Summary

The VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System - is seeking a Geriatric/Primary Care Physician to provide high quality patient centered care to Veterans under the different services such as Home-Based Primary Care - Hospital In Home - Geriatric PACT clinic and Palliative/Hospice Care. This position is located in Corpus Christi - TX. A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive is authorized for a highly qualified candidate. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP).

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
• Preferred Experience: 5+ years experience in Geriatric/Primary Care setting
• Strong customer service skills
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Strong skills utilizing electronic medical record
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting - 15-44 pounds - Light carrying - under 15 pounds - Reaching above shoulder - Use of fingers - Both hands required - Walking (6 hours) - Standing (6 hours) - Both legs required - Both eyes required - Depth perception - Ability to distinguish basic colors - Ability to distinguish shades of colors - Hearing (aid may be permitted) - Mental/emotional stability - Ability to perform privileges - Independently performs physical exam as appropriate

Duties

• The Geriatric and Extended Care (GEC) 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
• 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 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
• EDUCATION ELEMENT- Includes teaching and monitoring - coordination of educational programs - educational needs - setting education objectives - conducting educational programs - evaluating educational activities - and documenting
• Assist the Medical Directors to carry out educational activities related to UME/GME
• To act with full authority and accountability of the operation of the educational programs
• Provide orientation to service rotation for program trainees - monitoring and coordination of educational activities - and comply with necessary trainee supervision
• Show effectiveness in teaching and evaluation of trainees
• Administer and maintain an educational environment conducive to educating the trainees in each of the ACGME competency areas
• Prepare and submit all information required and requested by the ACGME
• be familiar and oversee compliance with ACGME and Review Committee policies and procedures as outlined in the ACGME Manual of Policies and Procedures
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Work Schedule: 8:00 am-4:30pm - Monday through Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance