The Iowa City VA is an integrated health care system serving 52,000 Veterans in eastern Iowa and western Illinois with a 52-bed hospital and 10 clinics in the community. The Palliative Care service sees approximately 2000 Veterans/year to provide anticipatory guidance, symptom control and identify goals and preferences. The Iowa City VA Concurrent Care Hospice program and is participating in a VA Strategic initiative, Palliative Plus, which provides intensive case management for Veterans.

Duties

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties: Clinical leader in the care of Veterans with serious illness and their families. Work closely with the palliative care team to provide evidence-based, transdisciplinary care for Veterans. Will collaborate with health care teams, including nursing, social work, rehab therapies, and providers working on inpatient units, and in primary and specialty clinics. Serve as a mentor and supervisor for the providers on the team. Confer with and serve as a consultant to other clinicians. Serve as a leader on a team with diverse reporting structures. Collaborate with other team members to develop and implement an integrated symptom management approach that maximizes the utilization of complementary and integrative health therapies (e.g., Whole Health Program) to improve the quality of life and functioning of patients. Provide care via multiple modalities, including face to face, VA Video Connect (VVC) along with Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT) to maximize Veteran-centric care. Provide e-consultation to providers related to serious health related suffering, hospice appropriateness, and goals of care. Adhere to established policies and processes. Comply with all electronic medical record policies and procedures. Comply with local and national performance measures. Complete and sign all electronic medical records consistent with current medical staff by-laws. Meet all performance goals. Physician will always work within his/her privileges, unless necessitated by an emergency. Assist in quality assurance metrics, program outcome data and other local data source measurements as needed to ensure strong clinical performance. Provide education on palliative care principles to medical center staff and medical students/residents/fellows to improve clinical care delivered across the system. Individual is under the supervision of the ACOS Rehabilitation and Extended Care. Participate in local and VISN committee meetings. Other duties as assigned. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): EDRP Authorized. 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. 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. Learn more Contact [email protected], 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: Full Time,7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday - Friday

Requirements

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: Board Certification in Hospice and Palliative Care; fellowship training preferred. At least 5 years' experience as a practicing Hospice and Palliative Care physician. Solid communication skills for Veterans and their families, clinical teams, and colleagues. 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. Customer Service: Meet the needs of customers while supporting the VA mission. Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provide the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. Age, Development, and Cultural Needs of Patients: Accept chosen lifestyle and assists with necessary adjustment relating to change in health. Recognizes risk factors related to health. Encourage physical and social activity as appropriate. Provide physical, emotional and intellectual assistance as appropriate. Privacy/Computer Security: 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 statutes and policy, and VHS&RA policy. Incumbent is skilled in the operation of the VA's computer system and is aware of the confidential nature of the information contained therein and is aware of his responsibility to safeguard against the unauthorized release of this information. Protect data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in the computer access agreement that the employee signs. Green Environmental Management System (GEMS): Incumbent is aware of the GEMS System. The GEMS program seeks to cost-effectively meet or exceed compliance with applicable Federal, state, and local environmental: public health: and resource protection laws, regulations, and VA requirements. Employees need to be aware of and familiarize themselves with how their activities, including purchasing, consumption, and recycling decisions, impact VA's goal to implement sound stewardship practices that are protective of the air, water, land, and other natural and cultural resources. 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: The position will require walking, standing or sitting for periods of up to 4-6 hours each day and delivering care, providing holistic care, and case management in the home of the veteran. This may require excessive bending, lifting, twisting, and driving in inclement weather. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Education

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
2. 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.
3. 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.]

Contacts

• Address Iowa City VA Health Care System 601 Highway 6 West Iowa City, IA 52246 US
• Name: Nordia Malcolm
• Phone: 410-605-7000 X51191
• Email: [email protected]