Neuro Oncology Clinical APP Associate

Department Overview

As Oregon’s only academic health center, OHSU integrates education, research, patient care, and community service to improve the well-being of Oregonians. The Department of Neurological Surgery delivers comprehensive care for patients with brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve conditions at OHSU and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Our surgeons combine deep expertise with advanced technology and a patient-centered approach.

The department is nationally recognized for pioneering innovations, including North America's first deep brain stimulation surgery and the world’s first neuronal stem cell transplants. We house leading neurosurgical training programs and advanced fellowships and contribute significant research on pain perception and cerebral blood flow.

The Department of Neurological Surgery in the OHSU School of Medicine is a safe, respectful and welcoming place for people of all races, cultures, ethnicities, genders, national origins, abilities, ages, colors, religions, and sexual orientations. We are committed to creating a respectful, inclusive, and equitable work environment. Diversity is a core value, and all members participate in ongoing education and initiatives to support equity and inclusion within OHSU and the communities we serve.

The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) is a practitioner certified through the Oregon State Board of Nursing (NP) and authorized to practice within the parameters described in Division 50 of the Oregon Nurse Practice Act (Oregon Revised Statute Chapter 678) or is a Physician Assistant licensed to practice by the Oregon Medical Board (PA). The APP is credentialed by the Credentials Committee and approved by the Professional Board of OHSU and other locations as required to practice in the hospital setting and to perform such procedures as authorized by the Credentials Committee and by the Professional Board. The APP is authorized to prescribe medications according to the state and federal guidelines and laws.

The Neuro-Oncology Advanced Practice Practitioner (APP) delivers care to Neuro-Oncology patients primarily outpatient and with occasional inpatient consults. The APP collaborates closely with faculty physicians, APP colleagues, and others in the interdisciplinary team to ensure the highest standards of patient care and service. The role involves independent patient care, procedural work, care coordination and administrative tasks, and educational contributions. 

The APP will support OHSU’s missions including teaching, research, patient care, outreach, and public service.

The full-time annual base salary range for this position is $171,799 - $228,936; commensurate with experience according to the OHSU-ONA/APU bargaining agreement. Base pay does not include incentive pay, hiring bonuses, or additional benefits such as retirement contributions.

Function/Duties of Position

Clinical Care: 

• Provide coverage across a wide range of APP duties including providing safe, efficient, high quality and compassionate patient care 
• Completing a comprehensive assessment of a patient’s status. Developing, monitoring and revising evidence-based treatment plans that addresses diagnoses, patterns of disease, risk factors, and treatment alternatives 
• Collaborate with team members to prepare patients for next steps in their care. Respond promptly to patient/family inquiries (phone, MyChart), collaborating with team members such as nurses, other APPs and physicians to resolve clinical concerns. 
• Identify urgent clinical situations and respond autonomously and effectively 

Care Coordination & Communication: 

• Coordinate with interdisciplinary teams, including inpatient teams, to ensure streamlined, patient-centered care. 
• Collaborate with physicians, surgeons, and external providers to optimize patient outcomes. 
• Triage patient calls, messages, and requests and determine the appropriate plan of care for new or returning patients within the practice. 
• Educate staff and clinic medical teams on care plans and best practices to improve patient outcomes. 

Patient and Family Education: 

• Contribute to patient and family education, including development and presentation of educational materials. Provide condition-specific education and counseling to patients and families. 
• Use available educational materials and resources to promote patient understanding and self-management. 

Program Development, Teaching & Quality Improvement: 

• Engage in continuous process improvement, adhering to OHSU policies, service standards, and regulatory guidelines. 
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, program development, and staff development activities. 
• Teach neuro-oncology principles, procedures, and patient care to medical students, nurses, and support staff. 
• Actively support OHSU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. 

Neuro-oncology Specific Clinical Responsibilities: 

• Conducting independent clinic day dedicated to symptom management, covering areas such as seizure and steroids management, fatigue alleviation, and overseeing mid-radiation and mid-chemotherapy check-ins.
• Providing comprehensive chemotherapy education to newly diagnosed patients, ensuring the accuracy of chemotherapy plans, and monitoring treatment progress while following up on outpatient laboratory results.
• Handling patient-requested or care-related medical paperwork. In cases of complexity, scheduling a billable appointment is an option. 
• Participation in and coordination of Tumor Board activities. 

Scholarship (improvement science, research, writing, abstracts, grant supported work, presentations, etc.): Keep abreast of changes in field and applies knowledge to identify and recommend enhancements to clinical quality, patient experience/satisfaction, and to achieve improvement that demonstrates a higher standard of care. Assesses and recommends initiatives to improve performance indicators related to patient experience, quality, and costs. Professional development meeting the expectations of ongoing certification.  

Teaching/ Clinical Supervision: Deliver individual instruction to support fellows, residents, graduate APP students, and other clinical learners to support their personal program of learning in the applicable specialty area. Provide instruction and review of the practices, policies, and procedures in a variety of functions; including but not limited to development of treatment plans, interpretation of clinical diagnostic data; developing orders; patient and family communication and education; management of medical equipment, electronic medical records; performing procedures, and transitioning patients to the next level of care. Assures adherence to the specialty specific protocols, best practices, quality, and organizational indicators. Provides input to the performance of the resident or graduate APP student as a provider or graduate APP student provider in the practice setting.

Required Qualifications

• Clinical experience as an APP.
• Deliver high-quality customer service to patients, families, faculty, staff, referring providers, and other stakeholders.

• Collaborate with department leaders to uphold service standards, policies, and regulations, ensuring patient care excellence.

• Exhibit strong interpersonal and communication skills, excelling in a dynamic, team-oriented environment.

• Demonstrate clinical experience with the ability to perform comprehensive history and physical examinations.

• Strong multi-tasking, prioritization, and organizational skills.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills.

• Proven ability to function effectively and problem-solve as a team member in a complex healthcare environment.

• Ability to manage complex patient care, prioritize tasks, and work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.

For Physician Associate (PA) Candidates:

• Current Oregon licensure through the Oregon Medical Board.
• Current active Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration and prescriptive authority. OHSU is a DEA fee-exempt institution.
• Current National Commission on Certification of Physician Associates (NCCPA) certification.

For Nurse Practitioner (NP) Candidates:

• Current Oregon licensure through the Oregon State Board of Nursing.
• Authorized practice within Division 50 of the Oregon Nurse Practice Act (ORS Chapter 678).
• Current active Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration and prescriptive authority. OHSU is a DEA fee-exempt institution.

Preferred Qualifications

• Neuro-Oncology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Medical Oncology, or Palliative Care specialty experience. 
• 3 years patient-centered clinical experience  
• Skilled in conducting comprehensive history and physical examinations.
• Experience using Epic EMR
• Experience in the Microsoft Office Suite of products.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact [email protected]