Urgent Care Physician

Provides urgent health care to the University's student, faculty/staff, and retiree populations. Responsible for urgent care visits. Participates in a team with physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses to provide high-quality and compassionate care. May participate in teaching residents and medical students.

• Has outpatient responsibilities for acute and non-acute patient complaints. 

• Performs problem-based physical exams and orders appropriate laboratory, x-ray, and other diagnostic and medical procedures to meet short-term health care needs.

• Plans, directs, and coordinates the acute medical care as needed.  

• Coordinates the appropriate referrals and follow-up care of patients to other health care providers for specialized needs.

• Educates patients – based on age, gender, psychosocial and cultural context, and overall health of the patient – on illness or its complications and on ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

• Advises the patient with an illness on the most clinically appropriate and cost-effective therapy, weighing and discussing the potential risks and benefits of treatment.  HUHS embraces the principle of patient-centered care and shared decision making.

• Works closely with other members of the Urgent Care team. 

• Participants in quality projects, daily huddles, Lean activities, and other continuing education, utilization management, and other departmental activities.   

• Fosters positive working relationship and coordinates activities with other HUHS service areas.

• Complies with HUHS professional staff by-laws, policies, and procedures and applicable local, state, and federal accreditation regulations.

• Ensures that all lab results that he/she ordered are reported to patients in a timely fashion with clinically important abnormal results communicated by telephone and most other laboratory results communicated by mail or secure message. 

• Fully documents the care of his/her patients utilizing the electronic medical record.  Complies with all institutional policies related to the electronic medical record, including writing prescriptions electronically; documenting telephone and email communications; reviewing and signing off on nursing visits that require physician co-signature. 

• May participate in the instruction of medical students and residents.

• Participates in all team meetings, including daily huddles, as often as possible.

• Participates in practice-improvement projects and functions as a “process owner” of projects as determined at daily huddles. 

Contributes To Team Function And The HUHS Mission:

• Participates in team and committee efforts to solve problems, proposing ideas to improve the quality of care.

• Makes a continuous effort to satisfy the needs of patients and assist other clinicians.

• Works closely with the HUHS Patient Advocate and Chief of Urgent Care to address and resolve satisfactorily any specific patient-based concern or complaint.

• Promotes a positive image of HUHS by demonstrating knowledge and understanding of patient needs.

• Maintains written and verbal confidentiality of all patient and department information at all times, following the HUHS Confidentiality and electronic mail policies without exception.

Compliance:

• Adheres to the expectations and professional responsibilities of the department.

• Employs the standards, practices, and procedures of the department.

• Completes and complies with HUHS training requirements, including HIPAA Privacy and Security.

• Reports non-compliance incidents to the supervisor, manager, and/or Compliance Officer.

Physical Requirements:  

All Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) staff and staff affiliates are considered Health Care Workers and as a condition of employment must provide documentation of the following:  

• Letter of good health from your health care provider.

• TB skin test or blood test (IGRA -T-Spot or QuantiFERON) within the past 1 month or, if known test positive, documentation of previous chest x-ray, and information about any past treatment.

• Documentation of immunity (i.e., positive antibody titers) for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella.

• Proof of appropriate past immunization for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella.

• Hepatitis B vaccine series – required for staff with possible exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

• A current flu vaccine (this season).

The required medical documentation/medical clearances can often be obtained by contacting your Pediatrician, PCP, medical provider. Titers, TB Skin testing can be performed by appointment at Occupational Health facilities. HUHS continues to place the highest priority on the health, safety and wellbeing of its faculty, staff and students, as well as the wider community. Being up to date with annual flu vaccination and other required medical vaccinations and documentation are required as a condition of employment at HUHS. You may claim exemption from the vaccine requirements for medical or religious reasons.