Staff Physician - Valley Hospice

Company Description

Expression of Interest

Valley Hospice

Valley Hospice is a 10- bed residence where patients and their families will receive high-quality end-of-life care, comfort, and support. It opened in September 2020 and is located on the campus of Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville, Nova Scotia.

Vision 

Valley Hospice is dedicated to providing a compassionate, holistic approach to end-of-life care for patients and their families.

Mission

Our goal is to make patients’ last weeks of life as comfortable as possible with a specific focus on their unique end-of-life wishes.  

Job Description

Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) seeks interested physicians to constitute a team of 6-8 members who will provide care on a rotational basis to patients admitted into the Valley Hospice. In keeping with other provincial hospice agreements, the physician team will work on a group Alternative Payment Plan contract at a sessional rate, administered by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness and overseen by NSHA. 

Expected number of patients per annum is: 100
Average length of stay per patient is expected to be 21 days
Number of physicians:  6-8
Rotations:  1-week rotations (roughly 1 in 6 - 8 weeks)
Call schedule:  1-week blocks correlating with coverage rotations in Hospice 

Role of physician 

To follow the Mission and Vision of Valley Hospice; specifically, to provide a palliative approach to care to patients who meet the eligibility criteria and are admitted to one of the 10 rooms at the Hospice, as well as to support their defined family.

Expected Hours

The overreaching expectation is to provide high-quality palliative care in keeping with national standards for patients nearing end of life.

The staff physician will:

• Participate as an active member of an interdisciplinary team
• Work collaboratively with the Nurse Manager and Medical Director to ensure clinical care and patient flow meet hospice eligibility requirements and human resource demands
• Assist Nurse Manager or designate with screening referrals for admission, as required
• Complete patient admission history and physical within 24 hours of admission (estimated 1.5 - 2 hrs/patient).  Admissions will primarily occur from 8 am to 5 pm weekdays, estimated 2 - 3 per week. Planned admissions on the weekend are less frequent and reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Round on patients admitted to the Hospice a minimum of 3 days a week, one of which is to be a weekend day. Estimated to require approximately 15 hours per week.
• Attend weekly 1.5-hour team meeting (care/death review rounds)
• Be available by phone or secure email for nursing, or other staff concerns or questions
• Participate in teaching of learners and staff as required

After-Hours Call Expectations

• Available from 5 pm until 8 am weekdays and on the weekend from 5 pm Friday to 8 am Monday
• Able to respond to telephone inquiries from nursing staff regarding hospice inpatients
• Able to attend to patients in the Hospice on an urgent basis within 30 minutes if needed

Additional Responsibilities

• Review and discuss advance care planning and goals of care with patients or their delegate as required 
• Work collaboratively with patients, families and colleagues to direct care according to requested goals of care
• Facilitate and/or attend family meetings as required
• Complete documentation to support patient care (e.g. Compassionate Care Benefits forms, patient third-party requests from government, insurers, etc.) as appropriate
• Complete death certification and discharge summary
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, committees, and audits that contribute to the assessment and ongoing care of patients and families admitted to Hospice
• Support colleagues; take part in debriefing sessions and initiatives to mitigate burnout

Qualifications

• MD with or without specialty in palliative care 
• Palliative care experience with active license to practice medicine in Nova Scotia
• Completion of palliative care training which can be any of the following:

               o    Pallium Canada's Learning Essential Approaches in Palliative Care 
                     (http://pallium.ca/leap-courses/leap/)
               o    Victoria Hospice Medical Intensive Course 
                     (www.victoriahospice.org/courses/palliative-care-medical-  intensive-course
               o    Year of added competence or subspecialty in palliative medicine

• Completion of methadone4pain free online course 
• Membership in the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians and/or the CFPC Community of Practice in Palliative Care considered an asset

Application Requirements

Please submit your expression of interest to jenna.mcneil@nshealth.ca , with cover letter and CV outlining your experience in relation to the requirements for the position by December 13, 2024.

Additional Information

Community Details

Located in beautiful Annapolis Valley, Kentville is near the famous Minas Basin, which boasts some of the highest tides in the world. Acadia University is in the neighbouring Town of Wolfville. The area is home to several award-winning wineries and plenty of dining. It offers a lively arts community, a strong emphasis on work-life balance, quality public and private schools, and a variety of well-developed outdoor activities for its 6,200 residents. All within just a one-hour drive to Halifax and an international airport, Kentville is a rural town close to urban amenities.

The beautiful Annapolis Valley spans over 100 km and is rich in both history and culture. There is a diverse agricultural industry with an abundance of farm markets. The many communities throughout the valley each have their unique qualities and charm. Vibrant arts, museums, hiking & biking trails, live theatre, parks, recreational activities, cafes and restaurants along with specialty shops are just some examples of what you'll find. There is lots to do and see in the Annapolis Valley!