Physician Assistant - Orthopedics

Summary

The Physician Assistant (PA) plays a vital support role in our organization. In general, this individual is responsible for providing professional patient care and assistance to the Physician/Surgeon and the clinical staff. The Physician Assistant will be primarily involved with direct patient care in support of the physicians of the practice. Assists the physician in the outpatient clinic and hospital settings following protocols established by the physician and written practice guidelines to facilitate effective medical care and patient safety.

The person in this position functions in the multiple settings (operating room, clinic) under the supervision of their assigned physician; may perform activities which involve an initial evaluation and treatment of the patient’s condition, as defined in the scope of the State of Illinois standards and the Physician Assistant Practice Act.

Full-time

This full-time position will work in our Ortho Access Walk In Clinic.

• Sees patients in the clinic both independently and with supervision. Dictates clinic progress notes. Orders appropriate tests and develops patient treatment plans with physician approval.
• Dictates H&P’s, consultations and discharge summaries.
• Performs joint aspirations/injections.
• Interprets x-rays.
• Applies casts, splints, braces, etc. under supervision of the physician.
• Removes staples, sutures, drains, etc.
• Assists in fielding/triaging physician calls.
• Reviews lab results, x-rays, and MRI/CT results prior to entering patient exam room
• Confers with physician regarding new patient findings and potential diagnosis and treatment.
• Administers therapeutic injections and performs minor procedures as needed
• Reviews pre-operative instructions and explains the surgical process to patients who are about to have surgery
• Provides diagnosis and treatment services to established patients and postoperative patients
• Prescribes medications, treatments, in accordance with physician protocols and ensures that all prescriptions and required notes are in patient’s medical record
• Formulates and updates patient care plans; consults with physician as needed
• Orders pre-operative tests, CT scans, and MRIs, and documents, utilizing the EHR software
• Follows applicable ICD 10 and billing guidelines.
• Returns patient phone messages at designated times throughout the day; follow through with appropriate action; documents action taken in patient chart

• Assist the Surgeon by rounding on patients in the hospital as directed.
• Performs hospital consults as directed
• Assists the surgeon with major and minor surgical procedures in the operating room.
• Positions, preps and drapes the patient, as needed.
• Closes surgical wounds and performs post-operative wound care
• Applies dressings, casts, splint brace, abduction pillows, etc.
• Performs minor surgical procedures within scope of licensure.
• Performs and/or assists with patient traction, adjustment, realignment and removal of traction.
• Responsible for coordinating patient care between the office and the hospital, writing orders for surgical patients both pre and post operatively, and reporting the condition of care of hospitalized patients to the physician.
• Coordinates patient discharge: prescriptions, discharge instructions, discharge summary, patient education
• Ensure operative reports are dictated no later than 48 hours after procedure
• Participates in on-call activities assigned by the physician according to the medical center policy on allied health.

• Performs initial and on-going clinical assessment of patients.
• Obtains medical history and performs physical examination (countersigned by sponsoring/attending physician).
• Develops treatment plans.
• Performs basic patient care services including wound assessment, dressing change, suture removal.
• Performs minor procedures such as application of cast or splint, reduction of displaced fracture, suturing deep and superficial structures, joint injection.
• Performs additional procedures such as placement of traction pins, setting up traction, reduction of dislocated prosthesis (hip, knee,…