| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Clinical and Medical |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Medical Superintendent |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 5+ years of independent practice in the specialty |
Visiting Consultant job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Visiting Consultant
Department: Clinical and Medical
Reports to: Medical Superintendent
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Visiting Consultant is a specialist who sees patients at a hospital on fixed days or on call, without being a full-time employee. They run OPD sessions, admit and operate on their own patients and give opinions when called, usually paid per visit, per case or as a share of fees. Hospitals use visiting consultants to offer specialties that do not justify a full-time doctor. A good visiting consultant keeps to schedule, follows hospital protocols and stays reachable for admitted patients.
Key responsibilities
- Run OPD sessions on the agreed days and times, and warn the front office early if a session has to move.
- Admit, treat and discharge own patients according to hospital protocols, visiting them daily while they are admitted.
- Perform procedures and surgeries within the privileges granted by the credentialing committee, using the hospital's OT schedule.
- Answer calls for opinions and emergencies within the response time agreed in the engagement terms.
- Complete case notes, orders, consent forms, operation notes and discharge summaries in the hospital's records.
- Hand over admitted patients to the resident team with clear instructions, and name a colleague for cover when unavailable.
- Follow the hospital's billing and package rules, and avoid ordering tests or implants outside agreed pathways.
- Take part in credentialing renewals, mortality reviews and audits that involve own cases.
- Share current medical council registration, indemnity cover and other documents with the hospital whenever they are renewed.
- Work with full-time consultants and nursing so visiting patients get the same standard of care as everyone else.
Requirements
- MD, MS, DNB or a super-specialty degree in the relevant field
- Valid registration with the National Medical Commission or a State Medical Council
- Professional indemnity cover, which most hospitals ask for
- 5+ years of independent practice in the specialty
KRAs and KPIs for a Visiting Consultant
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Schedule adherence | At least 95 percent of committed OPD sessions held on time each month |
| Inpatient visits | Documented daily visit for 100 percent of own admitted patients |
| Call response | Emergency and opinion calls answered within the agreed response time |
| Documentation | Discharge summaries and operation notes completed on the same day for all own cases |
| Clinical quality | Complications and readmissions for own patients within department targets, reviewed quarterly |
| Patient feedback | Patient feedback score at or above 4.5 out of 5 |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Hospital information system (HIS), Electronic medical records, Specialty equipment at the hospital, Mobile phone for on-call.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Department (Clinical), Medical Director
Interview questions for a Visiting Consultant
- You consult at three hospitals. How will you make sure your admitted patients here are seen every day?
- Your OT slot clashes with an emergency at another hospital. What do you do?
- How do you hand over a sick patient when you are leaving town for two days?
- What would make you refuse to admit a patient at this hospital?
- How do you keep up with this hospital's protocols when you also practise elsewhere?
- How do you prefer to be paid for procedures, and how do you handle package cases?
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What is a visiting consultant in a hospital?
A visiting consultant is a specialist who treats patients at a hospital on set days or when called, without being a full-time employee. They run OPD sessions, admit and operate on their own patients and give opinions, and are usually paid per visit, per case or as a share of fees agreed with the hospital.
What is the difference between a visiting consultant and a full-time consultant?
A full-time consultant is a hospital employee who works fixed hours, covers department duties and draws a salary. A visiting consultant works on an engagement basis, often at several hospitals, comes for scheduled sessions and their own patients, and is paid by visit or case. Both must follow the hospital's protocols.
Is a visiting consultant an employee of the hospital?
Usually not. Most visiting consultants work under a professional services agreement and are paid fees against invoices. Some hospitals put part-time consultants on their rolls with a fixed retainer. The engagement letter should state the status clearly, along with sessions, on-call duties and payment terms.