A guide to becoming a hospice medical director: initial decisions and evaluations.

The demand for hospice medical directors is rapidly increasing. A logical, organized approach to the decision to become a medical director, along with a careful evaluation of the prospective hospice, will lead to the highest satisfaction for all parties. A comprehensive and clearly written contract will delineate the roles and responsibilities of the medical director and hospice. Effective negotiation techniques will assist the prospective medical director to attain highest satisfaction with the position. This article addresses these issues using a review of the literature and the authors' extensive experience as medical directors.