Career Center

Summary

The Lt. Col. Luke Weathers - Jr. - VAMC in Memphis - TN is recruiting for an Interventional Cardiology Section Chief to serve as a full-time Specialty Care physician. The position is accountable to the Chief of Specialty Care - for assuring the most effective delivery of state-of-the-art care by meeting or exceeding compliance standards.

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
• Additional Requirement: Substantial experience in cardiology and or cardiology subspecialty
• Substantial direct supervisory experience in cardiology services that include managing both inpatient and outpatient clinical settings and diagnostic services including but not limited to echocardiogram and electrocardiography
• Experience supervising a multidisciplinary group of providers - for example noninvasive cardiology - interventional cardiology - electrophysiology - and structural cardiology
• Demonstrated experience leading a large group > 30 staff members
• Experience with Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) metrics - specifically productivity measures
• Experience with VA metrics including bookability - productivity - SAIL and CART programs
• Experience within the federal government navigating the complex administrative systems either in the department of defense or veteran health administration
• Successful applicants must be able to obtain academic appointment at our affiliate University of Tennessee Health Sciences Excellent communication and dinner personal skills Experience with quality improvement initiatives Ability to manage multiple task and prioritize effectively to meet VISN goals and VHA mission statement Proven track record of implementing and successful service line programs and process improvement Experience with budget management and resource allocation managing a multimillion-dollar budget Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Moderate Lifting (15-25 lbs)
• Moderate Carrying (15-25 lbs)
• Straight Pulling {up to 2-3 hours)
• Pushing (up to 2-3 hours)
• Reaching above shoulder
• Walking (up to 1-2 hours)
• Kneeling (up to 1 -2 hours)
• Repeated bending (up to 1 to 2 hours)
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• Near vision correctable
• Far vision correctable
• Depth perception
• Ability to distinguish basic colors
• Hearing (aid permitted).

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to: Assisting with administrative duties and providing comprehensive Cardiology services to Veterans - along with supervisory oversight in the Cardiology Section
• Clinical practice - supervising and teaching Cardiology fellows - residents and medical students
• Responsible for providing consultation on various forms of cardiovascular disease states - both for diagnosis and treatment in the inpatient and outpatient settings
• Performing and interpreting cardiac catheterization procedures as well as diagnostic and interventional coronary and peripheral procedures
• Will also assist with non-invasive procedures such as stress tests - trans-thoracic or trans-esophageal echocardiograms - or electrocardiograms is so trained
• Expected to share attending call responsibilities with the other Cardiologists in covering some nights - weekends and holiday calls as needed
• The incumbent will round with the team of residents and fellows - on such occasions and perform emergency procedures on patients in the Intensive Care Unit or when required by the Emergency Department or Operating Room
• Lead and manage the Cardiology/Coronary Care Unit (CCU) team consisting of Cardiology fellows - Internal Medicine Residents - Medical Students - Pharmacists - Mid-Level Providers - etc. - while on inpatient service
• Give didactic lectures to Cardiology fellows and participate in academic activities such as journal reviews - Grand rounds - conferences - and lectures
• Responsible for maintaining an up-to-date schedule that provides appropriate coverage in the Cardiology and Related Procedures Clinics - Catheterization Labs - EP Lab - Interventional Call - and the Inpatient Cardiology/CCU Consult Services
• Oversight of appropriate performance improvement and system redesign activities - as well as for advancing the principles of appropriate management/standards of care applicable to our Cardia Disease patients
• Maintaining the Cardiology Clinic and Cardiology Consult staff physician and weekend call schedules - Cath Lab schedules - and Interventional/EP call schedules - as well as overseeing the appropriate staffing and supervision of the Cardiology/Interventional fellows assigned to VA consults cathlabs - and clinics monthly
• Participate in all required UM/QM activities relating to the Cardiology Service and address identified deficiencies in meeting relevant facility performance measures/standards of care (based upon IPEC - EPRP - OIG - and Joint Commission requirements)
• Plans and conducts monthly Section meetings with Cardiology Staff Physicians and affiliated Nursing/RT staff
• Attends mandatory Section Chief meetings
• Monitors overall performance of all Cardiology staff physicians and provides performance improvement opportunities and interventions as appropriate
• This includes but is not limited to performing FPPE/OPPEs and yearly performance evaluations
• Collaborates to ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained and well-qualified staff is recruited
• Provide comprehensive patient care in the form of invasive - non-invasive - consultative - and inpatient/outpatient cardiology care
• Moderate Sedation Privileges and certification are required
• Fluoroscopy privileges and certification are also required
• Central venous line insertion and management
• Intra-arterial lines insertion and management
• Interpret EKGs
• Interpret holter monitors
• Use of thrombolytic agents
• Pericardiocentesis
• Arterial puncture
• Temporary transvenous pacemaker placement
• Intra-aortic balloon pump insertion and management
• Percutaneous coronary intervention - cardiac catheterization - and angiography .Peripheral arterial interventions
• Stress test interpretation
• Debulking devicesi ncluding CSI atherectomy - rotablator - laser Angiojet for intervention for cardiovascular diseases
• Any other duties as assigned by the supervising physician or his/her designee as it relates to scope of practice
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Applicable Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Applicable 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: Monday- Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM