Physician - MGH Clinic
Since 1985, BHCHP’s mission has been to ensure unconditionally equitable and dignified access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in greater Boston. Over 10,000 homeless individuals are cared for by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program each year. We are committed to ensuring that every one of these individuals has access to comprehensive health care, from preventative dental care to cancer treatment. Our clinicians, case managers, and behavioral health professionals work in more than 30 locations to serve some of our community’s most vulnerable—and most resilient—citizens.
From our earliest days as a program, we have always sought to do work that is transformational: recognizing our shared humanity; centering dignity, compassion, mutual respect and supporting the right of every individual to access the highest levels of health care and every staff member to reach their fullest potential. We continue to be committed to building bridges and breaking down barriers, including systemic racism which harms us all. We provide community-based health care services that are compassionate, dignified, and culturally appropriate, incorporating social determinants of health, with the goal of breaking down the physical and systemic barriers that our patients face.
Job Summary:
Hours: Up to 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday
Union: None
Union Name: None
Patient Facing: Yes
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program is currently seeking a dynamic physician to provide high-quality, patient centered primary care as part of our Massachusetts General Hospital-based clinical team. In this role you will work with other team members to provide comprehensive primary and substance use related care to patients in clinic and spend time working on the inpatient consult team.
BHCHP’s clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital provides comprehensive medical, substance use and mental health services to people who are or have been homeless and wish to receive care at MGH. Members of this practice also see patients who are admitted to the hospital as part of a ‘Homelessness Consult Team’ that works to improve the inpatient experience of patients who are homeless and assists teams in making care plans centered in homelessness.
This position is funded until the end of June 2029 with the possibility for renewal. If this funding is not renewed, this position will end June 30, 2029.
Responsibilities:
- Patient Care
- Provide comprehensive, high-quality primary and episodic at BHCHP’s clinic at MGH, working within BHCHP’s clinical and administrative guidelines.
- Perform consults on patients who are inpatient or in the emergency department at MGH by meeting patients at the bedside, assisting teams in developing homeless-specific care plans and coordinating after care planning as needed.
- Collaborate with and support other team members (nursing, PA, PMNHP) on patient care as needed. It is expected that the MD and NP will share a panel of patients.
- Refer patients when medically necessary for specialty, hospital, recuperative or other appropriate care such as detox, providing appropriate information for continuity of care.
- Provide direct patient care at least 28 hours/week including, if needed, late evening work, with the remaining 8 hours devoted to other clinical administrative duties such as lab follow-up, quality assurance, completion of patient forms, and to remain flexible about changes in those hours and in the site at which the work is performed.
- To provide with other staff members continuous onsite physician coverage at those sites which require physician presence, remaining available to cover sites during administrative time when colleagues are ill or on vacation.
- To provide on-call coverage with other BHCHP clinicians at the MGH practice to ensure 24-hour availability, and to provide onsite holiday coverage at the medical respite site. Phone call will occur approximately every 5 weeks.
- To provide comprehensive follow-up of all laboratory tests including notification of patients of all results according to BHCHP guidelines, and to provide appropriate follow-up of all abnormal results following the highest standards of medical care.
- To provide education to patients on health promotion and disease prevention.
- Collaborative and Educational Responsibilities
- To provide BHCHP support staff with adequate physician back-up.
- To help educate peers and other clinic staff by providing talks in areas of interest and expertise
- To participate in a collaborative agreement with nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants, ensuring the highest quality clinical care for patients comanaged.
- To participate in the teaching of medical students and residents and to act as a role model and mentor for students, residents, and fellows.
- To actively participate in department meetings, general staff meetings and other meetings including quality assurance, pharmacy, etc.
- To attend CME meetings on a regular basis as mandated by the appropriate State Medical Board and to maintain the highest level of clinical competence.
- Administrative Responsibilities
- To maintain adequate medical records, completed in a timely fashion, according to the guidelines of BHCHP, employing standard forms such as problem lists, medication lists, etc.
- To participate in peer review by performing regular chart reviews.
- To maintain an active DEA certificate, medical license, current hospital privileges, managed care credentials.
- To perform any other reasonable and appropriate duties at the request of the Medical Director.
- M.D. licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- Board eligible or certified in family practice, internal medicine, or other appropriate specialty.
- Interest in working within multidisciplinary teams to provide primary care to homeless persons.
- Life support training certification (e.g., CPR, BLS, ACLS) from a course that includes a hands-on, in-person component.
- Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. Fluency in another language (especially Spanish and Haitian Kreyol, which are most reflected in our patient population) is desired.
- Familiarity with addiction medicine and/or Health Care for the Homeless program(s) is desired.
- Strong understanding of the complex health problems of homeless people, substance use disorder, harm reduction strategies, and the social determinants of health; and an understanding of the historical and current effects of racism and xenophobia in the health care setting is desired.
- Demonstrated interest in working with an underserved population.
- The compensation increases based on years of experience and ranges from $172,000 - $275,200 annually. Annual salary is pro-rated based on part-time hours worked.
- BHCHP full-time employees are eligible for our competitive time off program, health, dental and vision insurance, 403B retirement savings plan, pre-tax MBTA pass program with 40% discount, additional compensation for demonstrated bilingual proficiency and more. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.
Does this amazing opportunity interest you? Then we'd love to hear from you.
As an equal opportunity employer, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.
Covid-19 Vaccination: Proof of Covid-19 vaccination(s) is optional for employment. Candidates who are offered employment will be given details about how to demonstrate receipt of vaccination if they choose to.
Please Note: Employment at Boston Health Care for the Homeless is at-will. Boston Health Care for the Homeless does not sponsor work authorization visas.