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Medical Director of Respite Programs
Boston Health Care for the Homeless ProgramUnited Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 13 Aug 2024
💰 $223,600/yr($172,000/yr – $223,600/yr)
About the role
Who We Are:
Since 1985, BHCHP’s mission has been to ensure unconditionally equitable and dignified access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in greater Boston. Over 12,000 homeless individuals are cared for by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program each year. We are committed to ensuring that every one of these individuals has access to comprehensive health care, from preventative dental care to cancer treatment. Our clinicians, case managers, and behavioral health professionals work in more than 30 locations to serve some of our community’s most vulnerable—and most resilient—citizens.
From our earliest days as a program, we have always sought to do work that is transformational: recognizing our shared humanity; centering dignity, compassion, mutual respect and supporting the right of every individual to access the highest levels of health care and every staff member to reach their fullest potential. We continue to be committed to building bridges and breaking down barriers, including systemic racism which harms us all. We provide community-based health care services that are compassionate, dignified, and culturally appropriate, incorporating social determinants of health, with the goal of breaking down the physical and systemic barriers that our patients face.
Bilingual, Bicultural, LGBTQIA identifying, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are encouraged to apply.
To learn more about working at BHCHP, watch our video Please Click Here.
Job Summary:
The mission of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) is to provide or assure access to the highest quality health care that centers on equity and dignity for all individuals and families with an experience of homelessness in greater Boston. Repeated hospitalizations can take a significant physical and psychological toll on individuals who experience homelessness, who are socioeconomically marginalized and are often living with co-occurring medical or mental health challenges. BHCHP’s Medical Respite program—which today encompasses both the Barbara McInnis House (BMH) and Stacy Kirkpatrick House (SKH)—is one of the oldest and largest in the country.
BHCHP’s Medical Respite was created to provide short-term medical and recuperative services in a dignified setting for homeless individuals well enough for hospital discharge but too sick to be discharged to the shelter or street. Roughly half of patients enter medical respite directly from the street or shelter to avoid hospitalization. Patients are often medically complex: the most common conditions managed in medical respite include infections (e.g., pneumonia, cellulitis, abscesses, HIV, and most recently COVID-19), acute exacerbations of chronic disease (e.g., COPD, CHF, ESLD), peri-operative and peri-procedural care needs, cancer care, and end of life care. Co-morbid psychiatric illnesses and substance use disorders are prevalent.
The Medical Director of Respite Programs is responsible for the leadership of the multi-disciplinary medical staff of BMH (103 beds) and SKH (20 beds) and establishes and maintains high quality standards of patient care. At BMH, the average length of stay is approximately 14 days, allowing for unique opportunities to develop innovative programming to support patients’ total health. Medical respite also plays a vital role in providing isolation for people with infectious diseases outside of congregate shelter settings—a critical need in the face of COVID-19 and other communicable illnesses like influenza, tuberculosis, Shigella, and more.
Working in close collaboration with the Executive Director of Medical Respite, Director of Nursing for Medical Respite, and Associate Medical Director of Respite Programs, the Medical Director oversees the daily clinical operation of Medical Respite care at BHCHP. The Medical Director also maintains close working relationships with area hospitals, homeless shelters, and other community partners.
Hours: Full-Time; 40 hours weekly
Responsibilities:
Clinical Care and Management
Since 1985, BHCHP’s mission has been to ensure unconditionally equitable and dignified access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in greater Boston. Over 12,000 homeless individuals are cared for by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program each year. We are committed to ensuring that every one of these individuals has access to comprehensive health care, from preventative dental care to cancer treatment. Our clinicians, case managers, and behavioral health professionals work in more than 30 locations to serve some of our community’s most vulnerable—and most resilient—citizens.
From our earliest days as a program, we have always sought to do work that is transformational: recognizing our shared humanity; centering dignity, compassion, mutual respect and supporting the right of every individual to access the highest levels of health care and every staff member to reach their fullest potential. We continue to be committed to building bridges and breaking down barriers, including systemic racism which harms us all. We provide community-based health care services that are compassionate, dignified, and culturally appropriate, incorporating social determinants of health, with the goal of breaking down the physical and systemic barriers that our patients face.
Bilingual, Bicultural, LGBTQIA identifying, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are encouraged to apply.
To learn more about working at BHCHP, watch our video Please Click Here.
Job Summary:
The mission of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) is to provide or assure access to the highest quality health care that centers on equity and dignity for all individuals and families with an experience of homelessness in greater Boston. Repeated hospitalizations can take a significant physical and psychological toll on individuals who experience homelessness, who are socioeconomically marginalized and are often living with co-occurring medical or mental health challenges. BHCHP’s Medical Respite program—which today encompasses both the Barbara McInnis House (BMH) and Stacy Kirkpatrick House (SKH)—is one of the oldest and largest in the country.
BHCHP’s Medical Respite was created to provide short-term medical and recuperative services in a dignified setting for homeless individuals well enough for hospital discharge but too sick to be discharged to the shelter or street. Roughly half of patients enter medical respite directly from the street or shelter to avoid hospitalization. Patients are often medically complex: the most common conditions managed in medical respite include infections (e.g., pneumonia, cellulitis, abscesses, HIV, and most recently COVID-19), acute exacerbations of chronic disease (e.g., COPD, CHF, ESLD), peri-operative and peri-procedural care needs, cancer care, and end of life care. Co-morbid psychiatric illnesses and substance use disorders are prevalent.
The Medical Director of Respite Programs is responsible for the leadership of the multi-disciplinary medical staff of BMH (103 beds) and SKH (20 beds) and establishes and maintains high quality standards of patient care. At BMH, the average length of stay is approximately 14 days, allowing for unique opportunities to develop innovative programming to support patients’ total health. Medical respite also plays a vital role in providing isolation for people with infectious diseases outside of congregate shelter settings—a critical need in the face of COVID-19 and other communicable illnesses like influenza, tuberculosis, Shigella, and more.
Working in close collaboration with the Executive Director of Medical Respite, Director of Nursing for Medical Respite, and Associate Medical Director of Respite Programs, the Medical Director oversees the daily clinical operation of Medical Respite care at BHCHP. The Medical Director also maintains close working relationships with area hospitals, homeless shelters, and other community partners.
Hours: Full-Time; 40 hours weekly
Responsibilities:
Clinical Care and Management
- Serves as clinical leader of the respite medical staff, providing support, guidance, patient care, and critical evaluation, with direct responsibil
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