Physician - County Medical Director (San Diego County)

ABOUT US:

Community health is about more than just vaccines and checkups. It’s about giving people the resources they need to live their best lives. At Neighborhood, this is our vision:  a community where everyone is healthy and happy. We’re with you every step of the way, with the care you need for each of life’s chapters. At Neighborhood, we are Better Together.

As a private, non-profit 501(C) (3) community health organization, we serve over 500,000 medical, dental, and behavioral health visits from more than 95,000 people annually. We do this in pursuit of our mission to improve the health and happiness of the communities we serve by providing quality care to all, regardless of situation or circumstance.

Since 1969,  our employees have been making this mission a reality.  Regardless of the role, our team focuses on being compassionate, having integrity, being professional, always collaborating, and consistently going above and beyond.  If this sounds like an organization you would like to be a part of, we would love to meet you.  

ROLE OVERVIEW and PURPOSE

The County Medical Director will strategically design and enhance patient care delivery within our healthcare system by implementing innovative approaches to care team formation and patient allocation. Reporting directly to the Associate Chief Medical Officer (ACMO), this position will oversee multiple clinics across the county, ensuring optimal utilization of clinical resources and improving patient outcomes.  The County Medical Director role represents a critical opportunity to optimize patient care delivery, improve clinical outcomes, and enhance operational efficiency within our healthcare system. By leveraging interdisciplinary care teams and innovative patient allocation strategies, we can ensure that patients receive the right care from the right providers at the right time, ultimately advancing our mission of providing high-quality, patient-centered care.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Leadership and Vision: 

• Provides strategic leadership to drive growth and development in areas of underserved medical needs within a designated county
• Develops and forecasts long-term plans (three-to-five-year planning) to enhance healthcare delivery and meet the evolving needs of the community

Team Management: 

• Manages a medical team of Clinician Leaders, including Senior Regional Medical Leads, and Associate Regional Medical Leads
• Establishes and manages interdisciplinary care teams composed of Medical Doctors and Advanced Practice providers, as well a per diem Provider pool to optimize patient care across clinics
• Fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within the medical team

Operational Optimization: 

• Collaborates with the operations team to establish constructive workflows that optimize clinician efficiency and enhance patient care outcomes
• Designs and implements strategies to streamline processes, reduce inefficiencies, and enhance overall operational performance

Care Team Development: 

• Collaborates with clinical leadership to create multidisciplinary care teams, consisting of medical doctors and advanced practice providers
• Participates in examining patient complexity to appropriately allocate patients to Medical Doctors or Advanced Practice Providers
• Establishes systems for accurately assessing patient panels and allocating patients to appropriate care teams based on clinical complexity
• Provides guidance on patient allocation protocols to ensure that complex cases are managed by physicians, while routine visits are handled by advanced practice providers
• Conducts training sessions for clinicians on team-based care models, patient allocation strategies, and best practices in patient management

Utilization Management Oversight: 

• Oversees the clinical component of utilization management, ensuring appropriate and judicious uses of medical services are consistently rendered
• Collaborates with utilization management teams to develop and implement strategies for optimizing resource utilization, identifying/referring to appropriate inhouse services, minimizing unnecessary costs, and promoting evidence-based care practices

Workflow Management: 

• Evaluates and measures workflows to effectively manage care teams and facilitate cross-coverage to ensure continuity of care
• Develops protocols and guidelines to standardize clinical practices and enhance coordination among team members

Direct Care: