Career Center

The Staff Physician serves within the Geriatrics and Extended Care service line providing high quality patient centered care to Veterans under Geri-PACT clinic in collaboration with the Medical Director and Program Manager. A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized to highly qualified candidates. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP). 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. Education: 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. Licensure and Registration: 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: Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR 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. Physical Requirements: See outlined below. English Language Proficiency. Physicians appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7402(d) and 7407(d). Preferred Experience: 5+ years experience in Primary Care setting Leadership/Supervisory Experience Strong customer service skills Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) Strong skills utilizing electronic medical record system 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: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds and over; moderate carrying 15-44 pounds straight pulling (1 hour); pushing (1 hour); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (3 hours); standing (3 hours); kneeling (1 hour); repeated bending (1 hour); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; and hearing (aid permitted). See VA Handbook and Directive 5019. ["The Physician is responsible for the quality of care provided by the program, the productivity of the program and for the development and implementation of initiatives to meet the Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VCBHCS) mission. The Staff Physician will provide comprehensive care, including diagnoses, and treatment of both acute and chronic conditions. Common diagnoses encountered in GERI-PACT include dementia, frailty, cerebrovascular disease, neurological disease, diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, degenerative arthritis, depression, and congestive heart failure. The Staff Physician will manage patients by completing face to face interdisciplinary team encounters, telemedicine encounters, or telephone encounters. Core duties include but are not limited to obtaining patient histories, performing physical exams, formulating a working diagnosis and developing/implementing a treatment plan according to clinical guidelines and patient's goals and preferences. Other duties are determining disposition to the emergency department, hospital, Assisted Living Facility, Community Nursing Home, Home Health, Home Based Primary Care, and Hospice Care. Other routine duties are ordering lab tests, x-rays, EKG's and other diagnostic procedures, initiating and expediting requests to medical or surgical specialty consults. Other key duties are providing education and counseling to patient and family in preventive care, medical conditions and proper use of medications. The Staff Physician may collaborate with other providers, and specialists in and outside of the VA system to manage or co-manage patients' health. Select mental health, medical and surgical specialty services are available on-site. Other medical and surgical subspecialties services are available through community contracts. In addition to observance of Federal National and Local regulatory, policy, and accreditation requirements governing this Health Care System, this position encompasses the following examples of responsibilities. Participate in chart reviews, staff meetings, committees, and other process improvement initiatives. Put in practice medical care advances and practice standards. Demonstrate effective communication both down to staff and up to leadership, to include patient outcomes and issue briefs.- Adhere to clinic procedures for patient scheduling & access.- Respond to critical lab/diagnostic test result notifications in a timely manner. Ensure all encounters are closed the same day the visit was made, and complete documentation requirements in CPRS in a timely manner. Maintain and upkeep credentials required for privileging and re-privileging, and achieve competencies and performance as approved by the professional board. Assure appropriate oversight of delegated care activities of Nurse Practitioner, Pharm D in your team. Provide cross coverage to physicians within the approved and recommended privileges by the Professional Standards Board. Communicate the plan of coverage to the team members when taking leave of absence.- Complete training requirements, employee health requirements and Environmental and Occupational requirements. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) and may change based on the facility needs. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized\nEducation Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized, see details in \"Education Section\"\nPay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases\nPaid 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)\nRetirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA\nInsurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)\nLicensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory\nCME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification)\nMalpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided\nContract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting"]