Physician (Dialysis Program Medical Director/Staff Nephrologist)

Full Job Description

This 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. 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.

Additional Requirement: Board Certification in Nephrology Preferred Experience: Five or more year of dialysis medical directorship. Experience teaching residents/fellows/students.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: To perform in a fully successful manner, the individual must have the physical ability to perform job-related duties which may require light carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (up to 1 hour), standing (up to 1 hour), and both legs required.

In addition, there may be exposure to the following environmental factors: working inside and outside, working closely with others, and protracted or irregular hours of work.

A health examination must be successfully completed prior to this assignment and periodically thereafter as required by the Occupational Health Clinic policy.

There may be intermittent exposure to blood and body fluids. Major Duties:

This position is located in the Nephrology Department under the Medicine Clinical Directorate at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) in North Chicago, Illinois.

FHCC is larger than just a single facility, but rather a system of facilities throughout Northeastern Illinois which provide medical and dental services to U.S.

Military Active Duty, Recruits, Veterans, and eligible beneficiaries. This position reports to the Clinical Director of Medicine, Medicine Directorate.

The incumbent performs as the Medical Facility Dialysis Program Medical Director and Staff Nephrologist within the FHCC with duties and responsibilities in the Nephrology Department.

The incumbent performs initial and ongoing assessment of patients' medical, physical, and psychosocial status including conducting and dictating histories and physicals; developing treatment plans, performing rounds, recording progress notes, establishing working diagnoses, administering treatment, performing physical examinations, interpreting pertinent laboratory, radiographic, and other diagnostic studies needed for management of the patient.

The incumbent will work closely with hospital staff, department directors, and physicians to ensure that the highest standards of quality and services are maintained.

Major Duties and Responsibilities: 25% Dialysis Program Medical Director Ensuring the safe operation, timely coordination and delivery of quality dialysis care to patients in the VA Dialysis Program at the Lovell FHCC.

Serving as the chair of the Lovell FHCC Dialysis Committee and communicating findings, recommendations and action plans to the appropriate governing committee, including, as appropriate, the FHCC Infection Prevention and Control Committee, FHCC Quality Management Committee and FHCC Medical Executive Council.

Ensuring VA Dialysis Program compliance with reporting requirements.

Collaborating with the FHCC Dialysis Nurse Manager to establish, implement and update comprehensive SOPs for FHCC Dialysis Program services at the FHCC.

Assessing non-nursing staffing needs and submitting hiring requests to ensure sufficient FHCC Dialysis Program staffing.

Collaborating with the FHCC IVC Office to ensure timely referral of community dialysis care requests. Serving on the VISN Dialysis Council alongside the FHCC Dialysis Nurse Manager.

Ensuring that the VA Dialysis Interdisciplinary Team performs a comprehensive and individualized assessment of each dialysis patient's needs and developing an interdisciplinary patient plan of care for that patient.

Ensuring a comprehensive kidney transplant evaluation is conducted for all patients deemed clinically eligible, at a VA transplant center or at a community transplant program that participates in VCCP if the patient is eligible.

75% Staff Nephrologist Provide direct patient care specific to Nephrology in the ambulatory clinic setting and inpatient units Provide timely screening and resolution of consultations from other disciplines Provide a range of therapeutic interventions specific to Nephrology and have clinical privileges to practice including diagnostic assessment, medication evaluation and management.

Order diagnostic tests and discriminate between normal and abnormal findings and makes appropriate treatment decisions.

Documentation of care in the medical record in keeping with the Bylaws of the Medical Center Staff.

Provide supervisory oversight for health professional trainees who are assigned to the Nephrology Service. Provide collaboration on the clinical care of Physician Assistants as appropriate.

Participates effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences and collaborates with multidisciplinary team members in a manner that enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for a highly qualified individual.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov 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 VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

VHA Physician Total Rewards.