Palliative Care Specialist

Basic Function

Provides attending physician services to palliative care patients. This includes, but is not limited to, the assessment, diagnosis and management of terminal illnesses and injuries according to approved procedures as part of an integrated program. This also includes management of mental, social and home problems associated with this group of patients and helping both patients and their families with handling problems related to this illness.

Scope

1. Palliative Care Specialist will be responsible for admitting, discharging and daily rounding on terminally ill patients. This also includes provision of outpatient medical care at the specialist level.

These patients remain the responsibility of the Palliative Care Specialist on the medical wards as required from the time of admission until the date of discharge.

2. Conducts medical outpatient consults in the clinic and follow up on medical problems as needed.

3. After working hours when on-call, is available for answering medical consultations by physicians in other Aramco districts, intensive care areas, medical wards, emergency room, and other inpatient services.

4. He/She is also expected to provide weekend coverage for his/her patients.

5. Will serve as a major contributor to in-service training activities in the Dhahran Health Centre.

6. Reports administratively to the Unit Head of Oncology and Chair of Oncology Institute.

Principal Contacts

Has daily direct contacts with hospitalized and clinic patients, their families, nurses, other internists, ward physicians, general practitioners and other members of Medical Services staff in different functions and supervisors of other departments to exchange information.

Principal Duties

1. Provide palliative care management for the terminally ill. This includes but is not limited to symptom management, pain control, social and psychological support and help patients and their families in their grieving.
2. Admit, discharge and do daily rounds on terminally ill patients. Provide both inpatient and outpatient consultations for the terminally ill. Provide weekend coverage for his/her patients.
3. Provide outpatient clinic service for palliative care patients including seeing new cases and follow ups in all JHAH facilities.
4. Palliative care is a multi-disciplinary service. The palliative care specialist will lead this team, review the palliative care policies, set up guidelines and be involved in quality assurance.
5. As a team leader, the palliative care specialist is expected to be involved in staff and patient education and disseminating knowledge.
6. Palliative care specialist works closely with other services in the hospital and with Home Healthcare to provide the best evidence based care for terminally ill patients.
7. Palliative care specialist reports functionally to the Oncology Unit Head and Chair of Oncology Institute

Education

• Graduation from an approved school of medicine, plus one year of internship.
• Completion of a residency program in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine or other surgical specialties, with special training in Palliative care.
• In possession of valid license to practice.

Qualifications by Site of Training

North America:

• North American Board certification or UK Fellowship in the Royal College of Physicians.
• Board certification in Palliative care or equivalent.

US/Canadian:

Board certification following completion of residency in an approved training program; as required by each board

UK, Australia, New Zealand:

• College membership following completion of training in approved programs and has been working as a registrar or senior registrar in one of the above countries

Saudi Board

Experience

At least Three years practice in the field post board or fellowship.