Summary

Staff Physician - (Section Chief - Employee Occupational Health and Compensation and Pension) The Section Chief is responsible for overseeing all aspects of primary care delivered within Compensation and Pension and the Employee Occupational Health section.

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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education - the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - in the list published for the year the residency - or fellowship if applicable - was completed
• OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship - first year of residency - or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States
• OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) - 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
• Exceptions: 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 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
• In rare and unusual circumstances - the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer - who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience - accomplishments - performance - and qualifications warrant such action
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to perform all activities of the position without restriction
• This position may involve standing - walking - stooping - bending - reaching - lifting - and turning

Duties

• The Section Chief is responsible for overseeing all aspects of primary care delivered within Compensation and Pension and the Employee Occupational Health section
• Supervising staff - in collaboration with the Associate Chief and Chief of Primary Care - the Section Chief is responsible for - but not limited to - the following tasks: 1
• Planning - organizing - developing - implementing - controlling and refining comprehensive patient management/clinical support within clinic
• 2
• Provides services - technical counsel - and leadership guidance to section staff to meet the care and treatment needs of patients within the clinic
• 3
• Maintaining records of meetings that include reports of conclusions - data recommendations - and collaboration with the patient advocates to address and resolve inquiries/complaints
• 4
• Developing policies and procedures to assure effective management - ethics - safety - communication - and quality within the section and between compensation and pension - employee occupational health and other services as appropriate
• 5
• Review at least annually privilege templates for each service and make recommendation to the Chief or Associate Chief as needed for modifications
• Compensation and Pension Responsibilities: 1
• Primary focus of practice is the independent clinical evaluation of veterans for disability - pension - environmental hazard and/or registry examinations
• 2
• Collaborates with other health care resources to fully evaluate requested conditions sufficient for purposes - of disability rating
• 3
• Prepares a detailed report summarizing the veteran's medical history - current symptoms - exam findings - professional opinion on the severity of the disability and determination of eligibility for pension or other benefits and registry evaluations
• 4
• Documented using standardized formats including CAPRI - and DBQs 5
• Keeps abreast of latest trends - skills - procedures - and protocols relevant in specialty and serves as a resource person for the medical center staff Employee Occupational Health Responsibilities: 1
• Performs pre-employment physicals - urine drug testing related to pre-employment assessment and other duties as assigned
• 2
• Evaluates workplace injuries and coordinates with workman's compensation
• 3
• Provides clinical support for APPs
• 4
• Serves as interprets VA guidance (Employee Occupational Health Guidebook) for the office of EOH and translates this information into practice guidelines
• 5
• Serves as the Professional Supervisor for the facilities Hearing Conservation Program - administers the EAP program - and provides fitness for duty evaluations
• General Clinic Responsibilities: 1
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions in units/programs in the Hampton VA Medical Center to which they are assigned and has clinical privileges to practice including diagnostic assessment - medication evaluation and management
• 2
• Orders diagnostic tests and discriminates between normal and abnormal findings and makes appropriate treatment decisions
• 3
• Ensures that the practice of medicine is consistent with the Joint Commission - Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARE) - VA policies and procedures - clinical practice guidelines - VISN standards - national statues and regulations - medical record documentation - mandatory continuing education - and HIPPA policies
• 4
• Participates effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences and collaborates with multidisciplinary team members in a manner that enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care
• 5
• Specific tasks are itemized in each physicians Credentialing and Privileging package The Following sections are enriching elements for the staff physician Academic/Teaching/Administrative 1
• Involved in performance improvement and quality assurance initiatives
• 2
• Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staff on units to which assigned
• 3
• Is involved in the supervision and teaching of house staff and other trainees assigned to unit as appropriate
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• 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 Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 0730-1600.