Physician Assistant – Palliative Care

Maine Medical Center, a MaineHealth member, is seeking an experienced Physician Assistant to join our Palliative Care team.

The goal of palliative care is to maximize quality of life and align the individual's medical care with what matters most to them. The Palliative Care APP is an integral member of the Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Team of physicians, APPs, nurses, social workers, and chaplains who deliver patient- and family-centered care to individuals of all ages living with serious illness. The Palliative Care PA will care for patients primarily in the inpatient setting at Maine Medical Center – Portland, with potential coverage in the ambulatory clinic in Scarborough, ME.

Responsibilities:

• Provides inpatient specialty palliative care consultation services in collaboration with the Palliative Care interdisciplinary team through expert assessment and treatment of complex symptoms, assisting with complex decision making, and providing psychosocial support.
• Collaborates successfully as a member of the Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Team, taking responsibility for quality and continuity of care of assigned patients.
• Embodies and serves as an ambassador for the philosophy of evidence-based care provision following NCP guidelines.
• Within the Palliative Care interdisciplinary team framework, collaborates with the patient’s primary care teams to facilitate identification of patient and family goals of care and access to appropriate support post discharge (e.g., home health, hospice, rehabilitation).
• Completes timely and accurate documentation of all activities in the EPIC EMR system.
• Participates in education of non-palliative care providers and promotes culture transformation to reinforce primary palliative care education to enhance compassion and support for patients within the health system.
• Respects patient confidentiality, privacy, and dignity.
• Provides services in a timely and courteous manner with care and respect for the patient’s individual needs.
• Participates in all practice group assignments and meetings.
• Helps educate medical students, residents, nurses, APP colleagues and other hospital staff about Palliative Care principles and practices.

Required Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Education: Successful completion of an approved Physician Assistant program.
• License/Certifications: Current license and registration to practice as a Physician Assistant as required in the State of Maine.
• Experience: Advanced skill and knowledge in conducting physical examinations and treating patients with minimal direction at a level generally acquired through at least 3 years of experience practicing as a Physician Assistant, or through completion of a Palliative Medicine training program specialty certification and/or experience equivalent/ eligible for specialty certification.
• Analytical abilities necessary to obtain medical histories, conduct physical examinations, prepare complex treatment plans, and treat assigned patients with minimal guidance and direction.
• Interpersonal skills and communication skills to engage as a specialist with a variety of personnel (e.g., patients, employees, physicians, and other health care professionals.)
• Knowledge of patient assessment techniques including taking medical histories, performing physicals, evaluating health status, including state of wellness and compliance with care recommendations.
• Skill in case management, time management, problem solving, crisis intervention, multitasking and other organizational matters.

• Ability to make responsible decisions within scope of practice (PA).

• Ability to educate patients, families, and staff in user-friendly manner.
• Strong computer skills with skill in using computerized health information management system.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and customer service skills with the ability to establish/maintain effective working relationships with patients, clinical staff and the public.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.