Covenant Health

Clinical Specialist Speech Pathologist, Therapy Center

PRN/OCC, Variable Hours and Shifts

Provide occasional coverage for both acute care and outpatient speech therapy

Covenant Health Therapy Centers Overview:

Covenant Health Therapy Centers provide exceptional physical, occupational, and speech therapy and individualized care. We are dedicated to patients receiving 1 on 1 care with their therapist to get patients better, faster. Covenant Health Therapy Centers consist of 12 outpatient therapy clinics in East Tennessee. The West clinic is located at the Fort Sanders West Campus in a newly renovated space. Our core services include: orthopedic and sports medicine, neurological rehab, general deconditioning, manual therapy, balance therapy. We have many areas of specialized treatment as well: comprehensive neurological care, vestibular rehab, pelvic floor rehab, lymphedema, McKenzie therapy, LSVT Big and Loud, and certified Hand Therapy.

Position Summary:

Under general direction, plans, evaluates and implements treatment programs for speech therapy patients.  While maintaining a patient load, assumes additional responsibility of program development, staff training and orientation, and consultation in area of expertise for fellow staff members.

• Advanced clinical practice – including evaluation and specialized treatment of patients.
  • Performs patient evaluations (initial, progress, and discharge evaluations), establishes treatment plans, makes recommendations, and sets goals in accordance with patient needs and evidence based practice.
  • Meets established targets for passive/active treatment ratios
  • Involves patient and family in treatment, education and goal setting. Coordinates with other medical personnel regarding patient’s progress, needs and discharge planning.
  • Demonstrates knowledge and competency including providing for age-specific needs of the population served.
• Serves as resource person for staff and senior staff on an ongoing basis.
  • Provides 8 hours education/mentorship time per year. This includes:
    • Peer counseling /Mentorship
    • Community lectures/Volunteer
    • Orientation of new staff in area of specialty
    • In-services/Case Studies
    • Lunch and Learns
  • Development, implementation and evaluation of standards of care and evidence based practice:
    • Evidence base practice protocols
    • Clinical outcomes analysis and communication to team
    • New policy development
    • QI/QA
• Maintains and updates patient documentation in accordance with professional, departmental, organizational, and payer guidelines and timeframes. Maintains established targets for compliance with chart audits.
• Meets established targets for:
  • Quality/outcome measures
  • Service/patient satisfaction measures
  • Financial/productivity measures
  • Growth/patients-per-day measures
• Demonstrates leadership, including but not limited to:
  • Development and implementation of new and current programs.
  • Participates in training, orientation and supervision of support staff.
  • Participates in orientation of new licensed staff in area of specialty
  • Acts as Clinical Instructor for at least one student per year as available.
  • Participates in peer evaluations for competency assessment.
  • Assists with continuing education courses hosted by Covenant Health.
  • Participates in professional organization/meetings (TPTA, APTA)
  • Volunteers for Covenant Health activities such as the marathon, golf tournament, sports physicals, employee education, etc.
• Complete partnering activities per established targets per month.
  • Physician office visits
  • Community lectures/volunteer
  • Case Manager visits/marketing
  • Provide in-services
• Follows policies, procedures, and safety standards. Completes required education assignments annually. Works toward achieving goals and objectives, and participates in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

Minimum Education:          

None specified; however, must be sufficient to meet the standards for achievement of the below indicated license and/or certification as required by the issuing authority.

Minimum Experience:        

Four (4) years of experience with a minimum of three (3) years in specialty area. Ability to perform modified barrium studies a plus.

Licensure Requirement:      

Must have and maintain Tennessee State Speech Pathology Licensure with achievement of at least one (1) of the following at time of hire or placement in the position:

• Advanced degree in specialty area
• Advanced degree associated with specialty area
• Professionally recognized certification in specialty area
• 100 hours (10.0 CEU’s) of continued education