At Houston Methodist, the Surgical Physician Assistant (PA) PRN position functions as an advanced practice practitioner responsible for promoting and maintaining the health of patients requiring surgical care. Practicing medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician, the Surgical PA position provides diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical, and preventive care across the continuum of care. The Surgical PA position assists licensed physicians in the comprehensive management of patients in all perioperative settings, with a primary focus on serving as a first assistant during surgical procedures. Responsibilities for this position include endoscopic vein harvesting and other cardiothoracic surgery first-assist duties. This role supports continuity of care through active involvement in preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative patient management. The Surgical PA position involves work in the operating room, inpatient, and outpatient settings and may function independently under physician supervision or as part of a multidisciplinary care team. This position performs patient examinations; obtains medical histories; orders, analyzes, and interprets diagnostic tests including laboratory and imaging studies; formulates diagnoses and treatment plans; writes prescriptions; and orders appropriate therapies. All care is delivered in accordance with the Texas Board of Physician Assistant Examiners regulations and Houston Methodist policies and procedures.
FLSA STATUSNon-exempt
QUALIFICATIONSEDUCATION- Bachelor’s degree
- Graduate from accredited Physician Assistant program by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
EXPERIENCE- One year of Cardiovascular surgical experience
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONSRequired- PA - Physician Assistant - State Licensure - Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation_PSV and
- PA-C - Physician Assistant-Certified (NCCPA) - National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistant_PSV and
- DEA - Narcotics License (DEA) - Drug Enforcement Administration_PSV and
- BLS - Basic Life Support or Instructor (AHA) - American Heart Association and
- ACLS - Advanced Cardiac Life Support or Instructor (AHA) - American Heart Association
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES- Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
- Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
- Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
- Use of critical thinking skills and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Board of Physicians Assistants
- Accepts accountability for outcomes in healthcare
- Uses therapeutic communication to establish a relationship with patients, families and interprofessional team to collaborate on the plan of care
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skill as evidenced by capacity to prioritize multiple tasks and role components
- Ability to exercise judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional care team and patients and their families
- Demonstrates proficient time management skills
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONSPEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- Demonstrates leadership as a clinical resource, interprofessional consultant, and patient advocate. Participates in rounding independently or with physicians/surgeons and attends interdisciplinary rounds, as appropriate, by specialty.
- Collaborates to foster healthy relationships in the work environment. Acts as a role model and coaches staff in effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication. May serve as first call for hospital staff.
- Communicates organizational information and aspects of administrative and clinical practice in a respectful and positive manner when interacting with staff. Advocates for a balanced workload, promotes positive behaviors, and peer-to-peer accountability. Facilitates the promotion of teamwork. Uses peer-to-peer accountability towards improvement of department score for employee engagement.
- Collaborates with interprofessional health care team members to manage/coordinate patient care. Advocates on patient/family’s behalf to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns.
SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- Coordinates appropriate, timely patient care between health care providers and other ancillary clinicians, as appropriate, under a physician license, for a defined patient population(s), focusing on identified expected unit/optimal outcomes, individualized to the patient. Helps drive improvement of department score for patient satisfaction, through peer-to-peer accountability to service standards.
- Collaborates quality health care with interprofessional team members to manage/coordinate patient care. Provides first-assist and/or second-assist surgical services as needed.
- Responds and is available timely to patient questions/issues that arise as triaged by clinical staff and provides assistance for emergencies, as needed.
QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- Performs independent or delegated functions under physician license, such as diagnosis, use of prescriptive authority, and treatment according to practice guidelines, protocols, and/or standing orders.
- Reviews medications and test reports on patients, responds to critical test results, and advises on any corrective action based on the results.
- Conducts comprehensive health assessments (initial, ongoing, discharge), identifies normal/abnormal health characteristics, develops plan of care, initiates appropriate interventions, and evaluates care outcomes on defined patient populations. Performs quality and safe diagnostic, surgical and/or therapeutic procedures necessary for defined patient populations.
- Assists the interprofessional health care team in the development and implementation of protocols to ensure patient safety. Integrates and contributes to professional practice standards, policies, procedures, protocols and leads improvements in patient safety-related processes.
FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- Performs accurate and timely documentation in medical record, including diagnosis and CPT coding.
- Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and do timely documentation of care, decreasing length of stay, optimizing efficiency, and other areas according to department specifications. Projects awareness and understanding of resource allocation based on patient needs and staff experience, knowledge, and skills.
GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- Fosters identification and implementation of innovative solutions to improve patient care or department operations such as the organization’s quality metrics or other department-specific measures by leading and/or participating in department and/or hospital projects/activities or a hospital committee.
- Expands individual knowledge and coaches staff to grow in knowledge, abilities, skills, and attitudes.
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTSWORK ATTIRE- Uniform: No
- Scrubs: Yes
- Business professional: No
- Other (department approved): No
ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**- May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
- May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes
QUALIFICATIONSEDUCATION- Bachelor’s degree
- Graduate from accredited Physician Assistant program by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
EXPERIENCE- One year of Cardiovascular surgical experience
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONSRequired- PA - Physician Assistant - State Licensure - Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation_PSV and
- PA-C - Physician Assistant-Certified (NCCPA) - National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistant_PSV and
- DEA - Narcotics License (DEA) - Drug Enforcement Administration_PSV and
- BLS - Basic Life Support or Instructor (AHA) - American Heart Association and
- ACLS - Advanced Cardiac Life Support or Instructor (AHA) - American Heart Association
Company Profile:
Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group is an integral part of Houston Methodist’s overall strategy to become one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers. Established as a nonprofit corporation certified by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, the Specialty Physician Group enables physicians to maintain autonomy with respect to clinical practice while growing their practice within an academic environment.
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.