Physician (Hospitalist/Nocturnist)

Summary The VA Northern Arizona Healthcare System is one of the leading health care systems serving Veterans in the VA Desert Pacific Network. We're an innovative care center within the Veterans Integrated Service Network 22 (VISN 22). VISN 22 includes medical centers and clinics in Arizona, California, and New Mexico. At the VA Northern Arizona Healthcare System, we're dedicated to improving the lives of Veterans and their families every day. Responsibilities The hospitalist (MD) position is in the Medical Unit within the Acute Care Service Line at the Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System. The hospitalists' functions are to provide accurate, reliable, and comprehensive history and physical examination of the patients admitted to Acute Care Medical Unit for inpatient diagnosis and treatment, and provide routine daytime care for medical inpatients. The patients will be assessed in person in the Emergency Department or Medical Unit, and the hospitalist staff will make rounds on weekends and holidays. The hospitalist (MD) must work cooperatively as a member of the Medical Unit team and demonstrate customer service principles in all aspects of work. The hospitalist (MD) will perform job duties independently and in accordance with established departmental and hospital procedures, including telemetry monitoring and patient care-related procedures. The hospitalist (MD) reports to the Medical Director, Acute Care Service Line, but must work in collaboration with the Medical Unit Nurse Manager, Assistant Nurse Manager, Charge Nurse, Staff Nurses, nursing assistants, medical instrument technicians, and other Medical Unit hospitalists. Duties include but are not limited to: Whenever a Medical Officer of the Day (MOD) is not scheduled to be on site, at least one hospitalist will respond to and be part of the Rapid Response Team. Documents all clinical encounters at the time of visit. Records the patient's full and comprehensive history and physical within 24 hours of admission. Documents patients' history and physical examinations in a concise and thorough, manner. Initiates diagnostic modalities and stabilizes medical therapies while notifying the Acute Care staff, Nursing Officer of the Day, and the Transfer Coordinator in the event of a medical urgency or emergency, Maintains and revises, as appropriate, all medical aspects of the care plan including overall goals for management of all medical problems and specification of the methods by which goals will be attained. Places consult requests and pursue completion of the consult in a timely manner. Practices, always, within his/her scope of practice and assure all necessary consultation has occurred. Writes orders in the patient's chart that are timed, dated, and legible and supported by accompanying progress note information. Seeks necessary consultation as dictated by the patient's underlying diagnosis and condition. Builds and sustains collaborative relationships, works to resolves conflicts at lowest possible level. Is flexible about processes in the working environment, adapts well to change and is positive in accommodating new situations and realities. Effectively supports VHA, Network, and NAVAHCS initiatives, identifies unique opportunities to expand quality, access, and timeliness of care to veterans. Promotes safety with prescribed cautionary procedures and completes all accident reports within agency timeframes. Represents VHA programs, VHA staff, and supervisors in a professional manner that focuses on the needs of the VHA or NAVAHCS programs and not on personal or competing agendas. Completes continuing professional education required to maintain licensure/certification and keep current with state-of-the-art professional knowledge. Participates in quality improvement/quality assurance activities for the assigned work area and service or service line. Other duties as assigned. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. 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: Various Tours; Supervisor's Discretion Requirements Conditions of Employment U.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. Physicians are generally not required to be board certified for employment in VA; however, three circumstances in VA require physician board certification: (1) If the position being filled is required to be a supervisor for medical students or physician residents (including fellows), the LCME, ACGME or AOA standards requiring a particular board certification credential will apply. (2) If the position being filled will have faculty status with an affiliated medical school (for example, in joint recruitments with affiliated medical schools), then a medical school requirement for board certification will apply to the jointly recruited position. (3) If the position being filled is required to be board certified by virtue of specific VHA policy (for example, as director of a cardiac catheterization laboratory or Director of Clinical Laboratory Medicine), then VHA policy requiring board certification will apply.] 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: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to wear protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. They may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Education Degree 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, or Schools 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 Information This 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 Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.