Summary

The physician is expected to provide comprehensive patient care in the form of consultative inpatient and outpatient Rheumatology patient care at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center.

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: Prior rheumatology training or work experience at a VA Facility is preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

Duties

• Rheumatology clinic duties managing complex rheumatology/arthritis patients including but not limited to those treated for OA, rheumatoid arthritis, primary and secondary fibromyalgia, Gout/Pseudogout, Polymyalgia rheumatica, sclerodenna, Sjogren's syndrome, systematic lupus erythematous, Reiter's syndrome/reactive arthritis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, septic arthritis, inflammatory arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and vasculitis
• Duties include obtaining history, physical exam, ordering and interpreting tests such as X-rays, MRIs, DEXA
• Order and interpret specialty laboratory/serologic evaluations including but not limited to rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP, Antinuclear body (ANA) panel, HLA-B27, uric acid levels, inflammation markers, QuantiFERON TB, acute and chronic hepatitis panel, Culture& Susceptibility, crystal examination, cell count of synovial fluid
• Prescribing complex medications that require lab monitoring including but not limited to DMARDs and biologics
• Ordering infusion medications such as rituximab and coordinating with infusion clinic for patient care
• Diagnosis, assessment and medications unique to this population
• Titration of specialty medications
• Coordinate and initiate non-Formulary requests
• Performing Medicine Reconciliation and review per VHA protocol
• Ordering diagnostic studies and other special tests such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomography (CT scans), DEXA scans, and X-RA Ys and provide preliminary results
• Ordering and obtaining laboratory specimen including studies that are unique to both pulmonary and rheumatology services
• Ordering ancillary services, such as not limited to pharmacy, social services, physical therapy and rehabilitation services, prosthetics, orthotics, and specialty clinical services
• Ordering patient care supplies including but not limited to braces, splints, slings and prosthetics
• Performing intra-articular joint injections in rheumatology and injection clinic, this includes obtaining consent as well as documenting non-operating procedure notes
• Intercommunity and inter-facility referrals are often made to physical therapy, occupational therapy, orthotics, prosthetics, etc
• Coordinate with primary care with Muskogee and Fayetteville VAMC to obtain labs and radiographic studies for ongoing care with patients located in these regions, follow up these results and continue with ongoing care
• Ordering and monitoring of labs while on rheumatology medication to ensure there is not adverse side effects
• Screening patients in rheumatology for osteoporosis, calculating DEXA scores, promoting bone health
• Coordinate clinic flow and patient access, including expedited exams and assessments, and will assist fellows with their overbook patients
• Evaluate, assess, and provide discussion and education for testing alerting veterans/caregivers and securing additional follow up, evaluations, and new treatment plans to enhance continuity of care
• Managing and addressing secure messages assigned to rheumatology clinic
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Contract Buy Out Program: This position may be eligible for the Physician / Provider Contract Buy Out Program (CBOP), which authorizes VHA to buy out service contracts (Locum agreements, loan repayments, sign-on bonus contracts, Physician-owned practices) in exchange for employment at certain rural or highly rural facilities for a period of obligated service (minimum 4 years)
• For additional information and eligibility requirements, contact the VHA Contract Buy Out Program Manager at vacontractbuyoutprog@va.gov
• 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: Mon- Fri 8:00pm - 4:30pm (50 hours per pay period)