Medical Director

Medical Director 1. Each hospice shall have a Medical Director, who, on the basis of training, experience and interest, shall be knowledgeable about the psychosocial and medical aspects of hospice care. 2. The Medical Director shall be appointed by the governing body or its designee. 3. The Medical Director is expected to play an integral role in providing medical supervision to the hospice interdisciplinary group and in providing overall coordination of the patient’s plan of care. The Medical Director’s expertise in managing pain and symptoms associated with the patient’s terminal disease is necessary, regardless of the setting in which the patient is receiving services to assure that the hospice patient has access quality hospice care. 4. The duties of the Medical Director shall include, but not be limited to: a. Determination of patient medical eligibility for hospice services in accordance with hospice program policy; b. Collaboration with the individual’s attending physician to assure all aspects of medical care are taken into consideration in devising a palliative plan of care; c. Review, revise and document the plan at intervals specified in the plan, but no less than every 14 calendar days; d. Acting as a medical resource to the hospice care team and as a medical liaison with physicians in the community; and e. Coordination of efforts with each attending physician to provide care in the event that the attending physician is unable to retain responsibility for patient care.