• Assist with PASSR, coordination of transportation, escalation of challenging dispo to allow floor Case Managers to progress plan for other patients; care of long stay patients for continuity and progression of dispo plan.
• Virtual post-discharge visits when PCP not available in required time-frame or for select patients; support for SNFs to avoid readmission.