Chief Medical Officer

Job Type: Full-time
Position Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
FLSA Status: Exempt

About our client, the Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System (MHEDS)

MHEDS was established 50 years ago as a joint project of the Erie Diocesan Mission Office and the Erie Council of Churches to meet the health needs of African-American and Hispanic Farm Workers and other low-income individuals and their families. Refugee and immigrant health were added in the late 1990s. On January 1, 2019, MHEDS entered the Federally Qualified Health Center system as a Look-Alike.

Our service area is the City of Erie. Our mission is to enable all who wish to achieve complete mental, physical and social well-being by providing equitable, culturally sensitive, patient-centered health care, regardless of their ability to pay. MHEDS has a very diverse panel of patients: 35% are Asian, 29% Black/African American, 29% White, and the remainder mixed race. 6% are Latino/a. As an FQHC Look-Alike, MHEDS must comply with standards that ensure all patients have access to comprehensive health care services. We also offer health insurance enrollment, interpretation, and translation.

MHEDS expanded by opening a second site at the JFK Center in 2020. The second site allowed us to begin to offer women’s health and accommodation to serve more new arrivals. MHEDS will further expand its services by opening a third location in November 2024. In late 2021, MHEDS began receiving Afghan refugees along with its anticipated arrivals. In early 2022 we began receiving Ukrainian refugees. Our anticipated 549 new patients became 1,010. This Federal Fiscal Year, we have been told to expect 750 refugees plus additional Afghans and an unknown number of Ukrainians. Eighty percent of MHEDS’ staff are hired from within the New American group, allowing us to be more aligned both linguistically and culturally with those we serve.

Duties and Responsibilities:  

Clinical Duties 

• Functions independently to perform age-appropriate history and physical for health center patients.  

• Maintains an accurate electronic medical record, completes charting responsibilities within time set by related policy; includes responding to orders, messages, progress notes, and results. 

• Diagnoses health conditions by administering or ordering diagnostic tests, such as X-rays and laboratory studies and interpreting test results. 

• Facilitates staff, patient and family decision making by providing educational tools and counseling. 

• Performs procedures by administering injections and immunizations, and managing wounds and infections. 

• Prescribes appropriate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment modalities. 

• Collaborates with patients and their support person(s) to develop and implement care plan. 

• Monitors the effectiveness of interventions and modifying treatment plans, as needed. 

• Collaborates with multidisciplinary team members by making appropriate referrals. 

• Coordinates with Health Center Nurse Manager to promote performance improvement activities to improve operations that support achieving quality benchmarks.  

• Provides clinical support to mid-level Providers. 

• Will complete Civil Surgeons duties, when eligible. 

Administrative 

• Leads and implements the clinical direction of MHEDS. 

• Participates in senior management business strategy development and implementation. 

• Develops and implements strategic goals related to quality improvement management programs.  

• Reviews departmental productivity and quality of care. 

• Develops standard medical protocols and patient outcomes. 

• Checks and monitors medical billing and collections. 

• Reviews and signs appropriate forms relating to patient care that could not otherwise be completed by a mid-level Provider. 

• Mentoring resident physicians and medical students in family and global medicine. 

Safety 

• Adheres to safety, infection control, patient confidentiality, and related policies and procedures.   

Continuing Education 

• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies. 

• Remains up-to-date on clinical and scientific developments and shares necessary information with MHEDS staff. 

• Explores innovative clinical practices and encourages clinical and support staff to adapt them to the needs of the health center. 

Company Values 

• Ensures the six domains of healthcare quality are met during each patient visit: patient safety, effectiveness, patient-centered, timeliness, efficiency, and equity. 

• Consistent with MHEDS' values, treats all supervisors, co-workers, direct reports, patients, and any other internal or external person with respect and dignity. 

• All other duties as assigned by supervisor and/or based on the needs of the health center. 

 

Supervisory Capacity: This position supervises all other Providers, including but not limited to other Physicians, Residents, Medical Students, and Ancillary Providers. This position also supervises the Clinical Assistant and the Health Center Nurse Manager.

 

Education and/or Experience: 

• Graduation from an accredited medical school and current license to practice as a Family Medicine Physician in Pennsylvania is required.  

• At least three years Physician experience is required. 

• Experience working with an Electronic Health Record required.  

• Must be eligible for prescriptive authority. 

• When eligible, will sit for the Civil Surgeon exam. 

 

Language Skills: Must be able to speak and write in English. Additional language capabilities are a plus. 

 

Physical Demands: Normal medical/administrative office setting demands include lifting and carrying or delivering supplies that usually weigh less than 10 pounds, but may occasionally weigh 20-30 pounds, within the building. Must possess a valid driver’s license and have the ability to drive a private vehicle. 

   

Work Environment: The office and clinical areas are well illuminated, climate controlled, indoor areas. Work involves some exposure to hazards typical to a medical office environment, including potential exposure to infectious diseases and blood borne pathogens, chemical exposures, fire, mechanical and electrical hazards. Protective clothing and equipment are provided and required to be worn in potential exposure situations. 

Interested, qualified candidates will please submit a résumé.

J.L. Nick & Associates & MHEDS are equal opportunity employers.