Exercise Physiologist

What is Ansible Health?

At Ansible Health, a diverse mix of clinicians, engineers, and healthcare executives share a common vision: transforming how healthcare is delivered for patients with chronic diseases, beginning with those dealing with chronic respiratory conditions. Our team is a collection of talent from prestigious medical institutions like Columbia, New York Presbyterian, Emory, Johns Hopkins, and technology powerhouses such as Google, Amazon, and DE Shaw & Co. This unique blend of skills allows us to merge cutting-edge technology and superior clinical knowledge to deliver personalized, efficient care at scale.

Our commitment to patients is unwavering. We believe that healthcare should be accessible, efficient, and patient-focused. Our ambition goes beyond typical industry practices or manipulating RAF scores; we are building a business with improving patient health outcomes at its heart. Currently operating across half a dozen states in the US and on a rapid growth trajectory, Ansible Health has established robust partnerships with top healthcare systems such as Sentara Health Systems, Carilion Clinic, and the University of Virginia (UVA). Having recently closed our series A funding in mid-2023 with prominent investors like Bessemer, First Round Capital, AlleyCorp, and Breyer Capital, our expansion is accelerating.

With Ansible Health, you are joining a transformation in healthcare delivery. This isn't just about observing changes in healthcare; it's about actively contributing to them. We are enthusiastic about the future we are constructing and extend an open invitation to join us on this journey. Together, we can reshape healthcare for the better.

What is the Role?

You will provide care via telemedicine/remote care extension to patients suffering from advanced chronic lung disease. We treat a patient population that is medically complex, very ill at baseline, frequently hospitalized, and often burdened by psychosocial challenges. You will collaborate closely with other medical team members, often speaking multiple times per day with the supervising nurse practitioners and physicians. 

What are we looking for?

We are seeking a superstar clinician with a passion for caring for patients with chronic medical conditions, focusing on cardiac and respiratory disorders such as congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We are searching for a compassionate, smart, and slightly rebellious individual who has found their true calling in patient care, and who is pulled towards using their heart, soul, and mind in new and creative ways. 

If you are a self-driven and intellectually curious learner with a growth mindset, we would love to hear about this in your cover letter. If you make flashcards for self-study when you encounter an unfamiliar medical term or drug name; if you ask a lot of questions (particularly, “why”); if you enjoy brainstorming about patient care with your colleagues; if you have a secret mental list of ideas for care improvement, and are looking for the opportunity to try them out; if you sometimes brush your teeth for too long because you are lost in thought about a patient case;  we would love to interview you. 

We believe in the raw potential of an individual to become the best clinician possible when immersed in a supportive environment with high-quality mentorship. 

Qualifications

The qualified candidate will possess a combination of education, experience, and certifications that provide the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to practice as a clinician for patients with cardiopulmonary and severe respiratory diseases in a telehealth setting.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology, Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Nursing, or a related field

• 5+ years of experience as an Exercise Physiologist or RN, with a background spanning acute care, rehabilitation, long-term care, home care, and outpatient settings

• Demonstrated experience with cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs

• Certified in Basic Life Support (BLS)

• Maintenance of professional certification and continuing education credits

• Proficiency with telemedicine and/or remote patient care platforms

• Reliable high-speed internet connection (minimum 25 Mbps)

Required Certifications

• ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP) or Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional (CCRP) or Registered Nurse (RN) with relevant cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology or related field

Examples of patient care tasks include:

• Providing individual and group patient education on disease management, medication regimens, preventive care, smoking cessation, and many other topics 

• Assessing, triaging, and escalating care for patients with worsening or acute symptoms 

• Coordinating care with primary care providers, specialists, and external care agencies

• Advocating for patients who are experiencing major social stressors by activating community resources to improve access to medications, transportation, healthy nutrition, and safe housing 

• Serving as the continuous point of contact for patients and families across the entire care spectrum, ranging from transitional post-acute care, to medical stabilization, to rehabilitation, to advanced care planning and dying with dignity

Intimately related to patient care, you will also play a role in promoting our program and answering questions from referring providers and practices as we become more established in your local community. 

This versatile role requires the clinician to wear many different hats throughout the week, blending aspects of medical care, education, case management/social work, marketing, and advocacy. We believe in nurturing these transferable skills within one individual, rather than creating silos of expertise across rigid professional categories. This is an unorthodox approach that challenges the current trend in healthcare, which has moved towards more and more specialization, leading to further care fragmentation. We believe that the future of healthcare rests in the hands of a new kind of cross-functional clinician. 

Here a few examples of our recent success stories: 

• A socially isolated 50-year-old woman with COPD and several overlapping anxiety disorders was frequently seen in the ED with dyspnea related to panic attacks and psychological distress. Multiple psychotropic medications were added over time, leading her to feel like a “zombie” and drink 10 caffeinated soft drinks per day to compensate, which fueled a vicious cycle of anxiety. The patient’s Ansible clinician connected her to a psychotherapist, convinced her to adopt a dog, and collaborated with her providers to discontinue and taper off several medications. The patient is now doing well at home, no longer going to the ED, and on a much safer medication regimen.

• A 67-year-old man with very severe COPD and pulmonary cachexia (BMI 17.3 kg/m2) was declined for lung transplantation due to being severely underweight and unable to access a pulmonary rehabilitation facility. The patient lived in a rural Appalachian town with no cellular or internet service. The patient’s Ansible clinician found a public library 3 miles from the patient that housed a WiFI-enabled conference room for telemedicine. The clinician coordinated transportation with his church, provided guidance on nutritional supplementation, and supervised the patient through pulmonary telerehabilitation. The patient’s functional status improved, his BMI increased to 21.5  kg/m2, and he was listed for transplantation.

• A 59-year-old woman with very severe COPD, HFpEF, and ischemic cardiomyopathy was admitted to the hospital 13 times within the last year for various acute issues including COPD exacerbations, pulmonary edema, and unstable atrial fibrillation. Our clinical team pursued multiple avenues of medical optimization and rehabilitation but the patient continued to deteriorate. Throughout the patient’s journey in the medical system, her Ansible clinician was the most stable contact point, and was able to use the therapeutic rapport to initiate a discussion about end-of-life care. The patient entered into a home hospice program and her symptoms were effectively managed. 

What Can You Expect from Us?

You will join a diverse, talented, and meritocratic team of clinicians from all walks of life who are excited about working at the frontier of healthcare. This is a challenging role that will involve a very steep learning curve, feeling more like a training program for the first year. As with any innovation, a degree of organized chaos is expected. Changing the culture of healthcare is hard. It will often feel like it is “us against the world”, but you will be in good company. You bring your energy and passion for learning. We will bring intensive mentorship to grow your skills and help you to become the best clinician possible. 

With Ansible Health, you're not just part of a team; you're part of a revolution. If you're ready to contribute to a healthier future, we'd love to hear from you.