Job Information
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration Physician (Geriatric Medicine) in Tacoma, Washington
Summary VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) is pleased to announce an opening for a full-time physician with advanced training and/or experience in Geriatric Medicine to join our Geriatrics and Extended Care Service as Medical Director of our Geriatric Patient Aligned Care Team . The successful candidate will serve as faculty for the Madigan Army Medical Center geriatric medicine training rotation, and will hold clinical privileges at VAPSHCS. Responsibilities VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): NOT authorized 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 The incumbent's primary function will be in the Geriatric Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) as the Medical Director for a two teamlet service, and carrying a panel commensurate with a half-time Geriatric Primary Care Physician, provide direct patient care in the long term care or outpatient setting to patients with advanced, often life limiting illnesses, including patients in the Community Living Center; will supervise the clinical activities of residents, trainees from other disciplines, and students. Attending physicians participate in formal and informal teaching and learning activities at VAPSHCS, Primary Duties: 1. Responsible for overall clinical supervision and management of patients in the GeriPACT Program. 2. Works in conjunction with Nurse Manager and Administrative Manager to oversee daily operations of the clinic. 3. Responsible for the maintenance and improvement of medical systems to deliver quality health care for the Geri- PACT patients, which includes performance improvement activities. 4. Develops/coordinates strategic and operational planning, establishes workload targets, reviews staffing and resource utilization and monitors performance measures. 5. Monitors appropriateness of referrals and care provided to patients in the Geri-PACT Program. 6. Coordinates the educational and clinical experience of trainees assigned to the Geri-PACT Program 7. The Medical Director of Geri-PACT serves as a Staff Physician within Geri-PACT clinic 8. The incumbent will remain up to date with the latest medical treatments and procedures 9. The Medical Director for Geri-PACT, updates, monitors and promotes compliance with VA regulations to include updates for changes in applicable VA Memos, Directives, or Guidelines. 10. Collaborates with community home health and hospice agencies as needed for Geri-PACT patients Ancillary Duties (to be determined based on clinical need and incumbent training/interest): 11. Serve as a Staff Physician in GEC services such as Community Living Centers, Home-Based Primary Care and Palliative and Hospice Care. 12. Actively participate in Geriatric teaching service to include months as Attending Physician as well as ongoing educational offerings. 13. Serves as Staff Physician with affiliated Geri-PACT programs including Gero-FIT, Memory Clinic and the Falls reduction clinic 14. Carry on-call pager evenings and weekends per coverage schedule. 15. Serve on various quality assurance and medical staff committees as assigned. Work Schedule: 8am - 4:30pm; Monday - Friday 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: 5 to 7 years experience in Geriatrics Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: heavy lifting (45lbs & over); straight pulling (6hrs); pushing (2hrs); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (6hrs); standing (2hrs); repeated bending (6hrs); ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid may be permitted); visual acuity 20/30 corrected 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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.