Physician Assistant

Description

JOB SUMMARY:  The Orthopaedic Surgery Physician Assistant is responsible for assisting the supervising physician in the medical and surgical management of patients assigned to their practice. The Physician Assistant will work one-on-one with an orthopaedic surgeon as well as various fellows and researchers.  Time will be divided between the clinic, operating room and administrative tasks centered on patient care.  Time devoted to each setting may vary by week.

CLASSIFICATION: This is a full-time, year round, exempt position with benefits.

MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES / ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Collaborates with attending physician to diagnose and treat orthopaedic sports medicine injuries and related illnesses in both clinical and surgical settings; performs procedures within the PA scope of practice as directed by the supervising physician in the clinic, OR and ER including first and second assisting responsibilities.
• Assists in preoperative evaluation and education.
• Performs initial interview and assessment of patient.
• Performs history and physical examination.
• Reviews diagnostic data.
• May obtain preoperative surgical consents and informed consent for research studies.
• Prepares preoperative data sheets.
• Presents preoperative patients at team meetings.
• Coordinates schedule with operations manager and surgery scheduler; assists with travel arrangements for
• Track and obtain radiographic studies and lab work required for preoperative patients.
• Manages prescription medication for practice.
• Performs therapeutic and diagnostic injections of shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints.
• Assist in data collection and therapeutic treatments for multiple research studies.
• Perform preoperative consultation/education and complete surgical procedure forms and coding; writes postoperative/post procedure notes and orders for supervising physician.
• Communicate with outside/consulting physicians, occupational/physical therapists regarding ongoing care.
• Works with attending physician and staff to plan daily schedule to maximize efficiency of physician and assistant resources.
• Makes routine visits to assigned facilities and Steadman Clinic locations on schedule agreed upon with attending physician.
• Administrative tasks may include triaging and returning patient phone calls, preparing FMLA and disability forms and other correspondence under the direction of the supervising physician, and assisting with other tasks related to patient care.
• Contributes to development of evidence based clinical protocols and patient assessment forms.
• Establishes and maintains effective relationships with patients, families, key decision-makers, facility and department staff, and collaborating physicians.
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of patient privacy rights.
• Maintains confidentiality of all medical, financial, or other sensitive materials and information in printed, electronic or verbal form which may jeopardize the privacy of patients.
• Accesses and uses the minimum necessary patient identifiable information to perform job responsibilities and duties and only for authorized purposes.
• Maintain personal commitment to the Steadman Clinic mission and values.
• Follow policies as established in the Employee Handbook.
• Attend regular staff meetings and other required meetings.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the physician.

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) from a four-year college or university Physician Assistant program accredited by the AMA Council on Medical Education required; Master’s Degree strongly preferred.
• Prior experience in orthopedics is preferred
• Demonstrated problem solving and work flow management skills required.
• Must be energetic, quality driven and have proven ability to be productive member of a cohesive team of peers dedicated to providing optimum patient care.
• Must maintain a professional attitude towards patients and an excellent and collegial working relationship with other Steadman Clinic and hospital personnel in involved in patient care.
• Must exercise highest degree of professional judgment under the direct supervision and guidance of a licensed physician.
• Must demonstrate understanding of procedures, policies and documentation required to ensure compliance with hospital standards of care.
• Excellent critical thinking skills, ability to work independently, and manage time effectively.
• Fluency in languages other than English beneficial

CERTIFICATE/LICENSE: Certification by the National Commission for Certified Physician’s Assistants (NCCPA) required. Registered and licensed by the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners. Current DEA number required. Current certification in AHA or ARC Basic Life Support for healthcare providers required.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Full range of body motion including handling and lifting patients, manual and finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
• Requires standing and walking for prolonged periods of time.
• Occasional lifting and carrying items weighing up to 70 lbs.
• Requires normal visual acuity and hearing.

TYPICAL WORKING CONDITIONS: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequent exposure to communicable diseases, body fluids, toxic substances, ionizing radiation, medicinal preparations and other conditions common to a clinic and surgical environment.
• Requires working under stress in emergency situations or during irregular hours.
• This position will cover surgery assists, rounding and clinic hours.  On call is required for nights and weekends.
• Works with a variety of highly confidential, sensitive material.