Veterinary Career Center

Job Summary:

The Assistant Medical Director (MD) under the direction of the field management team, is responsible for establishing the medical quality and patient care practiced by all doctors in a given hospital. The MD achieves this through strong leadership and serving as a mentor and role model for the associate veterinarians and staff.  An MD should demonstrate a strong work ethic, integrity, and a consistent positive attitude. The MD is also an integral part of the hospital management team responsible for the overall financial performance of the hospital and helps create and drive the overall direction for the hospital that will achieve positive results. The MD also fulfills all of the duties of a staff veterinarian in addition to the specific responsibilities of the Medical Director.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Well-developed interpersonal skills.

• Ability to take information obtained from clients, staff, and other sources, discern that which is credible, and assess the hospital and/or a situation objectively.

• Ability to multi-task and deal with high levels of stress in an environment of changing priorities.

• Is able to take charge, initiate actions, hold people accountable, and delegate responsibilities in such a way as to achieve positive results.

• Comfortably and confidently confronts difficult issues with co-workers and is a skilled communicator at multiple levels within VCA.

• Is capable of, and willing to work the hours necessary to accomplish the required responsibilities and ensure the smooth operation of the hospital.

Education and Experience:

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or equivalent from an accredited university.

• Stays up to date with changes in veterinary medicine, fulfills VCA requirements for attending local VCA hosted CE, and completes a minimum of 30 hours of accredited CE per calendar year.

• Maintains a current DEA license

Standards of Care:

• Strives to meet or exceed the VCA and AAHA standards of care.
• Medical records are complete, detailed, and signed per VCA guidelines.
• Demonstrates commitment to professional integrity and pursuit of excellence.
• Practices ethical medicine at all times, and ensures the same from associate doctors.
• Ensures positive communication with clients and between doctors. This includes the
•  Proper transfer of patient care responsibility between doctors.
• Implements information from CMO, RMD, ROD, or their representatives.

• VCA email and correspondence are processed and addressed on a daily basis.

• Is the primary liaison with Antech Diagnostics and maintains an appropriate level of in-house vs. outside lab sample submission.

Patient/Client Management:

• Treats all patients & clients with care and compassion, remembering that the patient's wellbeing is the top priority.
• Oversees administration and case review of client medical complaints and resolves the problems when possible, while keeping the RMD and ROD informed of progress.

Staff Management: Professional Staff:

• Implements and maintain consistent medical standards and guidelines within the hospital.
• Evaluate quality medical/compliance reports on a monthly basis and take steps to improve areas of poor performance.
• Organize systems for daily medical rounds and ensure they are consistently conducted.
• Review patient records for completeness and accuracy and use them as a tool to promote medical excellence. 
• Regularly discuss cases with doctors and/or staff to optimize patient care.

• Ensure that credit for procedures is accurately appropriated, and review the detailed orders to ensure that charges are captured and properly assigned.
• Ensure CE requirements are met by all doctors, and that CE attended is relevant to the service mix and needs of the hospital.
• Conduct regular doctor meetings.
• Work with the hospital manager to have a doctor's schedule made available no less than four weeks prior to the beginning of the month.
• Coordinate doctor coverage to make sure the hospital is covered at all times.
• Assist the Recruiting & Professional Relations Director (RPRD) and field management team in the hiring, disciplinary process, and the firing process of doctors as requested.
• Actively manage all doctors to ensure that they meet expected performance.
• Administer yearly reviews and development plans for all associate doctors under the direction of the RMD or ROD.
• Appropriately manage controlled drugs (see VCA Controlled Substances Guidelines).

Staff Management: Technicians/Assistants and Receptionists:

• Assist the Hospital Manager in ensuring each staff meeting has relevant topics, presenting a medical topic if needed, and participating proactively in the meetings.
• Encourage all staff to increase knowledge through learning opportunities.
• Review staff scheduling with the hospital manager's attention to assure maximum productivity and optimal client service.

Responsibilities as part of the hospital leadership team:

• Works with the Hospital Manager and staff to deliver a consistent medical message and consistent client experience to each client.
• Responsible for auditing hospital production for accuracy via chart audits and other fee capture methods.
• Represents the hospital to the professional community and the general public as requested.
• Evaluates the need for new medical equipment and work with the Hospital Manager to prepare and submit new equipment proformas to the ROD or their representatives.
• Brings to the Hospital Manager's attention any problems with physical plant cleanliness, safety, or repairs.
• Participates in meetings or conference calls as requested by field management staff.
• Participates in employee disciplinary procedures, and enforces VCA and individual hospital employee rules and policies.

Financial Responsibilities:

• Review the P&L monthly and work with the hospital manager to increase profitability by increasing revenue and limiting expenses.
• Work with the HM to prepare and submit the yearly budget (budget forecast, operating plan, cap-ex expenditures) and participate in the evaluation process with field management.
• Support the implementation of VCA marketing programs.
• Review and approve requests for alternatives of additional drugs and medical supplies. Submit to the RMD or their representative, for approval. Assist the medical supplies ordering personnel to maintain a hospital pharmacy; assist in evaluating reasonable reorder points, generic alternatives, and eliminating underused and redundant drugs.