Summary

The Anesthesia Service Chief will be directly accountable to the Medical Center Management Team for day- to-day administrative activities of the service - and accountable to the Chief of Staff for clinical program activities and overall compliance with VISN wide policies and procedures.

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: Must be Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship trained or have proof of equivalent experience Must have Fellowship Subspecialty training in Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) or have proof of equivalent experience Reference: https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position - with or without reasonable accommodation - without hazard to themselves or others
• Depending on the essential duties of a specific position - usable vision - color vision - hearing or speech may be required
• however - in most cases - a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

Duties

• Anesthesia Service Chief Duties: Formulates and recommends the interdisciplinary service policies and establishes and implements administrative activities - techniques - procedures - and methods to assure sound - meaningful - and practical clinical program consistency in keeping with current and advanced concepts and objectives of the Medical Center
• Coordinates the interdisciplinary service activities with other services and clinics of the facility by collaborating with other Service Chiefs in the Medical Center to achieve optimum interdepartmental cooperation to assure that quality patient care is maintained
• Defines the requirements - functions - and scope of the service to other services
• Collaboratively involved with other service management and/or interdisciplinary teams in discussions of proposed new and/or revised service initiatives
• Participates in multidisciplinary meetings on a regular basis
• Recommends sufficient number of qualified and competent persons to provide patient care - treatment and services
• Assesses and recommends to the Medical Center Management Team off-site sources for needed patient care - treatment and services not provided in the service or the organization
• Supports provision of service orientation and continuing education for all persons in the service
• Participates in the development and implementation of Medical Center policy affecting patient care - treatment and services
• This involves collaborating with colleagues in developing - implementing - and evaluating philosophy - objectives - policies - and standards essential for delivering optimal care to patients
• Actively participates on committees - task forces - and other groups at the Medical Center and affiliate schools to assist in policy changes
• This may be done via conference calls - electronic mail - and face to face meetings
• Supports a program of staff development that upgrades knowledge and skills of the service personnel and prepares future leaders for the service
• Assures that service education maintains goals and objectives compatible with the overall service plans - goals - and objectives and encourages staff to request and attend program development offerings
• Maintains awareness - understanding - application - and practice of established and revised VHA - VISN - and Medical Center policies - precedents - and directives pertaining to the service
• Such established guidelines and precedents sometimes require considerable judgment and originality in developing innovative approaches to resolving very difficult situations
• Maintains effective working relationships with local union representatives using partnership principles
• Collaborates with Human Resources personnel to meet labor management partnership obligations in planning policy changes within the Medical Center that may have potential impact on the service
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): This position is eligible for 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 your start date
• 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
• Former EDRP Participants are ineligible to apply for the program
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov for questions/assistance
• Pay: Competitive salary - annual performance bonus - regular salary increases
• Selected applicant's pay rate will not be adjusted until they have been in the detail for the required amount of time
• Once the required amount of time is met - a new Market Pay Review will be conducted
• 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