Physician Assistant - Cardiac Surgery

Job description

Join our dynamic, highly skilled Cardiothoracic (CT) Surgery inpatient APP team. The CT surgery service provides advanced surgical treatments, including coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic and mitral valve replacement, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and heart transplantation. We value individuals who are professional with strong interpersonal and communication skills and able to prioritize and adapt to changing situations. Our CT surgery APPs manage patients collaboratively across the inpatient continuum of care (in the ICU setting as well as the floor) with CT Surgery Fellows, Cardiac Surgeons, and Intensivists, perform bedside procedures, and may assist in the operating room.
Our APP team is expanding as we recruit highly skilled surgeons from across the country, strengthening both our expertise and our commitment to exceptional patient care. With this exciting growth comes new opportunities. Now is the ideal time to become part of a collaborative, forward-thinking team that is evolving, innovating, and setting a higher standard in surgical care.
If you are looking to contribute your skills in a dynamic environment where your experience is valued and your impact is meaningful, we invite you to explore joining us. We look forward to connecting with you and sharing more about what makes our team unique.
Credentialing, privileging, and applying for health plan enrollment must be completed prior to the first working day.
UCSF Health requires all APPs working at UCSF Medical Center and Clinics** to be credentialed through the Office of Medical Affairs and Governance (OMAG) and privileged through CIDP, EMB, and GAC. This applies to APPs in inpatient and outpatient clinical settings at all UCSF Health facilities/locations. Procedure privileges are granted after the APP has demonstrated competency through the focused professional practice evaluation (FPPE) process and submitted activity logs via the UC Me e-Log .
Inability to comply with the requirements of OMAG/CIDP at all times will result in a leave of absence or suspension of privileges.
**UCSF-hired APPs whose UCSF clinical responsibilities require patient care at facilities/locations outside of UCSF Medical Center and Clinics must complete and maintain the credentialing and privileging requirements of those facilities/locations or will be placed on a leave of absence or have privileges suspended.
APPs are expected to be familiar with the productivity metrics in their clinical practice based on the essential responsibilities (phenotypes) below.
UCSF APPs are expected to demonstrate accountability for their own clinical practice, participate in patient and staff education, serve as resources for APPs, APP students/fellows, physician residents/fellows, nurses and other staff, exhibit leadership skills, and engage in the mentoring of newly hired APPs.
• Independently (independent APP encounter) or collaboratively (shared physician and APP encounter) evaluates and manages patients.
• Includes taking histories, performing physical examinations, responding to changes in patient status, performing consults, ordering or furnishing medications/diagnostic tests/treatments/therapies/consultations/referrals/durable medical equipment (DME)/home health services.
• Care provided must be documented in the electronic medical record in accordance with the UCSF Rules and Regulations .
• Provider services must be billed to reflect the performing provider and comply with the APP Billing Policy 3.08.01 .
• APPs must respond to clinical documentation integrity inquiries from the Department of Quality and Patient Safety within 3 days.

1.2. Performs procedures granted to them via privileges/standardized procedures.
1.3. Identifies patients with acute decompensation or failure and responds to the hospital plan of care and reviews with physician.
1.4. Initiates consultations as indicated.
1.5. Documents independent assessment findings and recommends appropriate treatments.
1.6. Participates in service rounds and patient evaluation and treatment planning.
1.7. Reviews lab tests, x-rays, and other diagnostic tests, and initiates appropriate team plans.
1.8. Evaluates complex cases, establishes individualized plans of care for disposition to a lower level of care.
1.9. Interprets and acts upon completed tests, procedures, and radiographic studies.
1.10. Completes clinically relevant paperwork/electronic health record (EHR) documentation, including but not limited to ordering medications, completing episodic care notes and discharge summaries in accordance with the UCSF Rules and Regulations .
1.11. Effectively communicates findings, treatment options, and care plans with patients and their families
1.12. May first assist in the operating room if privileged to do so through OMAG after completing the required certification and proctoring.
1.13. Monitors and evaluates patients for discharge. Sets parameters and guidelines for continuum of care with multi-disciplinary team. This includes evaluating and defining discharge regimen.
1.14. Discharges patients including prescribing/furnishing medications, ordering DME, and recommending or referring for ongoing follow up care, providing discharge teaching, and completing discharge summaries.
Required Qualifications:
• Graduation from a PA Program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the PA (ARC-PA).
• Physician Assistant (less than five (5) years of experience as a PA):
• Clinical rotation with cardiac surgery within OR, ICU & floor setting
• Physician Assistant Senior (five (5) or more years of experience as a PA):
• Minimum of 2 year of inpatient cardiac surgery experience in the ICU & floor setting
• Experience as first or second assist in the OR including EVH and radial artery harvest
• Experience with management of ECMO, heart transplant, complex aortic, CABG and valvular surgeries

Preferred Qualifications:
• Preferred education is a master’s or doctoral degree and/or completion of a Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) from the NCCPA that aligns with the patient population and clinical role. Currently, available CAQs may be found on the NCCPA website at https://www.nccpa.net/specialty-certificates/.
• Minimum two years or greater PA experience managing cardiac surgery patients in the critical care and acute care environments
• Minimum 2 years of cardiac surgery OR experience including EVH and first assist
• Ability to perform radial artery harvest
• Management of post heart transplant patients
• Placement of chest tubes and central lines

Licenses/Certifications:
• California Physician Assistant (PA) License without restriction
• National Board Certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
• California Driver License (if required for position)
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Registration with Schedules 2, 2N, 3, 3N, 4, and 5 registered to a California address
• American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• Additional required AHA certifications: ACLS
• Additional required certifications (such as ENLS): XXX

UCSF Medical Center and Campus requires certain healthcare providers to be credentialed. In most cases this is done through its Office of Medical Affairs & Governance (OMAG) prior to the first working day. Credentialing and approval of the Standardized Procedures takes between 60-90 days but can vary.