PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATE

Department: Medical / Primary Care
Reports To: Medical Director or Designee
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Type: Clinical Provider
HRSA Classification: Licensed Independent Practitioner (LIP)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Physician Associate (PA) provides comprehensive, patient-centered primary care services to patients of Community Clinical Services (CCS) in accordance with the individual's education, training, demonstrated competencies, CCS-approved clinical privileges, applicable federal and State of Maine laws and regulations, and organizational policies and procedures.

The Physician Associate functions as an integral member of the interdisciplinary care team and provides preventive, acute, chronic, and population-based health care within the scope of privileges granted by CCS. The PA supports CCS's mission to provide accessible, high-quality, culturally responsive care to the communities it serves, including medically underserved and vulnerable populations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Care

1. Provides comprehensive primary care services within the scope of education, training, experience, demonstrated competency, Maine licensure, and privileges granted by CCS.
2. Performs patient histories, physical examinations, health assessments, and other appropriate clinical evaluations.
3. Evaluates, diagnoses, treats, and manages acute and chronic health conditions consistent with evidence-based standards of care and approved clinical privileges.
4. Orders, performs, and interprets appropriate diagnostic tests, laboratory studies, imaging, and other clinical procedures within the provider's scope of practice and privileges.
5. Develops and implements individualized treatment and care plans in partnership with patients and, when appropriate, their families or caregivers.
6. Prescribes, administers, and manages medications, including controlled substances when authorized, consistent with applicable federal and Maine law, DEA registration, organizational policy, and granted privileges.
7. Provides preventive health services, including age-appropriate screening, risk assessment, immunization recommendations, health education, and counseling.
8. Identifies patients requiring consultation, specialty services, emergency evaluation, or a higher level of care and coordinates appropriate referrals and transitions of care.
9. Provides appropriate follow-up care and communicates clinically significant test results, treatment recommendations, referrals, and changes in the plan of care.
10. Participates in the management of patients with complex medical, behavioral health, and social needs through interdisciplinary collaboration and care coordination.

Documentation and Health Information

1. Completes accurate, timely, and clinically appropriate documentation in the electronic health record in accordance with CCS policy, professional standards, payer requirements, and applicable laws and regulations.
2. Ensures documentation supports services provided, medical necessity, continuity of care, quality reporting, and accurate coding and billing.
3. Reviews and responds to clinical messages, laboratory and diagnostic results, medication requests, referrals, and other patient-care communications within established organizational standards.
4. Maintains confidentiality and protects patient health information in accordance with HIPAA and all applicable federal and state privacy requirements.

Quality, Safety, and Compliance

1. Practices in accordance with CCS policies and procedures, HRSA Health Center Program requirements, applicable FTCA requirements, and federal, state, and professional standards.
2. Participates in CCS's credentialing and privileging processes and maintains all licenses, registrations, certifications, and other qualifications required for the position and granted clinical privileges.
3. Participates in quality improvement, quality assurance, peer review, population health, risk management, and patient safety activities as assigned.
4. Supports clinical initiatives designed to improve patient access, health outcomes, care coordination, preventive care, and management of chronic conditions.
5. Reports patient safety events, adverse events, medication errors, compliance concerns, and other reportable incidents in accordance with CCS policies.
6. Practices within granted clinical privileges and promptly informs CCS of any change in licensure, certification, DEA registration, professional liability history, ability to perform assigned duties, or other circumstance that could affect credentialing or privileging.

Team-Based Care

1. Works collaboratively with physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, medical assistants, behavioral health professionals, care managers, community health workers, and other members of the interdisciplinary care team.
2. Participates in clinical meetings, case conferences, provider meetings, quality initiatives, and organizational activities as appropriate.
3. Promotes effective communication, continuity of care, and coordination among CCS programs, external specialists, hospitals, pharmacies, community organizations, and other health care partners.
4. Provides patient education using communication methods appropriate to the patient's health literacy, language, culture, and individual needs.
5. Performs other clinical and organizational duties consistent with the position, professional qualifications, granted privileges, and CCS's scope of services.

REQUIRED EDUCATION

• Graduate degree from an accredited Physician Associate/Physician Assistant educational program.
• Master's degree or other applicable advanced practice/graduate degree required.
• Education and training sufficient to meet State of Maine licensure requirements and the clinical privileges requested through CCS.

REQUIRED LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, AND CREDENTIALS

The Physician Associate must maintain the following throughout employment:

• Current, active, unrestricted license to practice as a Physician Associate in the State of Maine.
• Current, unrestricted Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration appropriate to the provider's clinical responsibilities and prescribing privileges.
• Current national certification through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), if required by applicable law, CCS credentialing policy, or payer requirements.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification or other BLS documentation meeting CCS credentialing requirements.
• Eligibility for credentialing and privileging by Community Clinical Services.
• Eligibility to participate in Medicare, MaineCare/Medicaid, and other federal and state health care programs and applicable payer networks.
• Ability to satisfy all CCS credentialing and privileging requirements, including primary-source verification of applicable credentials and education/training and completion of required National Practitioner Data Bank review.
• Compliance with all applicable State of Maine requirements governing Physician Associate practice.

All required licenses, registrations, certifications, and credentials must remain current and in good standing as a condition of continued employment.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated clinical competence in the provision of primary care services.
• Knowledge of evidence-based standards for preventive, acute, and chronic disease management.
• Ability to assess patients, establish differential diagnoses, develop treatment plans, prescribe medications, and evaluate clinical outcomes within granted privileges.
• Ability to recognize medical emergencies and initiate appropriate emergency response.
• Strong clinical judgment, communication, documentation, and care coordination skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary health care team.
• Ability to effectively serve patients from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, linguistic, and educational backgrounds.
• Understanding of health disparities and barriers affecting medically underserved populations.
• Proficiency with electronic health records and other clinical information systems.
• Ability to comply with applicable clinical, regulatory, privacy, quality, and patient safety requirements.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous experience providing primary care in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), FQHC Look-Alike, community health center, or other safety-net setting.
• Experience caring for medically underserved and/or medically complex populations.
• Experience with integrated medical and behavioral health care.
• Experience with population health, value-based care, or quality improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of HRSA Health Center Program requirements and FTCA-supported clinical risk management practices.

CREDENTIALING AND PRIVILEGING

Employment in this clinical position is contingent upon successful completion and continued maintenance of CCS's credentialing and privileging requirements.

The Physician Associate may provide only those clinical services for which privileges have been granted by CCS based upon verified licensure, education, training, experience, current competence, and other applicable credentialing requirements.

Credentialing and privileging will be conducted initially and on a recurring basis in accordance with CCS policies, HRSA Health Center Program requirements, applicable FTCA requirements, payer requirements, and federal and state law.

The employee is responsible for immediately notifying CCS of any restriction, investigation, disciplinary action, lapse, expiration, suspension, or other change involving professional licensure, certification, DEA registration, prescribing authority, professional liability coverage or history, exclusion status, or other credential that may affect the employee's ability to perform assigned duties or maintain clinical privileges.

PHYSICAL AND WORK REQUIREMENTS

The position requires the ability to perform the essential clinical functions of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation, including the ability to:

• Perform physical examinations and clinical procedures within granted privileges.
• Operate standard medical and office equipment.
• Communicate effectively with patients, families, and members of the health care team.
• Access, enter, and retrieve information from electronic health records and other clinical systems.
• Respond appropriately to urgent and emergency clinical situations.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.

PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS

The Physician Associate is expected to demonstrate professional conduct consistent with CCS's mission, policies, Code of Conduct, and commitment to patient-centered care. The employee must maintain appropriate professional boundaries, comply with ethical standards applicable to the profession, and contribute to a respectful and collaborative workplace.