Dr. Davis Completes Earns Certificate as Certified Medical Director in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care

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By Alisa Kigar, Communications Specialist at Scotland County Hospital

The Board of Directors of the American Board of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (ABPLM), is proud to announce that Jeffrey D. Davis, DO, CMD of Memphis, Missouri, has completed the program requirements to be a Certified Medical Director (CMD) in Post- Acute and Long-Term Care. Dr. Davis is one of more than 4,000 physicians, nationwide, who have received the CMD designation since the program’s inception in 1991. Dr. Davis is the medical director at Scotland County Care Center in Memphis, Knox County Nursing Home in Edina and Clark County Nursing Home in Kahoka.

“As a family practice physician and the medical director to three of our area nursing homes, I was drawn to the elements of this certification program to better equip me to systematically direct the care of the patients residing in these local nursing homes,” said Dr. Davis. “There’s evidence out there that quality and patient outcomes can improve in the post-acute and long term care setting under the direction of a strong, well trained medical director. This rigorous program has equipped me and other CMDs across the country to significantly improve patient outcomes in the facilities we serve.”

The certification process is based on an experiential model that incorporates mechanisms such as fellowship programs, board certification in a medical specialty, comprehensive courses in medical direction, continuing medical education programs and administrative experience to fulfill certification requirements. The CMD credential was established to enhance the profession of medical direction throughout post-acute and long-term care settings (e.g., nursing facilities, hospice, assisted living, home care, post-acute care) and to reinforce the leadership role of the medical director in providing quality care. Federal regulations and changes in the health care environment have established the role of the medical director as central to the delivery of quality care.

A study published in JAMDA found that having a Certified Medical Director contributes positively to a nursing home’s quality of care. Analysis of data showed that quality scores represented a 15% improvement in quality for facilities with CMDs. For free access to an article on the study go to: www.jamda.com/article/ PIIS1525861009001984/fulltext.

“Dr. Davis already brings a wealth of knowledge to the medical direction of our nursing home. He’s well-versed from pharmacy to state and federal regulations, and all topics in between. This new certification makes him even more knowledgeable of the medical management of the nursing home and our residents. I am always so impressed with how quickly he responds to our staff’s questions and our residents absolutely love him,” said Kelly Nelson, RN, Director of Nurses, Knox County Nursing Home. “Dr. Davis has been a valuable leader throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic. He has brought his knowledge and medical expertise to our Quality Assurance meetings; keeping our facility informed of ongoing CDC/DHS regulations and recommendations.”

The increased presence of managed care in post-acute and long-term care settings has emphasized credentialing, and CMD certification has taken on additional importance. The CMD designation provides an indicator of professional competence to post-acute and long-term care providers, government and other quality assurance agencies, consumers, and the public. The ABPLM CMD certification program recognizes the dual clinical and management roles of the medical director and requires indicators of competence in both areas. The dual nature of the skills needed makes the position of medical director unique in medicine.