Medical Director - Rural Health and Geriatrics

Company: Petaluma Health Center
Location: Point Reyes Station
Posted on: January 27, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Summary: The Medical Director – Rural Health & Geriatrics provides vision, leadership, and clinical oversight for Petaluma Health Center’s rural health and geriatric services. Reporting to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), this role ensures delivery of high-quality, accessible, patient-centered primary care across PHC’s rural sites and geriatric programs. Responsibilities include clinical supervision, quality improvement, innovation in care delivery, provider onboarding and development, program expansion, and collaboration with operational and clinical leaders to meet the unique needs of rural and aging populations. Job Duties and Responsibilities Clinical Duties: Provides direct diagnosis, treatment, and comprehensive primary care to a panel of patients, with an emphasis on geriatric care and rural health needs. Provides back-up consultation for nurse practitioners and physician assistants during clinic hours and after-hours as scheduled. Serves as a clinical leader and subject matter expert for geriatric medicine, complex care management, chronic disease management, and care transitions for older adults. Models evidence-based clinical practice. Administrative Duties Strategic Planning: Assists the CMO and Senior Management Team in strategic planning for rural health and geriatric services, including capacity building, workforce needs, growth of clinical programs, and long-term sustainability. Leads clinical planning for the expansion of geriatric programs across PHC sites, including homebased care, chronic disease programs, dementia care pathways, and interdisciplinary team models. Provides vision for development of innovative rural care models such as telehealth, mobile services, and community partnerships. Provider Competency, Supervision & Evaluation. Ensures provider competency in the delivery of high-quality, safe clinical care. Conducts provider evaluations through chart review, direct observation, performance metrics, peer review, and patient/staff satisfaction data. Collaborates with the CMO and Associate Medical Directors on privileging and credentialing for new and existing providers. Oversees departmental peer review processes and reports findings to Quality Improvement, Risk Management, and Credentialing committees. Trains and orients new rural health and geriatric providers and ensures competency in PHC’s integrated primary care delivery model. Maintains strong provider-team relationships through clear communication, responsiveness, mentorship, and collaborative problem-solving. Budget and Financial Health Collaborates with CMO, COO, and CFO to develop and implement budgetary goals related to rural health and geriatric services, including staffing plans, productivity expectations, and program financial sustainability. Reviews monthly productivity and financial reports; creates action plans for improvement and regularly reports progress to senior leadership. Risk Management: Oversees clinical risk management processes at the team and individual levels for rural health and geriatric care. Partners with the Director of Risk and Compliance and the CMO to investigate clinical issues and implement improvement plans to prevent medical errors and reduce risk in vulnerable geriatric populations. Quality Improvement: Collaborates with the Quality Improvement Director to lead clinical system enhancements, document improved clinical outcomes, and guide population health strategies for geriatric and rural patient groups. Supports and contributes to data-driven quality initiatives, health information technology improvements, and innovations in care delivery. Provides continuing medical education and training to providers on topics related to geriatric medicine, primary care, and quality improvement. Rural Health & Geriatrics Program Development: Leads the continuous expansion of rural health services, ensuring rural communities have equitable access to comprehensive primary and geriatric care. Oversees development and implementation of new geriatric-focused programs across sites, including fall-prevention models, dementia care workflows, frailty pathway development, chronic disease management strategies, and multidisciplinary geriatric care teams. Builds partnerships with community-based organizations, aging service providers, and regional partners to enhance care coordination for older adults. Supports implementation of telehealth, mobile health, and other models tailored to rural and geriatric populations. Recruitment and Retention: Works with the CMO on yearly recruitment planning for rural health and geriatric providers. Interviews candidates, collaborates with HR and Medical Staff on credentialing processes, and participates in provider onboarding and mentorship. Implements provider well-being initiatives, professional development pathways, and retention strategies. Operations: Collaborates with COO, nursing leadership, front and back office teams, and operational leaders to ensure high-quality daily operations at rural sites. Participates in weekly operations meetings to address access to care, staffing models, multidisciplinary team structure, scheduling, safety protocols, infection control, and patient flow. Supports optimization of care delivery models for older adults, including coordination with behavioral health, dental, pharmacy, care management, and specialty partners. Meetings and Collaboration: Oversees development of departmental meeting content and ensures appropriate representation of rural health and geriatric priorities. Provides content for meetings each month and collaborates with Innovation and Quality leadership to set meeting agendas. Ensures adequate supervision of NPs/PAs through monthly case review meetings. Meets regularly with Kaiser interface to manage Kaiser patients contracted to be seen at rural sites. Supports provider resilience through active participation in and shaping of monthly provider support meetings. Participates in Operations Meetings, Associate Director Meetings, Medical Leadership Meetings, and others as assigned. Policies and Procedures: Collaborates with clinical and administrative leaders to create, update, and maintain policies and procedures relevant to rural health and geriatric service delivery. Ensures provider training and compliance with PHC’s policies, procedures, and clinical standards. Teaching & Training Responsibilities: Collaborates with PHC Teaching Programs to develop and oversee Rural Health and Geriatrics curriculum for NP/PA students and Family Medicine residents. Provides clinical teaching, mentorship, and continuing medical education related to primary care and geriatrics. Helps establish PHC as a leading teaching site in rural primary care and geriatric practice. Other Duties: Provides timely communication to the CMO regarding provider performance, operational concerns, rural site issues, safety risks, or crisis situations. Performs other duties as assigned to support PHC’s mission, vision, and strategic goals. Education/Experience: Graduate from an accredited medical school required. Completion of an accredited residency program required. At least five (5) years of clinical experience and current active clinician status as a boardcertified physician (MD/DO) with demonstrated high level excellence in clinical care for a complex underserved population required. At least three (3) years of applicable management or supervisory experience in a healthcare setting required. Understanding of and experience working with Patient Centered Medical Home models, or team models preferred. Understanding of quality and process improvement methodology preferred. Demonstrated experience in collaboration to achieve large project and initiative goals preferred. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Effective problem-solving skills and ability to analyze and use data for decision making. Effective interaction with cross departmental stakeholders and ability to develop positive relationships while being tactful, respectful, and direct in communication. Ability to embrace and manage diversity to build and maintain successful teams. Ability to work flexible and extended hours and travel between sites as needed Capacity to train and mentor others with superior interpersonal skills achieving results through a collaborative effort. College level mathematical ability and skill. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw conclu sions. Utilization of data driven decision making in a community health center setting. Principles of the patient centered medical home (Evidence based medicine, outcomes -oriented quality care, patient safety, customer service, health information technology, and relational care). Assigning workload; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results Coaching, counseling, and disciplining employees. Proficiency in MS Office programs, including MS Word, Excel and Outlook, use of a web browser and Electronic Medical Records. Ability to accurately and efficiently use Health Information Technology/Electronic Health Records (ERH) (HIT) Systems, including running reports. Licenses and Certifications: Active State of California Medical License or Osteopathic Physician License in good standing required. Active Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration required. Board certified or Board eligible in specified area of medical specialty required. Must maintain CME, as required for certification renewals. Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate required. Candidate must be able to successfully meet PHC’s credentialing and privileging requirements Language Skills: Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions and requests from patients, co-workers, and others as necessary. Bilingual in English and Spanish, both written and verbal preferred.

Keywords: Petaluma Health Center, Santa Cruz , Medical Director - Rural Health and Geriatrics, Healthcare , Point Reyes Station, California