Physician Assistant

Illinois Bone and Joint Institute LLC•Barrington, IL

5d•$102,000 - $140,000

About The Position

The Physician Assistant (PA) provides professional patient care and assistance to physicians, surgeons, and clinical staff, primarily through direct patient care. The PA works in outpatient clinics, hospitals, and operating rooms under the supervision of an assigned physician, following established protocols and written practice guidelines to support effective medical care and patient safety. The role may include initial patient evaluation and treatment within the scope of Illinois standards and the Physician Assistant Practice Act. Responsibilities span hospital and surgical-center care, clinic-based evaluation and treatment, surgical assistance, patient education and coordination, and medical record documentation. The PA may perform procedures and prescribe medications within their scope of licensure, physician protocols, and applicable policies. The position involves travel to associated hospitals and facilities and work in a clinical environment with irregular hours and exposure to bodily fluids and other clinical hazards. IBJI is an Illinois orthopedic group practice founded in 1991, with more than 150 physicians and over 100 locations serving northern Illinois and northwest Indiana. Its services include orthopedic care, imaging, pain management, rheumatology, therapy, wellness, sports training, walk-in clinics, and outpatient ambulatory surgery centers.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited physician assistant program with completed residency.
Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies.
Current Illinois Physician Assistant licensure.
Active certification from NCCPA.
Current CPR certification.
Ability to make independent decisions about patient care.
Demonstrated competence, judgment, stability, and professional integrity.
Experience assisting physicians in surgery.
Experience diagnosing and treating patients.
Working knowledge of managed care basics and experience with managed-care and Medicare populations.
Knowledge of practice-management and EHR software.
Ability to lift and assist patients as needed.
Self-starter with strong organization and time-management skills; able to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
Effective verbal and written communication skills for documenting and recording information.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate professionally with physicians, patients, and staff at all organizational levels.
Ability to develop and maintain constructive, cooperative working relationships.
Ability to prioritize and organize information to support smooth office workflows.
Ability to interpret and explain a wide variety of instructions, define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Ability to use logic and reasoning to assess the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions or approaches.
Good judgment in determining when a problem requires consultation, referral, or evaluation by the supervising physician or another healthcare professional.
Ability to meet the position’s physical requirements, including lifting and assisting with patient transfers.

Nice To Haves

Training in orthopedic care.
At least two years of experience in a physician’s office or hospital.
ACLS certification.

Responsibilities

Assist the surgeon by rounding on hospital patients and performing hospital consultations as directed.
Assist with major and minor surgical procedures in the operating room, including positioning, preparing, and draping patients as needed.
Close surgical wounds and provide postoperative wound care; apply dressings, casts, splints, braces, and other supports.
Perform minor surgical procedures within the scope of licensure and assist with patient traction, adjustment, realignment, and removal of traction.
Coordinate patient care between the office and hospital, write pre- and postoperative orders, and report the condition and care of hospitalized patients to the physician.
Coordinate patient discharge, including prescriptions, discharge instructions, summaries, and patient education.
Ensure operative reports are dictated within 48 hours after procedures.
Participate in physician-assigned on-call activities according to medical-center policy.
See clinic patients independently and under supervision; dictate progress notes, order appropriate tests, and develop treatment plans for physician approval.
Dictate histories and physicals, consultations, and discharge summaries.
Perform joint aspirations and injections, therapeutic injections, and other minor procedures as needed.
Interpret x-rays; apply casts, splints, and braces under physician supervision; remove staples, sutures, and drains.
Assist in fielding and triaging physician calls, review patient test results before examinations, and confer with physicians about findings, diagnoses, and treatment.
Review preoperative instructions and explain the surgical process to patients preparing for surgery.
Provide diagnosis and treatment services to established and postoperative patients; prescribe medications and treatments in accordance with physician protocols and document them in the medical record.
Formulate and update patient care plans and consult with the physician as needed.
Order and document preoperative tests, CT scans, and MRIs using EHR software; follow applicable ICD-10 and billing guidelines.
Return patient phone messages at designated times, take appropriate follow-up action, and document actions in the patient chart.
Perform initial and ongoing clinical assessments, obtain medical histories, conduct physical examinations, and develop treatment plans under direct physician supervision.
Provide basic patient care, including wound assessment, dressing changes, and suture removal; perform authorized procedures such as fracture reduction, suturing, joint injections, traction-pin placement, and reduction of dislocated prostheses.
Obtain preoperative histories and perform physical examinations; serve as a first or second assistant in the operating room for approved procedures.
Provide preoperative and postoperative education to patients and families.
Write orders for treatment and diagnostic tests at the direction and with the co-signature of the sponsoring or attending physician; write orders for Schedule III, IV, and V medications as authorized.
Dictate medical reports, including histories and physicals, operative notes, and discharge summaries.
Perform other duties within department and hospital policy and the scope of the sponsoring or attending physician’s practice and clinical privileges.