Hospice and Palliative Care Physician

Duties
VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized to ApplyPay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increasesPaid 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 VAInsurance: 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 territoryCME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification)Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage providedContract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting
The Hospice and Palliative Care (H&PC) Physician is an integral part of the H&PC program at Togus VA which includes an integrated inpatient and outpatient program. The H&PC Physician works closely with the Palliative Care Team consisting of H&PC Medical Director, Nurse Practitioner, Hospice Unit Nurse Manager, RN Coordinator, Social Worker and Chaplain to provide:
Care of patients in the 12-bed hospice and palliative care unitParticipation in Hospice On-call programInpatient consultative services in the acute hospital and long term care areasOutpatient consultative services in the geriatric and specialty care clinicsTelemedicine consultative services for patients unable to travel to AugustaManagement of patients in hospice home care.Supervision and training of H&PC fellows in collaboration with Maine Medical CenterProvide clinical assistance, policy interpretation and consultation on program and program evaluation/accountability issues through guidance materials, training workshops and verbal or written communication to the VA Maine clinical community.Maintain up to date with the National VA Hospice and Palliative Care Program to ensure compliance with national initiatives.Represent the VA Maine Palliative Care Program in local and VISN and national Hospice and Palliative Care work groups, meetings and conferences. Report Palliative Care Program updates to GEC Leadership as needed/requested. Work in collaboration and communication with treatment teams at Togus Medical Center to promote measurable improvement in palliative care.Provides care in accordance with local, VHA National Hospice and Palliative Care Programs, VHA directives, VHA regulatory requirements and National Consensus Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care and Preferred Practices of the National Quality Forum.Monitors and shares best palliative care practices both within VHA and in the private sector through collaboration with the Community Health Nurse and the Hospice Veterans Partnership. Develops and participates in quality improvement in collaboration with GEC and the H&PC Director. Participates actively with other members of the Geriatric team, which includes providing occasional coverage within the Community Living Center. Services to be performed include but are not limited to:
Performs outpatient examinationsProvides O.P. and I.P. consultation service related to end of life care to the medical staff Provides consultation for pain management to medical staffLiaison with VA and community hospice agenciesParticipate with the Hospice Veterans PartnershipAttends bed huddle and weekly grand roundsParticipates in hospice after-hours on-call programAvailable to the oncology outpatient clinic for consultation on a weekly basis. Participates in quality assurance programs and chart reviewsCompletes medical records including (but not limited to):history and physical exams within 24 hours of admissionprogress notes daily for inpatients and for each encounter on outpatientsconsult notes within 24 hours of evaluating patientnew or renewal of prescriptionsWork Schedule: TBD
Requirements Conditions of EmploymentU.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.Must be proficient in written and spoken English.You may be required to serve a probationary period.Subject to background/security investigation.Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.Must pass pre-employment physical examination.Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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: Board eligible or Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine
Preferred Experience: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: NA
EducationDegree 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. Approved schools are:Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, orSchools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted.For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.] NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.Additional informationThis job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Financial Disclosure Report:Not required
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefitsEligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.How You Will Be EvaluatedYou will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.