This position is located in the Department of Surgery, Section of Anesthesia, at the Samuel S. Stratton VA Medical Center, Albany, New York and supports the mission to care for our Veterans with compassion and excellence. The successful candidate for this important leadership position is responsible for overseeing a group of Anesthesiology physicians who provide a broad range of anesthesiology interventions to Veterans with complex disease and comorbidities, within a patient centric model.
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 Eligible or Board Certified in Anesthesiology. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Physical activity includes sitting, standing (up to 2 hours}, walking (up to 2 hours}, heavy lifting (45 pounds or over}, reaching above the shoulder, and repeated bending. Incumbent should be emotionally and mentally stable, and capable to perform the duties of the position.
Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to: Ensures anesthesia care is delivered in accordance with hospital policy, meeting or exceeding community standards and VHA national benchmarks. The Anesthesiology Chief will have primary responsibility for supervising other anesthesiologists, CRNA's, and anesthesia team members in the service, and to ensure that they are performing to the highest standards of clinical care excellence, time efficiency, professional and ethical behavior. Assures that preoperative assessment, intraoperative anesthetic administration and monitoring, and post-anesthesia care of patients in both outpatient and inpatient settings are smooth, patient centric and safe. This includes but is not limited to: collaboration and good communication with the Emergency Department, Subspecialty Services and/or Clinics admitting patients to the hospital. Supervises all operational aspects of the Anesthesia Service, including establishment of the highest clinical care standards, operations, and quality; as well as daily functioning of the OR suite and endoscopy suites in order to maintain efficient and cost-effective provision of services while maintaining a high standard of patient care. Develops strong, collegial working relationships with other leaders within the medical center (both clinical and administrative), and with other section heads within the Department of Surgery and other service Chiefs/section heads. Working with these individuals and the members of the Department of Surgery, the Chief Anesthesiologist will develop a vision and strategic plan for the Anesthesiology Service. Oversees the development and implementation of systems redesigns projects, quality improvements and assurance programs of inpatient services. Champion initiatives designed to improve overall quality through the use of evidence based medicine and peer review. Participates in clinical review process such as tort claims, peer reviews, management reviews and administrative activities, as directed by the Chief of Surgery and/or Chief of Staff. Involved as a leader in the organization's continued accreditation readiness activities. The Anesthesiology Chief fosters a culture of transparency, communication, collegiality and patient centered interdisciplinary team work. S/he will use astute business acumen to optimally utilize resources and adapt to changes, exercising leadership and flexibility. The Chief of Anesthesiology is expected to maintain current medical knowledge and technical skills, and provides both leadership and documentation that all anesthesiologists within the Service are competent with respect to current privileging within the Anesthesia Service. He/she is expected to maintain excellent diagnostic, judgmental, and therapeutic acumen in the care of veterans receiving anesthesiology interventions. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Learn more. Contact: VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@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 Work Schedule: Full Time; Mon-Fri; 7:00 am - 3:30 pm and as needed. Shared call rotation including nights, weekends, and holidays.