Career Center

Summary

The Primary Care Physician (Float) serves as a practicing physician who is responsible for the overall management of patients enrolled for healthcare services provided by the Tennessee Valley Health Care System. Responsible for administrative tasks associated with clinic operations - provides leadership and direction to support staff assigned to their PACT (Patient Aligned Care Team). The PCP has responsibility for providing primary care to patients at once or more Primary Care Clinics.

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: Two years Primary Care/Ambulatory Care experience - Board Certified in Internal Medicine
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The work is largely office based and in a sedentary setting
• No manual labor is required above ordinary situations
• Incumbent must be capable of using a computer given that all clinical charting is electronic.

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program
• You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment
• Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application
• 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
• Functions/Scope of Assigned Duties: Fully Implements the components and processes relative to the VHA Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH) healthcare system design
• Coordinates care for a panel of outpatients as assigned by TVHS
• Evaluate and treat acute and chronic health problems for scheduled and unscheduled patients in clinic setting
• Performs histories and physical exams
• Provide appropriate documentation to minimally include history - physical exam - findings - diagnosis - definitive care plan and disposition of the patient
• Ensures that patient encounters are appropriately closed out including disposition that clearly indicates the next steps of care
• Ensures that each patient is provided a list of current medications and appointment list at close-out
• Perform office procedures contained within their approved privileges
• Prescribe medications as appropriate
• Orders routine laboratory - radiological and diagnostic tests and provide initial interpretation of results
• Communicate test results to patients
• Responds to questions and other inquiries from patients including use of secure messaging
• Initiate or expedite requests for consultations and specialty tests
• Provides education to the patient and family as necessary
• Orders immunizations and other preventive or screening services as necessary
• Screens patients to determine the need for hospitalization
• Perform Basic Life Support as necessary
• Communicate clinical findings to other providers using the Computerized Patient Record System
• Function as the managing physician for nurse practitioners and/or physician assistants as assigned by TVHS
• Function as a preceptor for residents in the clinic setting as assigned by TVHS
• Treats patients 18 years of age or greater
• Consistently communicates and treats customers - veterans - their representatives - visitors and all VA staff in a courteous - tactful and respectful manner
• The Medical Officer - Primary Care Provider will provide the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures and will handle conflicts and problems when dealing with customers constructively and appropriately
• Uses data sets contained in VHA database including the Almanac - Compass - EQM - and High-Risk Registries to identify and more highly manage patients
• Complies with the Medical Center Bylaws and the Rules and Regulations of the Medical Staff
• Electronically tracks various components of care to promote a higher level of care coordination
• Maximizes the use of virtual care modalities such as Home Telemedicine - VA Video Connect - Telephone visits - Secure Messaging and e-Consults to enhance access to care
• Protect printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws - Federal Regulations - VA statures and policy and VHA policy
• The PCP protects data from unauthorized release - or from loss - alteration - or unauthorized deletion and follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files and release of access codes - etc
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - 8 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m.