Physician Assistant - Outpatient / 40 Hr / Day / Surgical Oncology

Brigham and Women's Hospital, an affiliate of Mass General Brigham, is committed to supporting patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. We place great value on being a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization as we aim to reflect the diversity of the patients we serve. At Mass General Brigham, we believe in equal access to quality care, employment and advancement opportunities encompassing the full spectrum of human diversity: race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all the other forms of human presence and expression that make us better able to provide innovative and cutting-edge healthcare and research.

The physician assistant (PA) is a licensed provider who has acquired a broad range of knowledge and skills through the successful completion of a physician assistant program. The PA is responsible for the assessment and management of various populations of patients, medical and/or surgical, including diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, development of appropriate plans of care and ongoing evaluation. The physician assistant works under the supervision of an attending physician and reports directly to the department administrator or chief physician assistant administratively.

The PA will perform in accordance with all state and federal regulations and institutional policies including but not limited to the BWH PA Scope of Practice, Prescriptive Guidelines, approved clinical privileges, and BWH PA policy.

This PA role helps provide the highest level of preoperative, postoperative and outpatient care of surgical patients treated in the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) Melanoma (MEL) Cutaneous and Sarcoma (SAC) Disease Centers under the direction of the supervising physicians. Serves as a bridge between the Division of Surgical Oncology and the other subspecialties which work within the MEL and SAC programs (Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Pathology). Participates in the ongoing clinical research activities within the Division of Surgical Oncology and the MEL and SAC Disease Center at DFCI.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Non Clinical Duties:

1.Team Work, Interpersonal & Communication Skills

2.Professionalism/Professional Development

a. Continuing Education

b. Professional behavior

c. Course attendance

d. Growth of self, growth of department

Clinical Duties:

• Serves as the primary clinical point of contact for patients with Melanoma/Cutaneous cancer and Sarcoma treated in the Division of Surgical Oncology.

• Works together with providers in other subspecialties to ensure a smooth transition of care for patients receiving multimodality treatment at Dana-Farber Brigham and Women's Cancer Center (DF/BWCC)

• Performs surgical oncology consultations at BWH and DFCI as requested by the attending physician. Performs assessment and sharp debridement of wounds as necessary, recommends wound management options, performs follow up visits and communicates with attending surgeons regarding patient status.

• Obtaining and provisioning of tissue samples, primarily through punch or core biopsy, in the clinic setting under the direction of the attending surgeon.

• Performs routine surveillance follow-up assessments of patients after surgery, including history, physical exam, and radiographic evaluation of patients scheduled in a physician-supervised clinic at DFCI.

• Performs inpatient and outpatient wound management for acute incisions and chronic wounds, including sharp debridement, dressing applications, suturing and removal of drains, sutures, and staples.

• Writes orders and interprets lab values and radiological tests with the assistance of physicians as necessary.

• Facilitates referral of surgical patients to the DFCI MEL and SAC Service by consultation with referring providers.

• Performs venipuncture.

• Performs access and evaluation of indwelling venous catheters.

• Assists study coordinators for ongoing clinical research involving surgical oncology, including performing and recording research histories and physicals, data collection and recording, obtaining tissue specimens for research analyses, and wound care according to specific study guidelines

• Other duties as assigned. While PAs can expect their work schedules to be relatively predictable, planned far enough in advance whenever possible, they should also expect variation in their schedules as needed to cover the clinical needs as they become apparent to the department/division/clinics. PAs may be asked to provide backup coverage all as part of their work expectations in this job.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have successfully completed a Graduate Level, accredited Physician Assistant Program approved by AMA Board of Approval and Certification of PA programs.

• Must have 4 years of college level education and bachelors degree or equivalent. (BS/MS joint programs are also acceptable; BS with PA certificates are acceptable for graduates before 1995).

• Board Certification by the National Commission on Certification of PAs is required.

• License as a Physician Assistant in Massachusetts

• Maintain current DEA and Massachusetts Controlled Substance Licenses

• Complete 100 hours of CME according to national and state regulations during each 2 year period of employment.

• Maintain current BLS/ACLS certification

• Complete BWH Procedural Sedation Training, if determined necessary.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

• Clinical and Professional Skills

• Must have broad knowledge of medical environment, surgical practices and performance goals of the BWH Division of Surgical Oncology and DFCI Center for Melanoma and Bone Oncology.

• Must exercise the highest degree of professional judgment under the direction and guidance of a licensed physician.

• Must be able to accept instruction and guidance and assume graded responsibility in complex teamwork concept.

• Must be able to administer such care and treatment and exercise such independent originality in solving problems not covered by existing guidelines, within legal limits, to meet the needs of the patients.

• Must maintain a professional attitude towards patients and coworkers at all times and a good working relationship with other personnel involved in patient care.

• Attends internal and external education meetings and reads appropriate professional journals in order to maintain and enhance skills and clinical competence.

• Each PA shall demonstrate the following professional knowledge and skills:

i. Proficient with BWH computer systems as needed to independently perform daily tasks such as order entry, EMAR, lab tests and results, incident reporting, etc.

ii. Consistently provide high quality and timely documentation including admission notes, progress notes, discharge summaries and dictations.

iii. Must have knowledge of billing practices.

Physical and mental abilities required.

a. Must be energetic, quality driven and have proven ability to be a productive member of a cohesive team of peers, dedicated to providing optimum patient care.

b. Must exercise the highest degree of professional judgment under the direct supervision and guidance of a licensed physician.

c. Must maintain a professional attitude towards patients and exercise such mature independent originality in solving problems not covered by existing guidelines, within legal limits, to meet the needs of the patients.

d. Must maintain a professional attitude towards patients at all times and an excellent and collegial working relationship with other personnel involved in patient care.

e. Must demonstrate understanding of procedures, policies and documentation required to ensure compliance with hospital standards of care.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

1.Work may require lifting and moving patients.

2.Work requires exposure to needles, scalpels, electric cautery, defibrillators and monitoring devices.

3.Work requires contact with patients with infections and secretions imposing a possible risk for acquiring hepatitis, AIDS, etc.

Qualifications:

• Must have successfully completed a Graduate Level, accredited Physician Assistant Program approved by AMA Board of Approval and Certification of PA programs.

• Must have 4 years of college level education and bachelors degree or equivalent. (BS/MS joint programs are also acceptable; BS with PA certificates are acceptable for graduates before 1995).

• Board Certification by the National Commission on Certification of PAs is required.

• License as a Physician Assistant in Massachusetts

• Maintain current DEA and Massachusetts Controlled Substance Licenses

• Complete 100 hours of CME according to national and state regulations during each 2 year period of employment.

• Maintain current BLS/ACLS certification

• Complete BWH Procedural Sedation Training, if determined necessary.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

• Clinical and Professional Skills

• Must have broad knowledge of medical environment, surgical practices and performance goals of the BWH Division of Surgical Oncology and DFCI Center for Melanoma and Bone Oncology.

• Must exercise the highest degree of professional judgment under the direction and guidance of a licensed physician.

• Must be able to accept instruction and guidance and assume graded responsibility in complex teamwork concept.

• Must be able to administer such care and treatment and exercise such independent originality in solving problems not covered by existing guidelines, within legal limits, to meet the needs of the patients.

• Must maintain a professional attitude towards patients and coworkers at all times and a good working relationship with other personnel involved in patient care.

• Attends internal and external education meetings and reads appropriate professional journals in order to maintain and enhance skills and clinical competence.

• Each PA shall demonstrate the following professional knowledge and skills:

i. Proficient with BWH computer systems as needed to independently perform daily tasks such as order entry, EMAR, lab tests and results, incident reporting, etc.

ii. Consistently provide high quality and timely documentation including admission notes, progress notes, discharge summaries and dictations.

iii. Must have knowledge of billing practices.

• Physical and mental abilities required.

a. Must be energetic, quality driven and have proven ability to be a productive member of a cohesive team of peers, dedicated to providing optimum patient care.

b. Must exercise the highest degree of professional judgment under the direct supervision and guidance of a licensed physician.

c. Must maintain a professional attitude towards patients and exercise such mature independent originality in solving problems not covered by existing guidelines, within legal limits, to meet the needs of the patients.

d. Must maintain a professional attitude towards patients at all times and an excellent and collegial working relationship with other personnel involved in patient care.

Must demonstrate understanding of procedures, policies and documentation required to ensure compliance with hospital standards of care.