Summary

The Amarillo VA Health Care System - Amarillo - Texas is seeking a Home Base Primary Care (HBPC Medical Director-Physician) within the Geriatric and Extended Care (GEC) Service. The HBPC Medical Director will provide clinical care within the GEC service line (Geri PACT Care Clinic - CLC and Hospital & Palliative Care Clinic - etc.) A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized to a highly qualified candidate.

Qualifications

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
• Education: 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 an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed
• Licensure and Registration: 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: Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) - b) OR Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) -OR 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
• Physical Requirements: See outlined below
• English Language Proficiency
• Physicians appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7402(d) and 7407(d)
• Preferred Experience: Board Certified In Geriatrics Fellowship Training in Geriatrics Experience in working with Geriatric Veteran population across various clinical settings - to include clinics - nursing homes - home care - Consultative practice
• Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care Reference: VA Regulations - specifically VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard
• This can be found in the local Human Resources Office
• Physical Requirements: Light lifting - under 15 pounds
• light carrying - under 15 pounds
• Reaching above shoulder
• Use of fingers
• Both hands required
• Walking (8hrs)
• Standing (8hrs)
• Repeated bending (2-4hrs)
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• Both eyes required
• Depth perception
• Ability to distinguish basic colors
• Ability to distinguish shades of colors
• Hearing (aid permitted)
• Mental/ Emotional Stability
• Ability to perform privileges Independently perform physical exam
• Cognitive Stability.

Duties

• The HBPC Medical Director is the senior clinician and is responsible for the overall medical care delivered by the HBPC team
• He/she works in collaboration with the HBPC Program Director to meet the requirements of the program
• The incumbent may have a faculty appointment and be involved in academic activities with affiliated Medical Schools - residency and fellowship programs
• The incumbent provides patient care directly and through the supervision of licensed independent practitioners (LIPs) - residents - fellows and medical students in the home setting and in other departments within the GEC Service line
• In addition to their role as clinician - the HBPC Medical Director will have administrative responsibilities for leadership and direction of HBPC development and programs - as well as effective interface with the HBPC staff
• The HBPC Medical Director will participate fully in all accreditation processes - reviews - and site visits
• The incumbent will provide direct patient care which includes assessments - diagnosis - treatment - and outcome measures of healthcare problems
• This includes the following: initiating and adjusting therapeutic regimens - performing histories and physicals - ordering diagnostic and therapeutic tests/studies - initiating consults and referrals - and prescribing medications/supplies in accordance with VA policy - VA formulary - Federal & state regulations - and scope of practice
• Collaborate with in house specialty clinics as well as community providers
• Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience - and creative approaches to management of complex patient care
• Administrative Responsibilities: The HBPC Medical Director is responsible for: 1
• Collaborating with HBPC Program Director
• Provide leadership to the HBPC Program Determine appropriateness and eligibility for veterans referred to HBPC program
• Plan and direct the education and clinical experience of medical students - residents and fellows assigned to the HBPC Program
• Assume a leadership role in the developed and implementation of the HBSC Performance improvement plan
• Advocates for HBPC with VHA leadership and the medical community
• Jointly select HBPC Team member
• 2
• Providing clinical input and oversight for all patient treatment plans: 3
• Being readily available to the team members for collaboration when medical or other problems arise
• 4
• Participating in HBPC team meetings
• 5
• Keeping the HBPC team apprised of medical care advances and practice standards
• 6
• Arranging physician coverage and communicating the plan of coverage to the HBPC team
• 7
• Collaborating with other HBPC Medical Directors - VISN leadership - and VA Central Office staff on program development issue
• 8
• Work to ensure alignment of the program with VACO - JC - VISN guidelines
• 9
• Promptly addressing noteworthy findings from internal& external audits - and review JC - LTCI - OIG - OMI - and others
• Clinical Responsibilities: The HBPC Medical Director - in collaboration with the HBPC interdisciplinary team - is responsible for: 1
• Assuming primary medical responsibility for HBPC patients and the team
• 2.
• Determining the need for consultation from medical - surgical - and/or psychiatric sub-specialty clinics as well as community care
• 3
• Determining the need for - and facilitating - admission to the hospital
• 4
• Visiting the HBPC patients at home
• 5
• Serving as collaborator for advanced practice nurses and/or physician assistants
• 6
• The following tools are required by the accrediting agency to verify adherence to accreditation standard in the focus areas listed in paragraph 2 of Appendix D per VHA Directive 1411
• Regarding : a
• Chart Reviews and Audits b
• In-Home Oversight Visits c
• Veteran Experience Feedback d
• Monitoring Veteran Safety - Sentinel - adverse - and near miss events Providing appropriate education materials - equipment - and training for Veteran 7
• Provide clinical care also with other GEC departments (Community Living Center (CLC) - Hospice & Palliative - and Outpatient Geriatric - etc.) Other Responsibilites: 1
• The clinical and administrative duties listed above are not comprehensive an may include other duties as determined by the program needs and assigned by the GEC Chief
• 2
• Additional duties may require coverage of clinics - Community Living Center - Hospice & Palliative Care - Contract Nursing Home - etc
• as directed by Chief of GEC
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m.) VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized