Physician Assistant, Certified

** NO NIGHTS ** NO WEEKENDS ** NO HOLIDAYS

Job Summary

This position is responsible for providing and managing direct health care to patients. Ensures the highest quality of clinical & surgical practice, judgment, and medical integrity are upheld and implemented.

Job Responsibilities

• Provides comprehensive health care to patients of Sound Weight & Wellness PLLC (NWWC) and Sound Surgeons PLLC (SSSC) as directed.

• Performs a complete physical examination of the patient, when appropriate.

• Prepares, dictates and/or enters information on patient encounters (patient charting) for clinical information system.

• Acts as a major continuity component of delivery of health care as part of designated team.

• Makes independent medical decisions, collaborating with physicians in managing weight and wellness, pre and post bariatric surgical care.

• Counsels and educates patients and their families on issues of health maintenance, behavior, within their scope of practice and area of bariatric specialty.

• Provides patient counseling and instruction referring patients to other services when appropriate e.g. Cardiology, Sleep Medicine.

• Serves as a medical provider for patients seeking medical weight loss and bariatric surgical care.

• Support patients in post-operative weight loss journey to include medically managed weight loss support with use of pharmacotherapy.

• Provides telephone consultation, follow up phone calls and triage patient telephone calls.

• Reviews patient chart, noting allergies, pertinent medical history, and abnormal physical findings.

• Answers questions regarding surgery or procedures, recovery and risk factor modification; provides blood transfusion information as applicable; performs perioperative procedures; locates and utilizes diagnostic images, instruments and pertinent patient information.

• Assists in performing surgical procedures and other procedures consistent with the standards of care and practice guidelines.

• Works as a Surgical PA-C First Assist during surgical procedures that they have been credentialed for, start IV’s, surgical prep, and/or perform suturing, assists OR staff with room turnover.

• Performs post-operative procedures to include entering standard post-operative orders into patient medical records; assist physicians with evaluation and management of patient’s status during recovery; reviews vital signs, laboratory and diagnostic studies; assists with management of patients.

• Supports the post-operative care and follow-up with patients.

• Administers or orders diagnostic tests, such as imaging studies, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests, and interprets test results for deviations from normal.

• Performs diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as injections, immunizations, suturing and wound care, and managing infection.

• Develops and implements patient management plans, records progress notes, and assists in provision of continuity of care.

• May be required to complete post-operative rounding and discharge of patients at Providence Regional Medical Center and Evergreen Health and Medical Center as credentialed.

• May provide workshops, seminars and presentations to patients and other professionals; participates in research when and where appropriate.

• Provides culturally sensitive and culturally competent health care to a diverse clinic population.

• Recommends health promotion, disease prevention and health maintenance strategies to clinic patients.

• Participates in the development of patient care guidelines and other clinical administrative policies.

• Complies with Sound Weight and Wellness, PLLC risk management and compliance program, including accurate and timely reporting of all adverse incidents.

• Complies with all company policies and procedures including applicable information security policies and procedures.

• Strives to consistently provide the highest quality of customer service to patients, families, guests, and co-workers by following NWWC and SSSC service standards.

• Performs other duties as requested by the Medical Doctor within scope.

• Perform other duties as deemed necessary or assigned by leadership or a designee.

Performance Standards

• Accountability – Ability to accept responsibility and account for his/her actions or work performed. Willing to accept constructive criticism. Adheres to the general administrative, human resource and departmental policies and procedures and upholds the standards of the professional practice.

• Accuracy – Ability to perform work accurately and thoroughly with attention to all details of a project or task.

• Adaptability – Ability to adapt to and facilitate change in the workplace.

• Communication – Ability to communicate effectively with others in English using good listening skills and the spoken word both verbally and in writing. Ability to write clearly and concisely using good grammar and spelling. Participates in meetings, committees and task forces as requested within the organization in order to participate in system improvements, communications and operations.

• Confidentiality – Maintains all business and patient confidentiality and information security practices.

• Cross-training – All staff are expected to participate in cross-training within the organization when directed to assist in the operations of the business when short staffed or covering for vacations and sick leave. Clinical staff cross-training duties will not be outside the employees’ scope of practice.

• Empathetic – Ability to appreciate and be sensitive to the feelings of patients and co-workers. Exhibits a cheerful demeanor with the ability to display good-natured tolerance of delay or adversity. A calm manner and patience working with a variety of personalities.

• Essential Job Functions – Ability to perform the Essential Job Functions of this position.

• Initiative – Ability to make decisions or take actions to solve a problem or reach a goal. Desire to excel, attempting non-routine tasks. Demonstrates motivation for enhancing and improving professional competency through additional training, seminars and in-services. Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities.

• Judgment – The ability to formulate a sound decision using the available information. Being able to triage priorities, delegate tasks if needed, and handle conflict in a reasonable fashion with customer service as a priority.

• Knowledge – of current federal and state laws and regulations, as well as current AORN, AAAHC, DOH, CMS and other oversight credentialing and certifying bodies, as these laws, regulations, policies and recommendations apply to the delivery of care in a clinic or ASC setting.

• Organized – Possessing the trait of being organized or following a systematic method of performing a task.

• Professional Development – Strives to expand own knowledge and skills; Monitors trends in health care industry and adapts to changes and new developments.

• Reliability – Can be relied upon to demonstrate reliability in attendance and punctuality. Ability to work in a demanding self-supervisory, multi-task environment within clear timelines.

• Team Player – The ability to work with others and independently for a common goal. Puts aside own individual needs to work toward the larger group objective and reinforces the contribution of others on the team.

• Technology – competent use of computer systems, EMR, other office equipment and software including the Microsoft Office Suite of products.

• Terminology – knowledge of medical terminology required.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• N/A

Schedule

• Salaried/Exempt

• Monday-Thursday, schedule varies

• Call and Rounding may be scheduled as necessary, following the organizations call schedule guidelines/rotation.

Education/Experience Requirements

• Graduate of a formal accredited school of medicine

• Successful completion of an approved Physician Assistant program; Master’s preferred

• Current WA State Physician Assistant license

• NCCPA Certification

• Current ACLS and BLS certification required

• Experience in Bariatrics, Obesity Medicine or Weight Management preferred

• Surgical Experience Required; Laparoscopic bariatric surgical experience preferred

• In place of the above requirements, the incumbent may possess any combination of relevant education and experience which would demonstrate the individual’s knowledge, skill, and ability to perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to sit, stand, walk, bend, reach with hands often and arms above shoulders occasionally, stoop, crouch or twist frequently, kneel or squat seldom.

• Lift/Carry/Push/Pull/Support up to 50 lbs. frequently.

• Physical working environment may include, but not be limited to, high pressure steam, chemical, electrical, mechanical, bio-waste, stress, back strain, body fluids, etc.

• Environmental conditions may include, but not be limited to, variations in temperature, noise, odors, multi-stimuli, etc.

• Pressure from high volume census to meet deadlines to obtain adequate instrumentation from vendors.

• Must possess functional vision, hearing, and speech to communicate effectively with patients, patient advocates, and staff.

• Perform fine motor functions, Tactile differentiation, e.g. temperature, moisture.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.