Clinical Component

This is a 100% outpatient leadership position for board-certified physicians. It will comprise of 24 hours per week of patient contact, averaging 18-20 patients per day with the ability to see more. Adventist Health has also incorporated a new partnership and initiative with Blue Zones. Blue Zones Projects are designed to reinforce sustainable changes within your practice, but in the environment, policies, schools, restaurants, grocery stores, and neighborhoods to ultimately bring well-being within reach to every citizen.

Regarding the roles and responsibilities of the RHC Medical Director

  • You are not responsible for building the residency program. You would be a faculty member. 
  • They have already recruited a Program Director for the residency program, and he has already started. This physician is also local to the area and would live and work in Sonora, so those responsibilities would not fall on you. He will work in the same clinic as you.
  • Your schedule would be as follows: 3 days of clinic. 1 full day of admin – some of this will be overseeing the APP’s in the clinic and signing off on 10-20% of their charts. 1 full day of any “faculty” responsibilities. Residents aren’t showing up until Fall of 2024, so those hours will just be extra office time until they show up. 
  • The Interim RHC Medical Director leaves every day by 5 pm and doesn’t need to take any work home with him. He has shared that he has enough time to complete his responsibilities (this includes clinic and signing of on APP charts). He has worked in Sonora for 6 years so he can speak to the present and the past. He would continue to work for them but would transition back to a Family Medicine provider. He is helping temporarily until we hire the new Medical Director. 

While you will be seeing mixture of children, adults and geriatrics, the currently patient panel is predominantly 55 and older. Current patient volume is anywhere from 18-22 per day, with a large number of new patients coming from referrals. If the incoming physician would like to see more than 25 patients, the patients are definitely there. On the other hand, if you would prefer a slower practice, that can also be accommodated.  

RHC director will also be faculty to the FM Residency Program and work with the second cohort when they arrive (Fall 2024). You will also be overseeing and collaborating with the specialists at the Rural Health Clinic to ensure a collaborative work environment and help improve any needs or initiatives.

Currently, quite a few of the physicians prefer the 4.5-hour week schedule and it seems to be working out fine. The organization is very supportive. Physicians are free to arrange their schedules however they please as long as they are scheduled during normal clinic hours, have 24 hours of patient contact per week, and complete all of their required administrative responsibilities.   

Blue Zones PDF

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