Chief of Pulmonary

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. 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.

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.

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 Physical Requirements of this position are concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and may include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Responsibilities:

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan reimbursement program. To participate in the program, you must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA Policy 1021 and submit your application within four months of appointment. The final award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) is determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office. The EDRP Coordinators can be reached at VISN2EDRPCoordinators@va.gov

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 days 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

Specific Duties:

• Clinically and administratively directs and supervises the pulmonologist and Chief of Respiratory Therapy.
• Technically develops and directs Critical Care and Pulmonary programs for the inpatient veteran population.
• Responsible for ensuring that high quality care is provided consistently in the outpatient setting, on the inpatient unit and within the ICU.
• Responsible for developing, monitoring, and enforcing clinical practice standards, policies and procedures for pulmonologist and RT's.
• Attend Medical Center Committee meetings, which oversees the quality of care and reviews and approves Critical Care and Pulmonary section policies and procedures.
• Administers / participates in the Peer Review process including chart reviews.
• Strengthens and facilitates communication among pulmonary providers, and other Medicine Service supervisors.
• Reviews and monitors clinical privileges of each medical provider in consultation with the provider.
• Recommends disciplinary action for professional staff conduct detrimental to the service and veteran.
• Confirms that all pulmonologist and RT staff maintain hospital privileges or competencies and monitors these functions.
• Responsible for working with the Administrative Officer in the development and implementation of call schedules and weekend coverage and ensuring adequate clinical provider coverage by developing work schedules / tours for pulmonary and RT staff.
• Provide leadership and oversight of provider coding practices for billing purposes.
• Establishes and manages a quality assurance/improvement plan for the Critical Care / Pulmonary / RT Section in coordination with Quality management.
• Ensures appropriate patient access to quality comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services and works directly with the emergency department leadership.
• Monitors all leaves of absences for professional staff members of the Critical Care and Pulmonary section including continuing education, vacation, sick, and emergent annual leave.
• Reviews/resolves patient complaints/grievances and directs modification of the system to diminish and eliminate further complaints/grievances with assistance of the ACOS/Medicine Service.
• Acts as a liaison for Medicine Service involving medical matters with outside organizations including local hospitals, clinics, and other appropriate organizations.
• Responsible for assisting the AO and ACOS with physician/mid-level and other clinical staff recruitment for the Medicine section.
• Helps ensure patient confidentiality and is an advocate for patient rights and responsibilities.
• Performs other health leadership, management, and clinical duties as required.
• Ensure that all pulmonologists are maintaining continuing medical education adequate to keep knowledge and skills current and to maintain licensure and board certifications.
• Utilizes "bed huddle "to interact with Nursing and other services concerning inpatient issues.

Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, with rotation on-call