Summary

The Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) program - under the Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC)service - targets frail - chronically ill Veterans who require care by interdisciplinary health care teams to provide continuity and coordination/integration of diverse services to address complex medical - social - rehabilitative and behavioral care needs. Education and length of practice are considered through a formal pay-setting process to determine the final compensable salary (Base Pay + Market Pay).

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: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The incumbent must: - Be able to walk - stand or sit for prolonged periods of time each day
• - Be able to run and/or sprint under urgent or emergency situations
• - Be physically able to perform CPR - if needed.

Duties

• The HBPC Medical Director is responsible for the overall care delivered by the HBPC program of the Central Alabama Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHCS)
• Medical care includes identifying - diagnosing and appropriately treating the Veterans' medical problems - determining the need for consultation from subspecialty care for specialized medical - surgical or psychiatric services and determining the need for services that may require transferring patients to other VA or Non-VA acute healthcare facilities or long-term care facilities - when appropriate
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be available for highly qualified applicants Relocation Incentive (for current Federal Employees) (Sign-on Bonus): May be available for highly qualified applicants Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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 Home-Based Primary Care Medical Director will provide professional patient care approximately 80% of the time and administrative duties 20% of the time
• The duties and responsibilities of the HBPC Medical Director include - but are not limited to - the following: - Collaborating with the VA medical facility HBPC Program Director on HBPC Program management responsibilities outlined in VHA Directive 1411
• - Planning and directing the educational and clinical experience of health professions trainees (HPTs) assigned to the HBPC Program
• - Being readily accessible and promptly responsive to calls from HBPC team members with urgent need for consultation - physician orders or as requested by the Veteran
• - Overseeing care planning for all Veterans enrolled in the HBPC Program by either actively participating in HBPC Program team meetings or delegating an HBPC Physician to participate in team meetings
• - Communicating medical care advances and practice standards to the HBPC team
• - Arranging physician coverage as needed and communicating the plan of coverage to the HBPC PACT
• NOTE: The VA medical facility HBPC Medical Director must be available to act as back-up for HBPC PACT primary care providers and make home visits when needed or when the designated HBPC primary care providers are unavailable
• - Providing leadership in the GEC Service aimed at achieving GEC program goals and objectives and the mission and vision of the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center
• - Providing input for strategic planning for future HBPC growth or improvements
• - Developing or maintaining policies and procedures to ensure compliance with VHA policy and regulatory/accrediting bodies
• - Fostering an environment of continuous improvement
• - Assuming a leadership role in the development and implementation of performance improvement plans affecting the HBPC
• - Demonstrating consistent and positive interpersonal skills with Veterans - their families - and other VA staff and providers
• - Conducting themselves in a professional - ethical and courteous manner while treating and dealing with Veterans - their families - and other VA staff and providers
• - Adhering to the principles of a High Reliability Organization
• - Leading regular HBPC Provider staff meetings
• - Participating in monthly VISN or VHA calls pertaining to HBPC - as appropriate
• - Participating in quality management activities such as medical records reviews - Drug Utilization Evaluations - Root Cause Analyses and Peer Reviews at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center
• - Serving on facility committees when appropriate
• - Working to meet performance measures set by the facility - VISN or VHA
• - Responding to complaints by Veterans and/or their families to the Patient Advocate or other avenues in a timely manner
• - Anticipating potential problems and attempting to solve those problems before they lead to complaints
• Immediately informing the Associate Chief of Staff of GEC of any witnessed or suspected patient abuse
• - Providing constructive feedback to supervises in a timely manner and per HR policies
• - Participating in monthly Medical Staff meetings as required
• Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm - Monday - Friday (Subject to change based on the needs of the agency)