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At Cedars-Sinai, the work you do every day directly affects others' lives. Our passionate and dedicated culture has earned us six Magnet designations for nursing excellence. Join us and experience why U.S. News & World Report recognizes us as one of America's Best Hospitals!

The Smidt Heart Institute is a leading center for cardiovascular care in the US, with a team of experts who specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide range of heart and vascular conditions. We offer compassionate care and access to groundbreaking treatments through our integrated research enterprise. Our faculty and attending physicians are highly skilled in all specialties, including transplantation, stem cell therapy, congenital heart disease, women's heart health, valve disorders, arrhythmia, and hypertension.

The Lead Physician Assistant (PA-C) – Heart - Cardiovascular Surgery provides leadership, direction, and guidance to Physician Assistants within a service-line and provide specialty collaborative patient management under the direction of a board certified/eligible physician. The Lead PA is responsible for implementing and maintaining AHP requirements both programmatic and competency specific for all assigned AHP programs.

The Lead PA is clinically responsible and accountable for the application of the PA process, providing clinical guidance to clinical team, research involvement, consultative services, inter and intradepartmental liaison, education, leadership, and patient care management across the health care continuum from preventative, acute care through discharge. All patients cared for by the physician assistant will be discussed daily with the supervising physicians.

• Promotes and maintains patient health by providing medical services under the supervisor of a Supervising Physician. 
• Assess patient health by interviewing patients performs physical examination, obtaining, updating and studying medical histories both in the inpatient and outpatient setting. 
• Analyzes and organizes the care of clinically complex patients which may include socio-cultural, cognitive, functional, nutritional, and educational evaluation. 
• Acts as patient advocate by providing for the patient's best interest as a liaison between the patient, family and Supervising Physician and insurance companies; updating doctors and keeping patients informed and knowledgeable of changes in care plan and patient status. Acts to ensure the hospital stay is a positive experience. Accessible as much as possible to answer questions, patient concerns and phone calls promptly. As appropriate refers to case management and other healthcare providers, if necessary. Able to effectively assess and manage patient/family psychosocial issues. 
• Works in collaboration with interdisciplinary team (Attending/residents) to implement and direct patient management plan while utilizing appropriate evidence-based and diagnostic tools coupled with therapeutic modalities to ensure the best outcome and shortest hospital stay. 
• Dictates clear concise history and physicals for consults, follow ups, interactions with patients, discharge summaries and letters. All dictations contain necessary information to document patients' care plan and ensure continuity of care. 
• Coordinates MD referrals to various departments when appropriate. If applicable, ensures baseline assessments on both ICU and non-monitored bed patients to prevent postoperative complications and decrease morbidity. 
• Performs appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for identification and management of patient diagnosis within the scope of practice of a physician assistant and approved medical staff privileges. 
• Communicates to and guides staff in structuring/relaying information regarding patient in a clear and precise manner, always respectful toward both patient and fellow colleagues. Utilizes SBAR, read back for telephone orders or critical test results and avoidance of unauthorized abbreviations. 
• Provides emergency resuscitation as indicated within established guidelines by maintaining BLS and ACLS certification. Able to identify a patient at risk for cardiac/respiratory compromise early and making transfer arrangements to higher levels of care. Maintains certification by appropriate organizations, complies with CSMC and departmental requirements. Remains is good standing with Medical Staff.
• Actively participates in the interviewing process of candidates in department or service line.  Coordinates the orientation schedule of newly hired Surgical Physician Assistants as appropriate.  Collaborates in the preparation of annual evaluations with supporting physicians and management personnel to ensure all paperwork is in compliance with all HR policies and guidelines.