The Nursing Home Medical Director: Accountability
A nursing home is a nursing institution that is managed by an Administrator, who is not a medical professional.
The highest level of medical management in the nursing home is the Medical Director.
It is also common for the Medical Director to be the primary treating physician for his own patients in the facility.
Under Federal Regulation, the nursing home Medical Director is responsible for “the coordination of medical care in the facility.” This means that the Medical Director is responsible for assuring that the nursing staff is providing appropriate care to its patients.
In addition, the Medical Director is a member of the clinical care oversight committee which is charged with addressing all facility deficiencies as identified by the state’s Department of Health Services.
The role of the Medical Director requires an investment of time for the analysis of the facility’s operations and should not be taken lightly by any physician. The Medical Director must become familiar with the system of healthcare delivery within the facility and assure that it functions properly.
With this responsibility comes accountability which means liability, should the Medical Director fail to perform as required.
