County Medical Director, Inland Empire

Neighborhood Healthcare•Hemet, CA

About The Position

Community health is about more than just vaccines and checkups. It’s about giving people the resources they need to live their best lives. At Neighborhood, this is our vision: a community where everyone is healthy and happy. We’re with you every step of the way, with the care you need for each of life’s chapters. At Neighborhood, we are Better Together. As a private, non-profit 501(C) (3) community health organization, we serve over 414,000 medical, dental, and behavioral health visits from more than 95,000 people annually. We do this in pursuit of our mission to improve the health and happiness of the communities we serve by providing quality care to all, regardless of situation or circumstance. Since 1969, our employees have been making this mission a reality. Regardless of the role, our team focuses on being compassionate, having integrity, being professional, always collaborating, and consistently going above and beyond. If this sounds like an organization you would like to be a part of, we would love to meet you. ROLE OVERVIEW and PURPOSE The County Medical Director will strategically design and enhance patient care delivery within our healthcare system by implementing innovative approaches to care team formation and patient allocation. Reporting directly to the Associate Chief Medical Officer (ACMO), this position will oversee multiple clinics across the county, ensuring optimal utilization of clinical resources and improving patient outcomes. The County Medical Director role represents a critical opportunity to optimize patient care delivery, improve clinical outcomes, and enhance operational efficiency within our healthcare system. By leveraging interdisciplinary care teams and innovative patient allocation strategies, we can ensure that patients receive the right care from the right providers at the right time, ultimately advancing our mission of providing high-quality, patient-centered care.

Requirements

Medical Degree (MD or DO) from an accredited institution required
Valid CA Medical and DEA License required
Board certification in a medical specialty required
Valid BLS certification from approved American Health Association provider required upon hire
Seven years’ clinical experience in primary care or relevant specialty
Experience in higher-level leadership roles within healthcare organization
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including superior composition, typing, and proofreading skills
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form
Knowledgeable about and experience with healthcare operations and experience in optimizing workflows
Demonstrated commitment to serve underserved populations and addressing healthcare disparities
Ability to think strategically and drive innovation in healthcare delivery
Ability to successfully manage multiple tasks simultaneously
Excellent planning and organizational ability
Ability to work as part of a team as well as independently
Ability to work with highly confidential information in a professional and ethical manner
Ability to lift/carry 25 lbs/weight
Ability to stand for long periods of time
Follows all safety procedures as outlined in Neighborhood Healthcare’s Illness and Injury Prevention Plan (IIPP) and report any injuries and/or unsafe conditions immediately
Maintains current knowledge of policies and procedures as they relate to safe work practices
Follows all safety procedures and report unsafe conditions
Uses appropriate body mechanics to ensure an injury free environment
Familiarity with location of nearest fire extinguisher and emergency exits
Follows all infection control procedures including blood-borne pathogen protocols
Maintains privacy of all patients, employee and volunteer information and access such information only on a need-to-know basis for business purposes
Complies with all regulations regarding corporate integrity and security obligations
Reports all behavior and/or activity that are unethical, fraudulent, or unlawful

Responsibilities

Provides strategic leadership to drive growth and development in areas of underserved medical needs within a designated county
Develops and forecasts long-term plans (three to five year planning) to enhance healthcare delivery and meet the evolving needs of the community
Manages a medical team of Clinician Leaders, including Senior Regional Medical Leads, and Associate Regional Medical Leads
Establishes and manages interdisciplinary care teams composed of Medical Doctors and Advanced Practice providers, as well a per diem Provider pool to optimize patient care across clinics
Fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within the medical team
Collaborates with the operations team to establish constructive workflows that optimize clinician efficiency and enhance patient care outcomes
Designs and implements strategies to streamline processes, reduce inefficiencies, and enhance overall operational performance
Collaborates with clinical leadership to create multidisciplinary care teams, consisting of medical doctors and advanced practice providers
Participates in examining patient complexity to appropriately allocate patients to Medical Doctors or Advanced Practice Providers
Establishes systems for accurately assessing patient panels and allocating patients to appropriate care teams based on clinical complexity
Provides guidance on patient allocation protocols to ensure that complex cases are managed by physicians, while routine visits are handled by advanced practice providers
Conducts training sessions for clinicians on team-based care models, patient allocation strategies, and best practices in patient management
Oversees the clinical component of utilization management, ensuring appropriate and judicious uses of medical services are consistently rendered
Collaborates with utilization management teams to develop and implement strategies for optimizing resource utilization, identifying/referring to appropriate inhouse services, minimizing unnecessary costs, and promoting evidence-based care practices
Evaluates and measures workflows to effectively manage care teams and facilitate cross-coverage to ensure continuity of care
Develops protocols and guidelines to standardize clinical practices and enhance coordination among team members
Administers or prescribes treatments
Discusses potential side effects to medications and/or immunizations with patients
Promotes health by advising patients about diet, hygiene, and methods for disease prevention
Refers patients to medical specialists for consultant services for their well-being, as needed
Follows up with patients regarding progress in high risk or emergency cases
Conducts physical examinations to provide information needed for admission to schools, consideration for jobs, or eligibility for insurance coverage