Duties
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Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: May be eligible for highly qualified applicants.
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): This position is eligible for theEducation 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.
EDRP Authorized: Contact Lashala Goodman- lashala.goodman@va.gov, 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
The Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System is seeking a Full Time Nephrologist Physician for the position of VA Facility Dialysis Program Medical Director. The duties will be split between clinical care and administrative responsibilities and will be responsible for both inpatient and outpatient patient care. The incumbent will be responsible for oversight of a 22-chair dialysis unit at the Little Rock campus and a 4-chair hemodialysis unit at the North Little Rock campus.
Duties include but are not limited to the following:
- Responsible for oversight of all renal replacement therapies including inpatient and outpatient hemodialysis, as well as home kidney replacement modalities, including home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
- Responsible for compliance with all reporting metrics for compliance and safety.
- Management of cost accounting, community care budget oversight, and purchasing for the dialysis program.
- Conduct monthly interdisciplinary team meetings with social work, renal dietician, pharmacy, and dialysis nurse managers to ensure each patient has an individualized interdisciplinary plan of care.
- Works with an interdisciplinary dialysis team to form a Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program to identify and implement improvement projects to improve methodology, safety, and care of patients.
- Ensuring proper coding of all documentation for both end stage kidney disease and acute kidney injury patients requiring kidney replacement therapy.
- Outpatient clinical care duties include an independent attending clinic in addition to overseeing of nephrology fellowship trainees during clinic. Inpatient clinical care duties will consist of staffing inpatient consults, overseeing of trainees, and overseeing inpatient dialysis.
- Works closely with other departments as follows:
- 1) Pharmacy: Identify potential innovative therapies to bring to the institution's formulary as well as participate in utilization and cost saving measures for current available therapies.
- 2) Emergency department: must work closely with the emergency department to develop protocols to provide timely and efficient care to nephrology patients.
- 3) Must work closely with surgery and surgical subspecialties to ensure timely access to care, including the establishment of permanent access for kidney replacement therapy.
- Responsible for inpatient consult, outpatient clinic, and outpatient dialysis note templates are adequate to address current standard of care quality metrics in the afore mentioned clinical areas.
- Participate in teaching and education of trainees including medical students, residents, and nephrology fellows.
- Responsible for composing business plans to present to pharmacy and therapeutics committees for application of new and innovative therapies and technology in nephrology.
- Serves as the Chair of the VA Medical Facility Dialysis Committee
- Ensures the safe operation, timely coordination and delivery of quality dialysis care to patients in the VA Dialysis Program at the VA medical facility.
- Ensures VA Home Dialysis Programs and VA medical facility Inpatient and Outpatient Dialysis Programs adhere to requirements
Work Schedule: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Monday- Friday (Weekend and Holiday rounding rotations. Overnight, Weekend, and Holiday on-call duties as assigned)
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.
Additional Requirement:
- Board Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine or American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine in Nephrology, OR U.S. Board Certified in Internal Medicine and have successfully completed have successfully completed an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) accredited Nephrology fellowship training program.
- Minimum of 12 months of experience providing care to patients receiving Outpatient Dialysis
Preferred Experience:
- Board Certification
- A minimum of 12 months experience of outpatient dialysis in all modalities: in center hemodialysis, home hemodialysis, and peritoneal dialysis.
- Experience with Quality Improvement Initiatives
- Strong record of working in an interdisciplinary team setting
- History of participation in quality improvement projects
- History of working closely with utilization management and review
- Experience with managing fiscal aspects of dialysis operations both outpatient and inpatient
- Strong history of working closely with pharmacy, emergency department, and surgical disciplines
- History of developing comprehensive care pathways for implementation into an electronic medical record
- Previous history of employment in academic medicine and educational teaching experience of medical students, residents, and nephrology fellows
- Competency with the use of CPRS
- A degree of Master of Business Administration.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: The work is generally sedentary and accomplished in an office environment, but will require some walking, bending, and lifting. They will need to be able to lift up to 25 lbs., stand for long periods of time, and speak at facility wide meetings for at minimum one hour. Walking to other service areas and UAMS may be necessary at times. This position requires entry into patient care areas to treat patients with various diseases so incumbent must be able to wear a mask as required.
- Light lifting, under 15 pounds
- Light carrying, under 15 pounds
- Pushing
- Reaching above shoulder
- Use of fingers
- Both hands required
- Walking (8 hours)
- Standing (8 hours)
- Repeated bending (2 hours)
- Both legs required
- Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
- Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
- Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
- Both eyes required
- Depth perception
- Ability to distinguish basic colors
- Ability to distinguish shades of colors
- Hearing (aid may be permitted)
- Mental stability
- Emotional stability
- Mask Wearing
- Sitting up to 8 hours
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.
Benefits
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Eligibility 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 Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application, resume, 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.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
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.
How to Apply
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
To apply for this position online complete steps 1 and 2 above by 11:59 PM (ET) on 12/09/2024 to receive consideration. Please note, this announcement may close prior to the closing date indicated if the position is filled through other means. If you are unable to apply online before the closing date
click here and include the CBST-12602960-25-AB in the Notes field.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account,
https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
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.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. We will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.