Summary

The incumbent will assume the physician leadership role in answering and following all Community Living Center (CLC) and Hospice and Palliative Care consults in a timely manner in conjunction with the CLC and Palliative Care Consult teams. Additionally - they will oversee admissions to the program - coordinates comprehensive - interdisciplinary - medical care and case management in CLC for Veterans some of whom have complex medical - social and behavioral conditions.

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
• Preferred Experience: Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care is preferred
• Training in Hospice and Palliative Medicine is not required but will be a competitive advantage
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Applicant must be able to pass a full physical

Duties

• The Community Living Center is a 40-bed unit with some room for expansion - located on the premises of the Salem VA Medical Center
• It is comprised of a dedicated 10-bed short-stay rehab unit while the hospice and long-term care patients are housed in a different section
• The successful candidate will be working alongside two other physicians and two physician assistants
• Care is provided in an interdisciplinary model with nursing - dietician - chaplain - psychologists - and various rehabilitation specialties - music - recreation - physical and occupational
• Day to day activities include daily Watch List Huddles - weekly Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) meetings - daily CLC screening meetings - weekly dermal wound rounds - and weekly behavioral rounds with the CLC psychologists
• Duties include but are not limited to: Works closely with the CLC Quality Consultant to analyze CLC COMPARE Data and other quality measures and establish Performance Improvement projects aimed at maintaining medical standards of care - as mandated by the relevant accrediting bodies Participates in the establishment of policies - procedures - and guidelines necessary for clinical care in collaboration with other members of the interdisciplinary team and communicates relevant responsibilities - policies and procedures to providers
• Provides direct care to patients in the hospice unit and completes palliative consults alongside the palliative care consult team
• Acts as a collaborating physician for Advanced Practice Providers (APP) in the CLC
• May be required to provide consultation to the medical staff for patients with complex treatment or care needs in the home
• Oversees admissions to the CLCs including the hospice unit and together with the CLC nurse manager monitors CLC bed capacity and patient flow across CLC units
• Participates in the CLC related educational programs including provision of in-services - as needed and appropriate
• Ensures that the CLC providers are current with educational requirements for licensure and are current with VA educational requirements and participates in the educational activities of rotating medical fellows in Geriatrics and Palliative care and trainees from additional disciplines as appropriate
• Participates in after-hours call rotation along with other Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) providers - typically once every seven weeks
• Incumbent may be asked to act as GEC Chief during absence of the Chief Work Schedule: M-F - 8:00am - 4:30pm VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program
• You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment
• Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application
• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Nicholas Camilletti (Nicholas.Camilletti@va.gov) - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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