Physician – Chief of Staff

Summary A relocation incentive may be authorized to highly qualified individuals. This position effort is divided 95% leadership responsibilities and 5% clinical practice in the specialty field of the candidate. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards Responsibilities The Chief of Staff will report to the Medical Center Director. The Chief of Staff serves in conjunction with the Director, Associate Director for Patient Care Services/Nurse Executive, and the Associate Director, as member of the Medical Center Quadrad. The COS works with Fiscal Service, and Human Resources Management Service, and as a full member of the Executive Management Team. The COS has specific responsibility to preside over the medical staff and assure clinical excellence, uniform standards of practice, education, and research. The COS is entrusted with many of the VHA clinical and administrative directives to ensure they are appropriately translated into relevant local policies and appropriately executed. The overall responsibilities of the Chief of Staff include but are not limited to: Assures the overall quality, appropriateness, and timeliness of patient care delivered by all members of the medical staff. Directs and oversees the medical staff functions and committees, the medical staff bylaws, rules and regulations of VAIHCS, and the credentialing and privileging of health care providers. Participates in strategic planning, resource allocation and performance improvement activities. Ensures participation of the medical staff in performance improvement activities. 95% Leadership and 5% Clinical Serves as the Chairman for the following meetings or committees: Medical Staff, Professional Standards Board (PSB), Clinical Executive Board, Peer Review, amongst others. Serves as member of the Executive Leadership team and on a variety of committees and meetings. Ensures patients receive quality care in a timely and courteous manner. This includes patients at the Tomah VA Medical Center and its Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), as true for all the ensuing items. Ensures that all patients receive quality, preventive health care through screening, counseling and education. Ensures that all medical staff (ancillary staff, pharmacy, nursing, mental health and medical/surgical providers) are knowledgeable and provide appropriate psychosocial care and counseling to patients. Ensures competence of medical staff and each of its members to provide care to the young, middle, older and geriatric patients served. Encourages the development of and adherence to clinical guidelines/pathways for patient populations. This is done with emphasis on VHA CPG guidelines, and also when relevant on published and approved guidelines such as CDC and other US task forces. Monitors and evaluates clinical practice patterns through the participation in performance improvement, risk management and peer review activities. Reviews all VHA Directives and directs them appropriately through committees and services. Acts as the PUMA (Physician Utilization Management Advisor) for Utilization Management, ensuring appropriate utilization of clinical services including admissions and inpatient care, following InterQual criteria. Acts as VISN liaison to the medical center, closely communicating with the Medical Center Director and disseminating VISN tasks and responsibilities to the appropriate Medical Center personnel. Maintains and enforces continuing medical educational standards for the medical staff and appropriate health care education accrediting organizations. Evaluates teaching programs to determine effectiveness in meeting patient needs and program goals. Ensures appropriate supervision of house staff and residents. Ensures that medical staff is active in providing appropriate preventive and therapeutic counseling and health care education for patients and their families. Is responsible for staff and resident education Work Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00 am until 4:30 pm or as needed. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid time offer 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 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), 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: The qualified candidate will be a seasoned clinician who demonstrates extensive and progressive leadership experience both as a clinician and an administrator. Exceptional interpersonal skills as well as operational and clinical skills are essential. The successful candidate must have the ability to meet VA established performance measure goals, and possess a thorough knowledge of the standards of the Veterans Health Administration and other accrediting bodies. 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: Physical Requirements: Much of the work occurs within a typical office setting, either individually or in meeting with others, or in meeting rooms. Requires time to be spent walking through the Medical Center with time spent on units involved with nursing or other staff in activities typical of a health care center. There may be risk of physical harm, which requires special precautions and training. The employee may be exposed to infectious diseases and medical/psychiatric emergencies. 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 candidates 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. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required 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.