Physician Assistant/Podiatry/Wound Care

Elite Foot & Ankle Associates is a large podiatry practice in the Portland Metro area. With six locations and three doctors we are known for our excellent compassionate patient care. We are looking to expand our outreach with a physician assistant to provide at risk foot care and wound care to our patients that are mostly homebound. This would also include assistance with the call we take at Adventist Medical Center and Legacy Mt. Hood, as well as assisting our docs with surgery.

Currently, our doctors are providing one day a month of mobile podiatry and we are overwhelmed with the number of patients that need this sort of care. However, with our other clinics and growth of the mobile practice, we are not in a position to provide all the attention and care that our homebound patients need. Our approach is to provide the best care our patients can get all in the comfort of their own home. It's no secret that most wounds that are found on homebound patients are improperly treated. There is no ongoing debridements being performed, no proper offloading, evaluation of circulation, review of overall nutritional status and proper treatment with the proper wound care products. Using these pillars along with regenerative wound care technologies, we have seen a tremendous amount of chronic wounds heal, just due to getting the proper care needed.

During these mobile visits, while wound care is the priority, at risk foot care, diabetic foot evaluations, vascular testing, ingrowing nails as well as some injection therapy may be needed. We provide all the tools necessary for success as well as staff and doctors to offer the support needed.

We would also have the physician assistant help with our call requirements at Legacy Mt. Hood and Adventist Health Portland. This can be seeing diabetic wounds and ulcers, to trauma of the foot and ankle.

This is a full-time position. Travel is required and a car will be provided. Candidate must have:

• strong communication skills
• ability to work with a team
• interest in wound care (experience is not required, our docs are well trained and can help)
• Interested in helping in an operating room as well as assisting with call and rounding on patients.
• Strong problem solving skills
• Ability to work on their own

Tasks that will be required:

• debride wounds and abscesses
• refer to our clinics or affiliated hospitals in needed
• provide wound care assessments and apply proper treatments
  • collagen, alginate, hydrogels, hydrocolloids, honey, skin substitutes
• Debride nails and calluses
• Perform diabetic foot exams
• Refer to Evergreen Prosthetics or Priority for diabetic shoes/inserts
• Perform Ankle Brachial indices for vascular compromised patients
• Diagnose and document patient pathology
• Prescribe antibiotics or whatever is needed to heal wounds
• Offload wounds, using boots, shoes, felt and foam, etc.
• Provide patient and family/facility education
• Travel to homes, facilities, etc.
• Round on in patients
• Assist with call
• Assist all doctors with surgery when needed.