Job Information
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration Physician-Primary Care (Regular Ft) in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Summary The Primary Care Physician (Float) services as a practicing physician who is responsible for the overall management of patients enrolled for healthcare services provided by the Tennessee Valley Health Care System. Responsible for administrative tasks associated with clinic operations, provides leadership and direction to support staff assigned to their PACT (Patient Aligned Care Team). Responsibilities VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases. Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME). Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA. Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory. CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification). Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided. Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required. The Primary Care Physician (Float) has responsibility for providing primary care to patients at one or more Primary Care Clinics. The Primary Care Physician (Float) will assume responsibility for a defined panel of patients as assigned by management. The incumbent may be required to travel to various clinic locations to provide clinical coverage in the absence of a provider and may also be required to staff a walk-in, group, or Employee Health clinic during hours specified by management. The incumbent is responsible for contributing to the achievement of equality-of-care standards, patient access, efficiency, process improvement and patient satisfaction within the Primary Care Service through individual patient care and panel/population management. The incumbent is expected to practice in accordance with professional standards, core values, and with a commitment to service excellence. Functions/Scope of Assigned Duties: Fully Implements the components and processes relative to the VHA Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH) healthcare system design. Coordinates care for a panel of outpatients as assigned by TVHS. Evaluate and treat acute and chronic health problems for scheduled and unscheduled patients in clinic setting. Perform histories and physical exams. Provide appropriate documentation to minimally include history, physical exam, findings, diagnosis, definitive care plan and disposition of the patient. Ensures that patient encounters are appropriately closed out including disposition that clearly indicates the next steps of care. Ensures that each patient is provided a list of current medications and appointment list at close-out. Perform office procedures contained within their approved privileges. Prescribe medications as appropriate. Order routine laboratory, radiological and diagnostic tests and provide initial interpretation of results. Communicate test results to patients. Respond to questions and other inquiries from patients including use of secure messaging. Initiate or expedite requests for consultations and specialty tests. Provide education to the patient and family as necessary. Order immunizations and other preventive or screening services as necessary. Screen patients to determine the need for hospitalization. Perform Basic Life Support as necessary. Communicate clinical findings to other providers using the Computerized Patient Record System. Function as the managing physician for nurse practitioners and/or physician assistants as assigned by TVHS. Function as a preceptor for residents in the clinic setting as assigned by TVHS. Treats patients 18 years of age or greater. Consistently communicates and treats customers, veterans, their representatives, visitors and all VA staff in a courteous, tactful and respectful manner. The Medical Officer, Primary Care Provider will provide the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures and will handle conflicts and problems when dealing with customers constructively and appropriately. Uses data sets contained in VHA database including the Almanac, Compass, EQM, and High-Risk Registries to identify and more highly manage patients. Complies with the Medical Center Bylaws and the Rules and Regulations of the Medical Staff. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Preferred Experience: Two years Primary Care/Ambulatory Care experience, ability to be board certified. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: The work is largely office based and in a sedentary setting. No manual labor is required above ordinary situations. Incumbent must be capable of using a computer given that all clinical charting is electronic. Education Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.] NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.