Summary

The Geriatrics/Long Term Care (G/LTC) Service Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) Medical Director provides supervision to all Advanced Practice Practitioners in HBPC; monitors the program's clinical efficacy - identifying and correcting deficiencies; and maintains a patient panel of his/her own - providing primary medical care to Veterans in their homes. The Medical Director also participates in the off tour after hours telephone coverage for CLC inpatient medical staff caring for G/LTC inpatients.

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: 2 years recent experience in provision of Geriatric Medicine
• 1 year supervisory experience
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• Physical Requirements: Lifting up to 35 pounds - intermittently
• moderate carrying (15-35 pounds) - intermittently
• lifting over 35 pounds with assistive devices in accordance with the Safe Patient Handling Policy except in emergent situations requiring prompt patient care
• pulling - intermittently
• pushing - intermittently
• reaching above the shoulders - intermittently - both hands required
• walking - intermittently
• standing - intermittently
• kneeling - intermittently
• and repeated bending.

Duties

• Provides geriatric primary care at the Veteran's home as part of the HBPC PACT team
• Provides clinical input and oversight for all Veteran treatment plans in collaboration with a case manager or interdisciplinary treatment team
• Participates as part of the interdisciplinary team to plan the care of the Veteran - including patient-specific goals and outcomes for discharge
• Provides clinical input and demonstrates leadership as a member of the interdisciplinary team
• Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings
• Provides up-to-date clinical education to HBPC teams
• Completes appropriate documentation as administratively required such as Minimum Data Set (MDS) - referrals - encounters - etc
• Completes orders and follows up on results - including lab - radiology - consults - medications - diets - code status and other needs to treat the Resident
• Sees patients on his/her panel on a regular basis - including initial and annual H&P's
• Mentors rotating medical students - residents - and other trainees during G/L TC rotations
• Works directly with staff to identify needs - system issues - and communicate performance goals for HBPC
• Will be a leader in performance improvement
• Participates in quantitative and qualitative data review to support performance improvement/quality assurance efforts of HBPC
• Provides leadership - both clinically and administratively for the HBPC program at Martinsburg and the Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) satellite sites
• Will implement and comply with administrative review of the service's operations to assure compliance with all internal and external survey requirements
• Will serve as the supervisory attending physician for Advanced Practice Practitioners (NP/PA) in the HBPC program
• Will serve as attending physician for the current Geriatric Fellowship Program (One year fellowship for 1-2 WVU fellows training at the Martinsburg VA)
• Provides patient education in an interactive setting
• Serves on local and VISN committees to represent HBPC concerns and initiatives.- Visiting the HBPC patients at home for medical evaluation and treatment
• Most visits occur in the Veteran's home or assisted living facility - but can also utilize VA approved telemedicine platforms when clinically appropriate
• Assessment - diagnosis - treatment and outcome measures of healthcare issues - histories - and physicals - ordering diagnostic and therapeutic tests/studies - initiating consults and referrals - and prescribing medications/supplies for patients at home
• Demonstrate expertise in the areas of adult primary care and management of chronic medical conditions
• Communicate and consult regularly with other providers in primary and specialty care to assist in the care of geriatric patients as needed
• Perform evidence-based practices to enhance symptom management of palliative care patients
• Facilitate education and clarification of the patient and family regarding goals of care
• Consult with members of the Interdisciplinary care team to establish a written plan of care
• Highlight Age-Friendly Health System approach to care with emphasis on What Matters Most - Medications - Mentation/Mood - and Mobility/Falls
• Assist with development and updates of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to meet the evolving needs of the HBPC Program and adherence to Joint Commission changes in policy and their updated areas of focus (Annual National Safety Goals for Home Care)
• Assume a leadership role in the development and implementation of HBPC's process for continuous performance improvement and to help maintain a state of readiness for Joint Commission Accreditation surveys
• HBPC Physician will lead at least one workgroup and will offer their input and clinical expertise within other performance improvement workgroups
• Responsible for meeting home care accreditation standards - including - but not limited to VHA and the Joint Commission standards for home care - for ensuring that the primary care services provided
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 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 Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm - Monday - Friday