Medical Director Aging & Advanced Illness

Medical Director Aging & Advanced Illness

Position Summary

The Director of Aging and Serious Illness serves as a clinical and administrative leader, advancing high-quality care for older adults and individuals living with serious illness. This role also serves as the Director of the Palliative Care Fellowship, overseeing fellowship training, curriculum development, and accreditation standards. The position integrates geriatrics, palliative care, education, and population health approaches to improve quality of life, align care with patient goals, and strengthen the future workforce. The Director will spend 20% of their time on administrative responsibilities needed to manage the program, meeting with interdisciplinary teams, developing innovative care models, and collaborating across healthcare systems and community partners. The Director of the Palliative Care Fellowship is responsible for leading and overseeing the educational and clinical training of fellows in hospice and palliative care. This role includes developing and refining the curriculum, ensuring compliance with ACGME accreditation standards, providing clinical supervision, and fostering a supportive and enriching learning environment. The Director ensures that fellows graduate with the skills and knowledge needed to deliver compassionate, patient-centered care to individuals with serious illness and their families. In alignment with ACGME guidelines, the Director will dedicate 20% of their time to administrative responsibilities for this program.

Primary Position Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Program Development

Provide strategic and clinical leadership for an integrated program focused on aging and serious illness care, and advance high-quality, patient-centered care that aligns with patient goals and values.

Palliative Care Fellowship Program Leadership

Design and deliver a comprehensive fellowship curriculum that aligns with ACGME standards, preparing fellows to excel in hospice and palliative care. Oversee recruitment, selection, onboarding, and evaluation of fellows, and maintain program accreditation, documentation, and reporting requirements

Clinical Supervision and Mentorship

Provide clinical supervision and mentorship to fellows and department providers across inpatient, outpatient, and hospice settings, fostering both professional growth and excellence in patient care.

Quality of Care Oversight

Monitor and guide the quality of the Department of Aging and Serious Illness delivered by the physicians, providers, and fellows of the department, ensuring that care consistently reflects ethical standards, regulatory requirements, and patients’ goals and values.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Promote effective collaboration among interdisciplinary team members, including physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and others, in both training and clinical practice. Maintain provider presence in weekly NICHE rounds.

Clinical Responsibilities

Maintain an active clinical practice in geriatrics with care in local nursing homes, outpatient visits, and hospital consultations.

Care should include comprehensive physical and psychosocial assessments, individualized care planning, interdisciplinary coordination, and providing compassionate emotional and spiritual support to patients and families.

Advocacy for Patients and Families

Advocate for patients’ needs and preferences, ensuring care is patient-centered and aligned with their values and wishes.

Professional Development

Maintain professional competence by staying current with advancements in geriatrics and palliative medicine and upholding all required certifications and credentials. This should include faculty development to enhance educational skills.

Work Contact Group (Internal/External)

External – Community served by the Hunterdon Healthcare System

Reporting Relationships

Reports to (position)

The position has a dual reporting structure:

-HMG Associate Medical Director for Primary Care and Medical Specialties

-Director of Medical Education

Supervises (position(s)

Faculty and Fellows of the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program

Qualifications

Minimum Education :

Required

Medical Degree: MD or DO

Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship

Preferred

None

Minimum Years of Experience (Amount, Type and Variation) :

Required

2 years of clinical experience in Geriatrics

2 Years Graduate Medical Education Experience

Preferred

Graduate Medical Education Leadership experience

License, Registry or Certification :

Required

New Jersey Medical License, CDS, and DEA certification.

ABMS Board Certification in Geriatrics

ABMS board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Preferred

Family Medicine or Internal Medicine Primary Specialty

Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities :

Required

Knowledge of ACGME requirements and accreditation processes.

Excellent communication, counseling, and interpersonal skills

Critical thinking creative problem-solving, proficient organization, and planning skills are essential

Program development skills to assist with TJC accreditation process

Preferred

Previous practice leadership experience, background in Medical Ethics

Hunterdon Health is committed to providing a competitive benefit package to our employees. Benefit offerings vary based on status and may include but not be limited to medical, dental, vision, family forming, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and retirement savings.

The hiring range listed is the potential base compensation that may be offered to a successful applicant for this position at the time of this job advertisement. When determining an applicant’s hourly rate and/or base salary, several factors may be considered as applicable (e.g., years of relevant experience, education, internal equity, and specialty).