St. Peter's Health Partners is seeking a full-time Physician Advisor to join Ellis Hospital located in Schenectady, New York.

The Physician Advisor is a key member of Ellis Medicine leadership team and is in charge of meeting organizations goals and objectives for assuring the effective, efficient utilization of health care services. To perform, under the responsibility and supervision of the Chief Medical Officer & COO, ultimately serving the hospital through teaching, consulting, and advising the care management and utilization review departments and the hospital leadership. Work with medical staff leadership to develop expertise on matters regarding physician practice patterns, over & under-utilization of resources, medical necessity, levels of care, appropriate physician coding and documentation requirements.

The Physician Advisor works closely with the Medical Staff leadership, Medical Staff (including residents), all areas of resources management, case management, social workers, discharge planners, and utilizations management to develop and implement methods to optimize use of our services for all patients while ensuring that quality of care is provided always. This role includes working with other leadership staff in developing care management protocols with physicians and others to optimize length of stay (LOS) and efficient management of resources, ensuring patients are in the appropriate level of care, supporting documentation, coding improvements and compliance, and monitoring the appropriate use of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.

Essential Job Duties and Accountabilities:

• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Able to effectively present information, both formal and informal
• Strong analytics.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills with all levels of internal and external customers.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to set priorities and multi-task, demonstrates flexibility, teamwork, and is accustomed to change in the healthcare environment.
• Demonstrates ability to drive results and produce outcomes.

Leadership Expectation:

• Demonstrates behavior that supports Ellis Medicine Mission, Vision and Values. Participates in required orientation and training related to the Physician Advisor role.
• Attend all meeting as requested by Ellis administrative leadership team and include participation in assigned committees, meetings, and other activities such as hospital quality performance team, medical audit and utilization review committees.
• Upon request, actively participate in committees to develop protocols related to evidence-based medicine and support optimal standards of care.

Acute Inpatient/Case Management Functions:

• Review health information record of patients identified by case managers or as requested by the interdisciplinary team (IDT) in order to perform quality and utilization oversight.
• Perform medical necessity reviews including initial level of care, secondary reviews, and continued stay reviews.
• Review and make suggestions related to resource and service management.

Clinical Documentation Improvement Support:

• Meets production standards within established time requirements. Work product and performance meets quality standards.
• Demonstrates respect and uses positive interpersonal skills with patients, families, voluntary Physicians, leadership, and staff at all times.
• Collaborates with Medical Staff Leadership to implement specialized project, initiative a new service, develop new practice standards.

Communication/Collaboration:

• Develop a strong system of communication for/with staff for respective departments and services.
• Contacts physicians in a timely manner to resolve delays and achieve positive outcomes.
• Effectively communicate physician teaching points for immediate and future clinical care studies.

Clinical Effectiveness:

• Demonstrates commitment to meeting/exceeding strategic initiatives of Ellis Medicine.
• Maintains accountability for achieving case management outcomes and fulfills the obligations and responsibilities of the role to support the medical staff in the clinical progression of patient care.
• Reviews issues identified by case managers to ensure appropriate follow-up, recommend improvement initiatives as needed, and make referrals to the appropriate department chair as necessary.

Medical Informatics Support:

• Collaborates with IT leadership team to ensure the system appropriately supports the physicians ability to provide best practice medicine by creating logical processes and providing the necessary order sets and practice guidelines
• Participates in physician education and outreach efforts related to the EHR
• Work in collaboration with IT team to be certain that all necessary physicians are trained, and training is appropriate for all physicians.

Functional Performance Standards and Related Measurement Criteria:

• Submit monthly record of performance metrics or data as requested to the CMO/COO
• Maintains documentation of the number of interventions and resulting outcomes or decisions.
• Documents education sessions for medical staff on trends, practice patterns, or relevant information
• Tracks and report appeal and denial results where physician advisor intervention was required.

Requirements for this opportunity include:

• Hold and maintain an unrestricted medical license in the state of New York
• Possess a solid foundation, knowledge, and/or experience in the areas of utilization management, quality improvement, and patient safety.
• Possess a working knowledge (or develop a working knowledge) of Ellis Medicine organization and case management operations and administrative standards and policies
• Strong computer skills and working knowledge of the EHR (or to learn the new EHR if not already familiar)
• Familiarity with MCG/Interqual placement status criteria is preferred
• Physician Advisor Sub-specialty certification by the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc.- preferred or willingness to pursue
• Board certification by the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. (ABQAURP) preferred - preferred or willingness to pursue
• Ability to build rapport with medical staff and hospital leadership to obtain the buy-in and collaboration necessary to achieve desired outcomes.

RECRUITMENT PACKAGE

St. Peters Health Partners offers a comprehensive salary and compensation package that includes:

• Competitive base salary
• Excellent benefits; including health/vision/dental insurances
• Paid malpractice, including post-SPHP employment tail coverage
• CME time & expense allowance
• Paid time away from the practice
• Two-part retirement savings program with employer matching program
• Relocation assistance is available