The Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for Medical Service and Graduate Medical Education will oversee inpatient medical services and medical specialty ambulatory clinics within the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center. The ACOS serves as an important facility leader collaborating with facility executive leadership including the Chief of Staff regarding clinical practice guidelines, quality SAIL metrics, readmission rates, infection control, and other benchmarks and improvements. 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: Citizenship: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) encourages any eligible non-citizens to apply. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: 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. Licensure: 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: Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) OR Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), OR 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. Language: Proficiency in spoken and written English. Experience: The individual must qualify to perform duties as a physician, have completed an accredited residency and/or possess experience which has qualified the individual to perform general duties and some specialized functions and procedures without supervision. Staff physicians may also include attendings who train physician residents assigned in facilities with residency training programs, and consultants who are capable of giving authoritative views and opinions on subjects in their field of medicine. Preferred Experience: Board Eligible and/or Board Certified 3-5 Years of VA Leadership and/or Management Experience Experience in Graduate Medical Education Program Experience in Budget/Financial Management Demonstrated leadership in performance improvement activities, formulation of policy, and clinical practice decision making Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Physical demands include repetitive body movements including the following: frequent reaching, standing, walking, and lifting of equipment and/or patients to provide patient care. This position requires extension of the hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction including above or below shoulder level, during the provision of patient care, including retrieval of needed equipment, supplies and to make contact with the patient. This position requires the maintenance of an upright position to perform duties associated with patient care. This position is typically non-sedentary, and frequently involves being in the standing position. This position requires moving about accomplish tasks, such as assisting with patient ambulation and moving one patient area to the next. This position requires the raising of objects from a lower position to a higher position or the movement of objects horizontally position to position. Lifting may be done to move a patient from one location to the next, i.e.- from the exam table to the chair, and in the movement of equipment or supplies. ["This position is authorized to provide the right candidate with a sign-on bonus (maximum 15% of salary per year, up to four years), and cover moving expenses to the Wilkes-Barre, PA area!! In addition, salary can go above the maximum amount shown if candidate meets annual performance metrics. The incumbent is accountable for implementing action plans for important facility performance improvement, responding to outside survey recommendations and internal root cause analysis actions. He/she will also participates in academic and research activities as appropriate. The Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for Medical Service and Graduate Medical Education candidate must have demonstrated knowledge in caring for the Veteran population, the ability to work with an interdisciplinary team, and demonstrate excellent customer service skills. Major Duties and Responsibilities Participates in the development and implementation of Medical Center policy affecting patient care and services. This involves collaborating with colleagues in developing, implementing, and evaluating philosophy, objectives, policies, and standards essential for delivering optimal care to patients The position requires excellent interpersonal skills, mentoring skills and diplomacy as well as a good understanding of the Department of Veterans Affairs operations, rules and regulations Providing leadership and strategic vision for medicine inpatient activities and clinics Collaborates with executive leadership, managerial and clinical leaders in formulating local Medical Center Policy, resource planning for manpower, equipment and space Support the academic mission and oversee training and research opportunities Guide the development and implementation of programs such as medical practice, professional standards, personnel issues, quality, and performance improvement Recommend clinical privileges for each member of the service This position is responsible for recruiting and hiring clinicians and is also responsible for monitoring provider performance and medical outcomes Engage in clinical service activities in his/her area of specialization The Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for Medical Service and Graduate Medical Education sits on a number of important committees; both at the medical center and VISN levels, and attendance and participation are critical elements of this position Responsible for maintaining working relationships with current academic affiliates and developing new affiliations in order to expand Graduate/Undergraduate Medical and Associate Health Trainees Education Has oversight of all educational activities for Health Profession Trainees (HPT) Responsible to ensure all HPT's in all clinical areas have all required on boarding paper work completed Ensures disbursements agreements, rate schedules and educational activity records tracking carefully compliant with Office of Academic Affairs standard operating procedures and directives Remains audit ready Reviews and Reconciles all invoices Serves as Director of Continuing Medical Education program Familiar with accreditation standards of ACCME (Accreditation council for continuing medical education) Ensures program is fully compliant with all standards/ set up meaningful educational activities Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Chief of Staff of the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized (this can be a lump sum upon starting or paid annually over up to 4 years) Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Authorized (the VA will reimburse you for your moving costs) 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 to Friday, 8am to 430pm. No call schedule requirement! Compressed/Flexible: May be considered after an initial period of work to ensure employee has mastered required duties"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.