Staff Physician (Primary Care-Float) - Recruitment/Relocation Incentive/EDRP Authorized

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.

Language: Proficiency in spoken and written English. Education: 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.

License/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: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), 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.

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

Major Duties:

The Primary Care Provider (PCP) Float will provide primary care services in support of primary care operations in the San Antonio service area.

As a float provider, this position will provide support to Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) at an assigned San Antonio Clinic and may be detailed to other VA Clinics in San Antonio as staffing and workload dictate.

THE PCP Float may be asked to provide coverage for a vacant/absent PACT provider to supplement PACT services by delivering same-day care, routine scheduled care, or new patient intake for PACT panel(s).

The Primary Care Physician is responsible for providing Comprehensive Primary Care for Veterans and should, in the context of a longitudinal relationship, fulfill all primary care needs, including acute and chronic illness, gender-specific PC, mental health (Screen for conditions such as depression, substance use/abuse, military sexual trauma and PTSD, and evaluate and treat uncomplicated mental health disorders as well as substance use disorders and refer patients appropriately for further evaluation and treatment of sexual assault and military sexual trauma, mental health disorders and substance use disorders) and preventative care (age-appropriate cancer screening e.g., colon, breast and cervical cancer - as well as weight management counseling, Chlamydia screening (when indicated), smoking cessation and immunizations, etc.) along with coordination of care delivery (when specialty care is needed, the primary care provider will coordinate this care and communicate with the specialty provider regarding the evaluation and treatment plan to ensure continuity of care).

The PACT Model is a patient-driven, team-based approach that delivers efficient, comprehensive, and continuous care through active communication and coordination of health services through an interdisciplinary team that includes the PCP, RN Care Manager, LVN, clerical associate as well as other clinical services necessary to meet the health goals and needs of the Veteran patient including specialists.

While the Primary Care provider's relationship with the Veteran patient will remain key, that bond will be augmented and strengthened by involving other health care staff as part of an integrated team.

Together the team takes responsibility for the Veteran patient's ongoing care through a cooperative effort among all members.

Alternative or collateral duties may include management of a subsection of primary care patients, the subsection may be defined either by a disease status, or demographic status (e.g., women veterans, OIF/OEF veterans, employees, etc.).

Typically, these duties are designated at the time of joining but occasionally during employment, participation in special projects pertinent to assigned section may be necessary as the projects become available through strategic or other initiatives.

Physicians may be assigned duty as a supervising or collaborating physician for one or more mid-level providers.

Physicians are expected to provide clinical oversight and review the care provided by mid-level practitioners.

Most providers will need to act as surrogates for the patients of their colleagues, when one or more of their colleagues are on leave.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified individual Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@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 Work Schedule: TBD (Typically 0800-1630 CST, M-F) VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

VHA Physician Total Rewards.