Hospice/Palliative Medicine Physician
Company: Vitas Healthcare
Location: Melbourne
Posted on: January 16, 2026
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Job Description:
The Medical director shall be a physician licensed to practice
medicine in the state where the hospice is located. In his/her
absence, the medical director shall designate another physician to
serve as acting medical director. The Medical director of VITAS
fulfills two primary functions, each of which is expected to
consume approximately one half of the time and work effort of the
position: The Medical director has overall responsibility for
medical direction of the care and treatment of patients and their
families rendered by the hospice care team, and shall consult and
cooperate with the patient's attending physician. The medical
director provides physician direction and guidance to the hospice
program, its physician employees, and other staff and volunteers to
assure the maintenance of quality standards of care for patients
and families. Educates practicing physicians and others engaged in
health care services regarding the hospice program and its
potential benefits to patients. In fulfilling the two primary
functions explained above, performs the following duties: Quality
of Clinical Care Assure appropriate evaluation and certification of
terminal prognosis of patients. Assure the quality of initial plans
of care. Assure the quality of comprehensive plans of care. Assure
the accuracy of documentation. Review revocations. Review
recertifications of terminal prognosis. Review the quality of pain
and symptom management. Provide medical expertise on pain and
symptom management to admission and patient care staff. Provide
medical expertise on the evaluation of terminal prognosis to
admission and patient care staff. Actively participate in formal QI
functions and committees. Actively participate in Interdisciplinary
Group. Actively participate in Ethics Committee. Interact with
attending physicians as necessary regarding pain and symptom manage
ment issues and issues involving patient prognosis Periodically
attend home care team meetings and rounds in inpatient units.
Supervision of team physicians (home care and inpatient) Interview
and participate in the hiring and contracting of team physicians
with the general manager, patient care administrator and/or team
manager. Orient team physicians as to clinical responsibilities and
the principles of palliative medicine. Periodically review the
quality of clinical care provided by the team physician.
Periodically review the quality of the quality of the documentation
of visits made by the team physician. Assure that documentation of
visits supports the CPT coded level of service billed. Ensure
proper team physician participation and support in team meetings.
Ensure proper team physician support to the VITAS nurse, team
manager, and other clinical team members. Participate with the team
manager in the yearly formal evaluation of the team physician.
Ensure that a physician on-call rotation is established so that
there is team physician support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. Management Participate as an active member of the
local/regional management team (includes budget process, strategic
planning, etc.) Actively participate in responding to audits and
denials from third party insurance and intermediaries (i.e.
Medicare) Ensure that all contracted physicians (team physicians
and consulting physicians) are properly credentialed via the VITAS
Credentialing process. Serve on the VITAS Credentialing Committee.
Community Relations Educate community physicians on the principles
of palliative medicine. Provide resource and consultative support
to community physicians in palliative medicine. Attend and present
at medical staff and other medical community conferences on
palliative medicine. Serve as liaison between the hospice and
community physicians. Make regular contacts with practicing
physicians to introduce the hospice program, to educate physicians
regarding individuals for whom hospice may be appropriate, and to
answer clinical and other concerns of physicians with respect to
hospice. Assist in introducing the VITAS program to long term care
providers, managed care providers, hospitals, and others. Conduct
educational seminars, in services, and presentations to physicians,
nurses, and other health care audiences whose support for and
understanding of the hospice program is integral to assuring that
hospice services are made accessible to patients and families.
Education and Research Assist in the development of and actively
participate in clinical training for all hospice patient care and
admissions personnel. Actively participate in medical and nursing
education programs on palliative medicine that may be provided by
VITAS to medical and nursing colleges in the community. Assist in
the development of and actively participate in research protocols
on both the local and corporate level. Be a member of and
participate in professional organizations related to palliative
medicine. QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge of the principles and practice
of primary medical care, with at least a working knowledge of
oncology. Knowledge of palliative care with particular emphasis on
control of symptoms associated with terminal illness. Ability to
work collaboratively with patients' attending physicians to
implement the hospice program and effect optimum medical care.
Ability to work collaboratively with hospice employees and
volunteers as part of an interdisciplinary team. Membership in good
standing on the medical staff of an accredited hospital in the
state in which the hospice is located. Medical malpractice and
liability insurance in amounts and with carriers satisfactory to
VITAS. Positive recommendation to the general manager or area vice
president from corporate medical officer. EDUCATION License to
practice medicine in the state in which the program is operating.
Board certification in a medical specialty which deals with care of
the terminally ill, such as Internal Medicine, Oncology or Family
Practice, with at least a working knowledge of medical oncology and
demonstrated expertise in the principles of palliative medicine and
symptom management.
Keywords: Vitas Healthcare, Port Orange , Hospice/Palliative Medicine Physician, Healthcare , Melbourne, Florida
