Job Summary : The Physician Assistant is a licensed professional provider who functions in collaboration with an attending with an attending physician in a variety of practice settings at WMCHealth.  Provides exceptional direct diagnostic and therapeutic patient care to the highest standards of the organization as part of a multidisciplinary team.   Cultivates a patient centric environment that focuses on the whole individual inclusive of physical, psychosocial, spiritual and functional needs of the patient, family, and significant others. Serves as the focal professional for the continuity of care in patient care within scope of practice standards, as well as specialty specific standards to address and resolve problems that may arise.

Responsibilities:

Clinical Care

The Physician Assistant (PA) provides assessment, triage, and therapeutic management of patient/family needs throughout the disease process as an integral part of an interdisciplinary team.  The PA, whether the practice setting is the inpatient, ambulatory, or outpatient settings, provides optimal patient care, from diagnostic to prognostic matters.    This individual works in collaboration with the attending supervising/collaborating physician(s) in accordance with state law and hospital regulations, hospital policy, protocols and clinical pathways and may provide autonomous team based care. 

Obtains medical histories, performs physical examinations, reviews/orders diagnostic/therapeutic tests and radiologic results, formulates and manages patient treatment plans. The PA may perform procedures, prescribes treatment and medications in accordance with institutional and state guidelines, as well as, when necessary for scope within specialty or professional competency standards.  In some clinical specialties, the PA may have autonomous or independent practice managing certain patient populations. 

Other clinical job duties may be applied in accordance with departmental and operational goals, training related to profession and practice necessitated guidelines and responsibilities, inclusive but not limited to responding to emergency situations within the WMCHealth parameters.

Patient Education & Psychosocial Support

The PA will educate patients/families on care and recommended or available resources.  In     collaboration with the supervising/collaborating MD, this may be inclusive of admitting instructions, treatment plan, actual and potential side effects of treatments/medications, and discharge plan. The PA, as part of a multidisciplinary team, provides psychosocial support to patients, their family members, and significant others in a caring, ethical, and professional manner.

Information Management

The PA ensures appropriate documentation within the accordance of hospital and regulatory requirements and protects information of all forms, whether computer-based, paper, film, voice, or other media from unauthorized access modification, destruction, or intentional or accidental disclosure.

Quality Management

The PA is expected to demonstrate a high standard of moral and ethical behavior, professionalism, compassion, and commitment to patient care.

Ensures compliance with patient related healthcare regulatory requirements, standards and recommendations.

Professional Development

The PA continuously engages in projects that maintain and advance professional competency.

The PA serves as a clinical resource for new house staff and may provide service specific orientation pertinent to clinical education 

Consistently demonstrates high reliability organizational behaviors through reporting safety events as well as near misses.

The PA continuously engages in projects that maintain and advance professional competency.

Maintains all employee requirements determined by hospital policy.

The PA may serve as a clinical preceptor for PA students and other health care professionals and may serve as a mentor to pre- PA candidates.

The PA  may collaborate on research, quality assurance projects, and assist with the formation of protocols that will be applied to clinical practice or further their educational and clinical expertise.  

Qualifications/Requirements:

Experience: clinical working experience as an PA within the given specialty/service line preferred, but none required

Education:  Graduate from an accredited Physician Assistant Program

Licenses / Certifications:  

New York State Physician Assistant License 

ACLS/BLS Certified, when indicated for position profile

DEA License, when indicated for position profile

PALS, when indicated for pediatric care

NRP Certification, when indicated for neonatal care

Other:  The ability to solve complex problems is typically a valued skill for NPs and PAs, as are critical-thinking and the ability to react quickly when a patient's condition changes. Considerable independent judgment utilized within scope of practice parameters.

Special Requirements: Responsible, in collaboration with the attending physician, for medical management of the patient. NP/PA are licensed health professionals, and accountable for their practice within their scope of licensures, as well as, within scope of the collaborative practice arrangements. Accountable to patients, families, peers, colleagues for clinical practice that upholds the mission, philosophy, objectives and policies of Patient Care Services and WMCHealth.  Consistently demonstrates the values of integrity, patient centered, respect, accountability, and compassion