Guideline No. 309 - Responsibilities of Medical Directors in Personal Care Homes

• To advise the responsible Authority or Board, through appropriate channels, administrative personnel, and professional staff of that facility on all matters pertaining to the provision of appropriate and adequate medical services in the personal care home. This would include ensuring that modern concepts of geriatric care are followed within the home.
• To be responsible for the overall coordination of medical services for the personal care home, which include (but are not limited to):
  • the credentialling of physicians through the responsible Authority and liaison with other physicians attending to residents in the facility
  • maintenance and monitoring of standards of medical care
    • review, analysis and evaluation of care rendered by physicians
    •  participation in the development of policies (e.g. advance directives, DNR, immunization)
    • ensuring ongoing professional continuing medical education
  • involvement in drug utilization review
  • participation in staff development and consultation
  • ensure appropriate medical coverage
  • review and advisement on equipment and resource needs, etc.
  • participation in the planning and implementation of policies affecting medical care
• Ensure that each resident is provided with appropriate medical care, treatment and attention, giving consideration to:
  ? the resident's right to choose a specific attending physician conditional upon that physician agreeing to provide services consistent with the policies of the facility; and
  ? if that attending physician is not available, access to medical care must be ensured by way of an arrangement to provide on call or emergency supervision.
• To ensure that adequate medical records are maintained by attending physicians in a timely manner, including signed orders for medications.
• To attend to the home as frequently as is required to ensure that the above services are performed.