Medical Director MD Pediatrician

Background 

Forestdale, a leading child and family services agency operating in Queens and Brooklyn, is seeking a Medical Director. The Medical Director/MD Pediatrician role is a rare opportunity to combine direct medical practice, supervision, and administrative responsibilities for a specialized population of young people.  

Job Summary

The Medical Director/MD Pediatrician is primarily responsible for ensuring that all children in care with Forestdale’s Foster Care Program receive the highest quality medical services, including assessing and managing their medical needs. This will include direct practice for approximately half-time, as well as supervision of other MDs or NPs, and the clinical supervision of the Senior RN. As a leader on Forestdale’s health team, the Medical Director will work with other team members to advance our work in integrated healthcare by recommending policies and protocols and implementing practices that ensure provision of holistic healthcare.

Major Responsibilities/Activities of this position include:

• Direct practice, including, when appropriate:
• medically examining children, treating illness, acute and chronic health problems, and monitoring growth/development concerns
• collecting, recording, and maintaining patient information via timely and complete documentation.
• prescribing and/or administering treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury in infants and children
• reviewing all child assessments and screenings performed by nursing staff
• providing patient education on reproductive health.
• working with behavioral health providers to support and manage the emotional/psychiatric needs of children
• guiding nursing staff in establishing medical treatment goals for children, utilizing historical and current available information in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team.
• educating caregivers and monitoring healthcare needs.
• follow up after medical appointments, urgent/emergency care, or hospitalizations.
• ordering prescriptions 
• psychotropic medication clearance/follow ups, acting as liaison with psychiatric practitioners
• Liaison for all medical specialists for care coordination/communication
• Key contact for all clinical (medical) issues for ACS policies and regulations pertaining to clinical care
• Advise on FD policies and procedures regarding clinical (medical) care of children in care.
• Quality improvement; address concerns identified by health services staff and make or recommend changes that may impact other programs
• Supervision and training of other MDs, NPs, and clinical supervision of Senior Nurse
• Work with the health team to create and advance the vision for integrated medical/behavioral/health homes clinical care
• Offer education for Forestdale staff on medical issues
• Support on-call team on medical issues

Minimum Requirements 

• Board Certified - Pediatrics
• NYS License in Child and Adolescent Medicine
• Medical degree from an accredited institution
• Excellent organizational, verbal and written communication skills
• Bilingual is a plus, not mandatory
• Experience working in child welfare environment is a plus
• Compliance with:
• Required background checks, including: NYS Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse/Maltreatment, NYS Sex Offender Registry, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services fingerprinting, NYS Justice Center Staff Exclusion List, NYS OMIG Medicaid Exclusion List.
• Mandated reporter training
• Current certification by American Red Cross (or equivalent) in First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
• Applicable provisions of the NYS Education Law with respect to hiring and retaining of licensed professionals.