Physician Assistant - Urology (Medical Center)

JOB SUMMARY

At Houston Methodist, the Physician Assistant (PA) functions as an advanced practice practitioner, responsible for maintaining and promoting the health of the patient requiring care, practicing medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. This position will provide diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical and preventative care, under the supervision of a physician. The PA position exams, diagnoses and decides treatment for patients, including analyzing and interpreting x-rays and lab results, writes prescriptions, takes patients’ histories, provides surgical assistance, and orders various forms of therapy. This position may work in both inpatient and outpatient situations and can perform independently under the license of a physician or as part of a treatment team. The PA position affects direct patient care according to the Board of Physician Assistant Examiners in the State of Texas and Houston Methodist policies and procedures.

PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Job responsibilities labeled EF capture those duties that are essential functions of the job.

PEOPLE - 25%

1. Demonstrates leadership as a clinical resource, interprofessional consultant, and patient advocate. Participates in rounding independently or with physicians/surgeons and attends interdisciplinary rounds, as appropriate, by specialty. (EF)
2. Collaborates to foster healthy relationships in the work environment. Acts as a role model and coaches staff in effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication. May serve as first call for hospital staff. Serves as preceptor for Physician Assistant students and medical residents, as appropriate (EF)
3. Communicates organizational information and aspects of administrative and clinical practice in a respectful and positive manner when interacting with staff. Advocates for a balanced workload, promotes positive behaviors, and peer-to-peer accountability. Facilitates the promotion of teamwork. Uses peer-to-peer accountability towards improvement of department score for employee engagement. (EF)
4. Collaborates with interprofessional health care team members to manage/coordinate patient care. Advocates on patient/family’s behalf to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns. (EF)

SERVICE - 20%

1. Coordinates appropriate, timely patient care between health care providers and other ancillary clinicians, as appropriate, under a physician license, for a defined patient population(s), focusing on identified expected unit/optimal outcomes, individualized to the patient. Helps drive improvement of department score for patient satisfaction, through peer-to-peer accountability to service standards. (EF)
2. Collaborates quality health care with interprofessional team members to manage/coordinate patient care. (EF)
3. Responds and is available timely to patient questions/issues that arise as triaged by clinical staff and provides assistance for emergencies, as needed. (EF)

QUALITY/SAFETY - 30%

1. Performs independent or delegated functions under physician license, such as diagnosis, use of prescriptive authority, and treatment according to practice guidelines, protocols, and/or standing orders. (EF)
2. Reviews medications and test reports on patients, responds to critical test results, and advises on any corrective action based on the results. (EF)
3. Conducts comprehensive health assessments (initial, ongoing, discharge), identifies normal/abnormal health characteristics, develops plan of care, initiates appropriate interventions, and evaluates care outcomes on defined patient populations. Performs quality and safe diagnostic, surgical and/or therapeutic procedures necessary for defined patient populations. (EF)
4. Assists the interprofessional health care team in the development and implementation of protocols to ensure patient safety. Integrates and contributes to professional practice standards, policies, procedures, protocols and leads improvements in patient safety-related processes. (EF)

FINANCE - 15%

1. Performs accurate and timely documentation in medical records, including diagnosis and CPT coding. (EF)
2. Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and mentors others to do the same through timely documentation of care, decreasing length of stay, optimizing efficiency, and other areas according to department specifications. Projects awareness and understanding of resource allocation based on patient needs and staff experience, knowledge, and skills. (EF)

GROWTH/INNOVATION - 10%

1. Fosters identification and implementation of innovative solutions to improve patient care or department operations such as the organization’s quality metrics or other department-specific measures by leading and/or participating in department and/or hospital projects/activities or a hospital committee. (EF)
2. Provides education of information/knowledge in professional activities such as research, presentations, and publications. Expands individual nursing knowledge and coaches staff to grow in knowledge, abilities, skills, and attitudes. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis. (EF)

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

o Bachelor’s degree

o Graduate from accredited Physician Assistant program by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

o One year of clinical experience