Directs and supervises a staff of consulting physicians, dentists and/or midlevel providers within an institution for the mentally ill; multiple state adult correctional minor facilities; a major adult correctional facility; a skilled nursing facility;  or a statewide program;

OR

In the Division of Developmental Disabilities residential facility is responsible, institutional-wide, for developing, implementing and monitoring performance standards, and policies and procedures to ensure cross-unit standardization and quality control in medical and/or surgical services;

OR

Within an institution, state psychiatric hospital, a statewide program, or a state facility, serves in a specialist field such as: internist, physiatrist pathologist or OB-GYN.

OR

Functions as an executive level policy advisor for cost-effective, quality health care and prevention services for the workers and employers of the state of Washington.

NOTE:  Positions that are required to supervise medical and/or surgical services staff within an institution, state psychiatric hospital or facility will supervise a minimum of two physicians, dentists or midlevel providers.

Directs medical and surgical program for an institution or skilled nursing facility; assigns, instructs, and directs medical and nursing staff or consultants; supervises medical and dental consultants on a statewide basis;

Directs a multidisciplinary therapeutic and clinical approach to treat complex physical, psychological, and psychosocial conditions.  These efforts involve the provision of quality medical, nursing, pharmacological, psychiatric/psychological, dementia, rehabilitative/restorative, and nutritional care, and psychosocial support;

Develops and organizes procedures and policy for medical and/or surgical care; initiates and maintains standards and policy for an institution or department;

Examines patients for physical and mental illness; prescribes and administers treatment and care; assists in or performs major and minor surgery; supervises postoperative care;

Makes rounds of wards; examines patients; maintains standards of care; develops and maintains a program for utilization review on a statewide basis for selective programs;

Plans, coordinates, and supervises activities of physical, occupational, recreational, educational, vocational, speech, learning and other forms of therapy;

Supervises and directs work of laboratory staff performing clinical and pathological laboratory tests;

Assists in development of medical care budget;

Provides consultation to a vendor audit unit in establishing and determining special fees for physician's services;

Interprets federal regulations as they apply to statewide medical program;

Insures compliance of medical program with federal standards;

Maintains records and makes reports evaluating progress of patients; prepares and presents reports on medical surgical unit;

Leads statewide clinical work groups and best practice programs intended to innovate and improve healthcare delivery functions. Recruits committee members, responds to inquiries and requests, aligns resources for meeting activities, and conducts meetings;

Plans, organizes, and collaborates on initiatives related to healthcare benefit design and administration including the implementation of clinical service;

Manages clinical performance metrics, including ensuring alignment between common performance measure utilization and contract language;

Assists and advises all divisions of the Department of Labor & Industries on issues involving medical diagnosis and treatment, occupational health and safety, health care policy, crime victims compensation policy, and related legal and legislative issues;

Develops and implements policies, standards, research protocols, positions, regulations, laws, projects and programs on a wide range of issues, state and nationwide, such as prevention of long-term disability and chemically related illness;

Coordinates, consults on and develops medical policy related to causality, appropriateness of medical care, impairment rating, disability prevention and other policy areas related to the delivery of quality medical care to injured and ill workers;

Implements, manages and provides quality oversight for medical consultants; develops protocols for use in providing quality assurance and appropriate case management through claims and nurse consultant staff;

Coordinates or consults on policy matters related to billing policy and fee schedules, provider review and profiling, utilization review, statutory and regulatory review, review of emerging technologies, and evaluation of controversial or experimental clinical practices;

Consults on and directs activities related to provider education and relations; through regulatory advisory committees, acts to ensure that care provided to injured and ill workers meets the unique statutory and regulatory requirements governing the workers compensation system and to create evidence-based and consensus treatment guidelines;

Consults and develops policy related to occupational safety and health and the prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses; evaluates health and safety hazards and investigates emerging clusters of occupational illnesses; consults on and conducts surveillance activities related to specific occupational disorders; participates in voluntary services such as workplace evaluations, employer/employee training and related activities;

Assists the Medical Director, the Director, the Assistant Director for Research and Information Services, the Research Director of SHARP and other agency executives in liaison roles with the Washington State Medical Association, business, labor, the legislature and other key external stakeholders on a state and nationwide basis;

Plans, implements, oversees, and performs research related to the cause, prevention and costs of work-related injuries, illness and disability; conducts outcomes research, epidemiologic studies, program evaluation, intervention and pilot studies, and other research relevant to the agency's mission; disseminates research results via publication and statewide and national presentations.

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge of:  principles and standards of modern medicine and surgery; worker's compensation; industrial injuries and illness, occupational diseases, legal medicine and the disability process; laws and regulations concerning medical aspects of industrial insurance programs; principles of peer review and quality control in the practice of medicine; safety and health programs; epidemiology and disease and injury prevention; theory and practice of medicine and surgery, hospital administration, laboratory tests, and X-rays.

Ability to:  examine, diagnose, and treat physical and mental illness; assist and perform major and minor surgery; direct and coordinate work of medical and nursing staff; analyze laboratory and X-ray reports; speak and write effectively; represent the department in liaison with professional medical associations with respect to ongoing Statewide medical programs; establish and maintain effective professional and working relationships with Department staff, individual practitioners and medical, paramedical and other organizations on a state and national level; evaluate the medical literature, or other research data for treatment and technology effectiveness and causality related issues; write and speak effectively, to both lay and professional groups.

A valid license to practice medicine and surgery in the state of Washington and eligibility for certification from a program accredited by the American Board of Medical specialties.

Completion of an approved residency program in the designated specialty area.

Note:  Eligibility for American Board certification is required. Certification must be obtained within the six (6) month probationary period as a condition of continued employment.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

The desirable qualifications listed in this section are provided for use as a guide only.  Specific position qualifications will vary on a position by position basis. 

Established class, May 1, 1963.

Revise class.  Revises definition adds distinguishing characteristics, general revision, effective February 8, 1971.

Revise class.  Revises definition, distinguishing characteristics, adopted March 12, 1981, effective July 1, 1981.

Revise class.  Revise title (formerly Physician 3), definition, distinguishing characteristics, minimum qualifications;  consolidates 51140 Physician 3, 51000 Internist, 51020 Physician-OB-GYN, 51600 Physician Pediatrician and 51500 Pathologist;  adopted June 10, 1999, effective July 1, 1999.

New Occupational Category.  Revise class code (formerly 51140), revise title (formerly Physician 3 – Generalist/Specialists); adds category concept, removes definition, revises distinguishing characteristics; adopted May 10, 2005, effective January 1, 2006.  [New class consolidates 51140 Physician 3 Generalist/Specialist, 51700 Associate Medical Director, L&I; effective January 1, 2006.]

Revise class.  Remove class series concept, revise distinguishing characteristics, adds knowledge and abilities, revise desirable qualifications, general revision; adopted May 12, 2007, effective July 1, 2007.

Salary adjustment, revised definition, typical work and legal requirements; adopted June 30, 2017, effective July 1, 2017.

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.