Locums Opportunity in Gallup, NM

Physician – Hospitalist to support the mission of the Indian Health Service (IHS). 

Gallup, NM

 

Scope: 

Gallup Indian Medical Center is a 99-bed hospital in Gallup, New Mexico, on the border of the Navajo Reservation. Clinical specialties at GIMC include Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Anesthesia, OB/GYN, General Surgery, Orthopedics, ENT, Radiology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, and Palliative Care. The workload at Gallup is one of the largest in the Indian Health Service with 310,000 outpatient encounters and 4,400 inpatient admissions annually. GIMC has the largest staff of all Navajo Area IHS facilities.

 

Place of Performance: 

Gallup Indian Medical Center – Gallup, NM 87301

 

Expected Schedule: 

 

The Supervisor shall determine the specific tour of duty based on need to support patient care. This generally includes alternating admitting and non-admitting shifts. The physician will round on an average of 7-9 patients daily alongside three other hospitalists, and conduct admissions every other day (average 1-5) either as primary admitter or backup. Physician is expected to arrive at work at 7am on days where they are the primary admitter (every fourth day approximately) and stay on-site until at least 7pm. On non-admitting or backup admitting days, physician is expected to arrive at 8am and stay until the work is done for the day (variable hours but generally 9-10 hour days). Physician may leave the facility after work is done but must still take phone calls from staff. Sign out to nocturnist is at 7pm. This position does not include nocturnist work.

 

Physician Qualification Requirements: 

• Family Medicine with Hospitalist Experience

• Recent completion of residency and high comfort level in ICU or providers who work in facilities with open ICU's a PLUS

• Shall maintain a valid, current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in any state within the United States, District of Columbia or the Common-Wealth of Puerto Rico, throughout the term of this contract

• BLS, PALS, ACLS

• Board Certification 

• DEA certificate

To meet the credentialing standards within the Indian Health Services all providers presented for services must meet the following.

• Have a full and unrestricted license in all states in which licenses are held.

• Have NEVER been the subject of adverse Medical Staff Action (censure, revocation of privileges) or license revocation.

• Have no criminal arrests or convictions.

• Have never been censured by a medical board for opioid use or misuse or sexual misconduct.

• Have never been terminated early from a Locums Assignment due to behavior or quality of care.

 

Expected Duties:

 

• Physician shall perform diagnosis, care, and treatment of medical inpatients on the general medical ward and open ICU (including patients on ventilators and pressors). Typical ward cases include diabetic foot infections, pneumonia, heart failure, and cirrhosis. 

• Physician must be independent in care of critically-ill patients and have enough ventilator management experience to be able to troubleshoot a ventilator alongside a respiratory therapist. Procedures such as paracentesis, thoracentesis, placement of arterial lines, intubation, and central venous catheters are helpful, but not required for the position. These procedures can be performed by our anesthesia or surgery team. 

• Physician shall perform medical consultation for other services including, but not limited to, Ob/gyn, surgery, orthopedics, the emergency department and the Walk-In Primary Care Clinic (WIPCC). 

• Physician will respond to adult codes and either take primary responsibility as the code leader or hand off to another provider who is able to do so.

• Physician shall interview and examine medical patients, review past medical history, and request and/or perform diagnostic tests and examinations deemed necessary to obtain all possible information related to each case.

• Physician shall make preliminary diagnoses and provide treatment, or arrange for specialized care or patient referral as required. Bases decisions upon information obtained, professional medical knowledge and skills, and prescribed policies and procedures.

• Physician shall consult with fellow hospitalists or providers from other medical disciplines whenever necessary to more clearly define a patient’s problem and seek assistance to safely provide the necessary medical interventions.

• Physician shall educate the patient and their family about the condition and plan of care.

• Physician shall address the patient’s goals of care as appropriate. If assistance is needed, the physician may consult the Palliative Care Service.

• Physician shall provide definitive management in all medical categories for cases that do not require referral. Gives total patient care including health maintenance, diagnosis, treatment, and arranging of follow up services to medical patients under his/her care.

• Physician shall refer medical patients to appropriate contracted medical or other Governmental facilities, providing full clinical information for care and diagnostic procedures that cannot be adequately provided at local IHS facilities. Coordinates and integrates information obtained into the ongoing health care program at the Service Unit and assures the provision of timely follow up care as required.

• Physician shall prepare appropriate medical records for adult patients on the Electronic Health Record (EHR) to assure the accumulation and organization of all pertinent clinical data needed to provide comprehensive medical care. Physician will use departmental templates when applicable and adhere to GIMC Bylaws and Rules and Regulations for medical record timeliness.

• Physician shall prepare prescriptions accurately following Federal and U.S. Public Health Service laws and policies. Physician agrees to assure appropriateness, efficacy, and cost effectiveness of drug therapy. Standards of care developed or adopted by the professional staff of the facility shall be the criteria for appropriateness of drug therapy. The provider shall screen the

patient health record to avoid inappropriate drug interactions and monitor patients for the appropriateness of therapy.

• Physician will maintain appropriate professional demeanor in all interactions with other providers, staff, and patients or their families.

• Physician shall perform duties in accordance with the approved privileges through the credentialing process.

• Physician shall perform other duties as assigned, by Chief of Internal Medicine.

 

Background:

 

IHS is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The provision of health services to members of federally recognized tribes grew out of the special government to government relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes. The IHS is the principal federal health care provider and health advocate for the Indian people. The goal is to assure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The IHS currently provides health services to approximately 1.5 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to more than 557 federally recognized tribes in 34 states.

 

Navajo Area Indian Health Service (NAIHS) administers health centers and hospitals providing health care to approximately 201,583 members of the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation is the largest Indian tribe in the United States and has the largest reservation, which encompasses more than 25,516 square miles in northern Arizona, western New Mexico, and southern Utah, with three satellite communities in central New Mexico. The NAIHS is the primary provider of inpatient, ambulatory care, preventive and community health, and environmental health services for members of the Navajo Nation and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe.

Health Requirements

 

Immunizations:

• Immunity to Rubella, Mumps, Measles

• Immunity to Hepatitis B series

• History of chicken pox (varicella) disease or positive titer

• Tetanus Diphtheria (Td) and Pertussis within the last 5 years

• Influenza within the last year - REQUIRED

• Documentation of receiving a TB Mantoux skin test (PPD) within the past 12 months with documentation of follow-up for a positive test.

• A signed declination of the Hepatitis B vaccination series will be accepted.

Compensation: 

• Base Rate $180-$190/hr plus malpractice coverage