Assistant Professor (N-T Trk Clin) - Family Medicine

Family Medicine Opportunity

Assistant/Associate Professor – Director of FM Inpatient (Unit Based Clinical Leader)

University of Texas Medical Branch – Galveston, Texas

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) – Galveston, Texas

UTMB Health is a $2.2 billion health science center comprised of five hospitals, an extensive network of outpatient clinics, and Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions, Public and Population Health, as well as a Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, three institutes and over 10 exceptional research centers.  UTMB has a long and remarkable history of advancing health sciences education, research, and patient care. It was the first academic health center in Texas and is home to the state’s first schools of medicine, nursing, and allied health sciences. UTMB is also home to the Galveston National Laboratory, one of only two laboratories conducting research on a university campus at the BSL-4 level in the U.S. Overall research funding has increased 20% over the past five years to $132 million and UTMB ranks 54th nationally in NIH funding among medical schools. UTMB also ranks as a five-star hospital by Vizient, for superior performance in providing high quality care. 

The UTMB Department of Family Medicine was founded as an independent department in 1971 but existed prior to that as a division of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health. Family Medicine (FM) faculty provide medical care to Galveston County residents through its three clinics, located on the UTMB Galveston campus, on the western end of Galveston Island, and in Dickinson, Texas, and through its inpatient service at the Jennie Sealy Hospital in Galveston, Texas. Additional services are rendered at the Gulf Health Care Center nursing home and the Galveston County Health District's Coastal Health & Wellness. At present the Department includes programs in medical student education, residency, faculty development, and research.

Purpose

The Unit Based Clinical Leadership (UBCL) FM Inpatient Medical Director coordinates, directs and evaluates all aspects of patient care rendered by the licensed independent providers (faculty, residents, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) staff in the assigned Family Medicine Service area in Jennie Sealy Hospital.  This position is 10% time as medical director, 15% time as residency core faculty and 75% time for patient care duties as a hospitalist. This position will also work closely with the residency program director and oversee resident physician inpatient activities for the department. In addition to oversight of resident physician education, the individual who accepts this position will be responsible for creating scholarly works in keeping with inpatient activities to include national presentations and publications and in charting a vision for inpatient outcomes in keeping with the department’s strategic plan and in keeping with national guidelines. The goals of the UBCLs are to improve quality, value, safety and patient satisfaction.

Duties and Responsibilities

People

·     Promote and support a well-organized, easily accessible and responsive environment for Licensed Independent Providers to provide patient care.

·     Promote interdisciplinary teamwork and demonstrate such through collaboration with Health System manager(s).

·     Work with the Health System manager(s) to assure faculty and staff are functioning to the full extent of their abilities and that resources required to perform patient care duties are available and efficiently used.

·     Address personnel conflicts and unprofessional behavior on the part of licensed independent providers. Resolution of conflict or unprofessional behavior should follow established Health System policy.

·     Create an environment for resident education to include activities such as teaching sessions and an organized approach for the discussion of clinical cases

·     Collaborate with faculty within the department and the larger UTMB to produce scholarly works that advance inpatient care and educational activities for residents and faculty

Service

·     Ensure provision of care in clinical service area is both timely and patient-centered.

·     Ensure clinical service area is operating in compliance with institutional and external policies, rules and regulations, including licensed independent providers’ requirements.

·     Coordinate with Chief Medical and Clinical Innovation Officer or designee, and Clinical Chair(s) or Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs to ensure areas are properly staffed by licensed independent providers for the delivery of safe and effective patient care.

·     Models behaviors with patients and families that exemplify a culture of safety.

·     Partners with unit stakeholders to develop and implement practices that include patients and families in their care decisions, as appropriate.

Quality and Value

·     Establish a structure for and participate in daily interdisciplinary rounds in clinical areas.

·     Lead standardization of practice through protocol/pathway development amongst faculty and nursing staff in the assigned service area.  At minimum, a Medical Director must participate in development and implementation of one new clinical practice guideline (or care pathway) each year. The development of patient education materials to accompany the relevant guideline/pathway is critical and intrinsic to the implementation process.

·     Collaborate with the Health System manager to participate and direct specific quality improvement activities and to achieve annual quality and value targets.

·     Coordinate with the Chief Medical and Clinical Innovation Officer or designee to develop appropriate measures with proper benchmarks that will be tracked and reported back to providers and staff to improve value, patient safety and care.

·     Regularly review quality and value reports, including the information posted on the Best Care website for trends and opportunities. Communicate trends, opportunities and expectations to licensed independent providers. 

Finance

·     Assist the Health System manager to prepare the annual budget and make adjustments as needed during the year.

·     Coordinate Health System budgeted volume with the SOM departmental RVU budgets to make sure that both are coordinated to achieve common goals. 

Governance

·     Regularly attend and represent licensed independent providers at meetings held by the Chief Medical and Clinical Innovation Officer or designee.

·     Participate in departmental or institutional work groups as requested by the Chief Medical and Clinical Innovation Officer or designee

Qualifications

·    Medical degree from an accredited University and active faculty in good standing. 

·     Possesses skills in communication (both verbal and written), mentoring/coaching and collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

Reports to

·     Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs in the department of Family Medicine and the Chief Medical and Clinical Innovation Officer, UTMB Health System or designee

What UTMB has to offer potential candidates:

·         A high quality academic and clinical program.

·         Participation in medical student, resident, and fellow education and training.

• Leadership and career advancement opportunities.
• Research participation is highly encouraged and supported.
• Faculty appointment at the Assistant Professor or higher level.
• Competitive salary with a generous bonus and benefits package.

Candidate Requirements:

•        MD or DO degree
• A strong commitment to research, patient care, medical student, and resident education.

• U.S. Citizenship or Employment Authorization to work in the U.S.

Income Package:  Salary is commensurate with Academic rank, experience, and qualifications.  In addition, UTMB offers a superior benefits package, an excellent retirement program, a relocation allowance as well as other potential incentives.  

Living in communities served by UTMB Health:  UTMB’s main campus is located on Galveston Island which is known for its 32 miles of beaches all along the Texas Gulf Coast. Enjoy the island life with moderate temperatures, year-round activities, affordable cost of living and only 50 minutes from all the amenities that Houston has to offer! Enjoy our family culture and collaborative environment while you work, live, & play on sunny Galveston Island!  Go to http://www.utmb.edu/utmbliving/ find out more about Galveston and the surrounding communities.