PA Neurology: Sleep Division

Mass General Brigham•Jamaica Plain, MA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

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 neurology patients, 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 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. The MGB Sleep Disorders PA will do 8 sessions as full time which will be broken up between clinic sessions and administrative sessions. This 40-hour position will be M-F and locations will rotate between MGH, BWFH, and SSH. There are options for virtual visits.

Requirements

Master's Degree Physician Assistant required
Certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) must be obtained prior to first day of employment.
The PA must hold a current valid license or be eligible for licensure as a physician assistant in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The PA must maintain a current DEA registration and Massachusetts Controlled Substance Registration
Skilled in taking medical histories to assess medical condition and interpret findings.
Ability to maintain quality control standards.
Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations.
Ability to interpret, adapt and apply guidelines and procedures.
Ability to communicate clearly and establish/maintain effective working relationships with patients, medical staff and the public.
Must complete 100 hours of CME according to national and state regulations during each two-year period of employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a licensed Physician Assistant preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Performs patient histories and physicals and Neurology exams, documents information accurately in the patient medical record in a timely fashion
Examines and evaluates patients and assists in development of their treatment plan with physicians; recommends and/or enters orders as needed to support high-quality patient care management
Manage ongoing care for movement disorder patients, including medication adjustments, symptom management, and coordination of ancillary services.
Educate patients and families about disease processes, treatment options, and self-management strategies.
Stays up to date on the latest literature in Neurology care
Maintains active PA licensure, MCSR/DEA licensure, and BLS/ACLS certification
Performs other duties as assigned
The APP will primarily be responsible for follow-up care for established sleep medicine patients. Typical visits will include reviewing sleep study results for patients newly diagnosed with OSA, discussing treatment options, and managing follow-up for patients who are stable on PAP therapy but require compliance visits to maintain insurance coverage for PAP supplies and consumables.
The APP will also follow stable patients with insomnia, hypersomnia, restless legs syndrome, and parasomnias who are receiving pharmacologic treatment, particularly controlled substances. These patients require regular longitudinal follow-up, at minimum every 6 months, to monitor treatment efficacy, side effects, safety, adherence, and appropriate medication use. The modes will incorporate best practices for monitoring, ensure opioid prescription protocols are followed and that state and that our practices are compliant with state and national guidelines. For example, opioid protocols require a visit every 4 months, but currently our sleep physicians at BWFH have a 6-8 month wait time for a follow up visit. In these cases, a patient can be seen for some of the follow up visits by an APP for adequate safety.
Provides direct care, counseling, and teaching to a designated patient population in the outpatient setting
Performs complete histories and physical examinations
Orders, interprets, and evaluates appropriate laboratory and diagnostic tests
Develops appropriate plans of care and follow-up based on the outcomes of diagnostic, laboratory, and physical examination findings
Orders medications and writes prescriptions according to organizational and regulatory policies and procedures
Consistently provides high quality and timely documentation including consult H&Ps, progress notes, and procedure notes
Practices cost effective medicine in an efficient manner, maximizing available resources
Discusses patient data with other physicians and professionals as appropriate in a multidisciplinary setting
Demonstrates expert clinical judgment skills to function in an independent role
Efficiently responds to in-basket requests/messages from patients and other providers.
Additional duties and responsibilities as required by the department/division
Demonstrates professional collaborative and consultative relationships with other providers
Participates in departmental and organizational committees and programs as appropriate and attends all required meetings, in-services, and professional trainings
Maintains superior interpersonal and communication skills as a member of the healthcare team to collaborate effectively with patients, families, staff, and community health workers
Remains actively involved in continuing education with a commitment to self and departmental growth
Adheres to all established safety policies, procedures, and precautions; identifies potential or actual unsafe situations in the environment and takes measures to rectify the situation
Demonstrates understanding of procedures, policies, and documentation required to ensure compliance with hospital standards of care
Attend appropriate Neurology seminars, conferences, lectures, and other forums to support continuing medical education as approved by the Division leadership
Provides teaching to medical students and physician assistant students and other health care personnel as appropriate
Participates in quality improvement efforts and research efforts as directed by the service leadership
Partakes in PA and Neurology Resident teaching opportunities through discussion of clinical cases and other educational sessions
Participates in the PA student education program in Neurology
Participates PA grand rounds and or other educational forums on the topic of neurology
Communicates openly with supervising physicians and Department/Division leadership to improve patient, family, and care team satisfaction
Performs other duties as assigned