The Cardiology service functions under the overall management of the Section Chief of Cardiology. A board-certified physician assistant (PA) functions within an interdisciplinary staff consisting of physicians, physician extenders, nursing staff, administrative and clerical staff. He/she is responsible and accountable for ensuring the provision of comprehensive medical services and complies with established policies within the Department of Medicine, Cardiology section.
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Physician Assistant Basic Requirements Master's degree in any discipline or a bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant ~AND~ Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) (or are you in the process to taking the exam) ~AND~ Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice as a Physician Assistant in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Grade Determinations: Physician Assistant-I (PA-I)Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level PA. This practice may include, but is not limited to:1. Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care.2. Ability to perform patient history and physical.3. Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient.4. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession. Physician Assistant-II (PA-II)Experience and Education. The PA at this grade is at the intermediate grade level and has had progressively increasing responsibility and experiences as indicated in the KSAs listed below. Individuals will have demonstrated the ability to analyze and solve more complex medical problems than at the entry level grade and can utilize their training in the successful practice of patient care and participate in team problem solving. Individuals demonstrate the KSAs of PA-II intermediate level by: Two years of successful practice as a PA.OR Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency. ORA doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-II:1. Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems.2. Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions.3. Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care.4. Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care.5. Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively. Physician Assistant-III (PA-III)Experience and Education. PAs at the PA-III grade are at the full performance level and lead and organize patient care independently, practice within multi-disciplinary teams, and coordinate all aspects of patient care across the health care system. They utilize advanced clinical knowledge and judgment in decision-making and evaluating outcomes. They function as experts in clinical practice and/or in areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities, may serve as mentors for transitioning PAs, and may provide training for health care students. Individuals can demonstrate the KSAs for the full performance level by: Three years of successful practice as a PA.OR Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency and one year of professional practice as a PA. . ORA doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and one year of professional practice as a PA. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-III:1. Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care.2. Skill to consistently demonstrate an elevated level of expertise and autonomy in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients through facility Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE).3. Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials.4. Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel.5. Ability to implement and initiate clinical changes to established treatment protocols based upon new medical literature research findings to enhance patient delivery care for improved patient outcomes.6. Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-8 Physician Assistant Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is PA-III. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of PA-I to PA-III. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. The incumbent who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.
In addition to compliance with national and local regulatory, policy, and accreditation requirements governing this health care system, this position encompasses the following responsibilities, in partnership with his/her Administrative Officer and the support of the section chiefs, and supervisors. The incumbent requires appropriate time mapping and resources to ensure they are empowered to meet expected proficiencies in administration, clinical practice, education, and research. SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES BUT NOT LIMITED TO: In addition to compliance with national and local regulatory, policy, and accreditation requirements governing this health care system, this position encompasses the following responsibilities, in partnership with his/her Administrative Officer and the support of the section chiefs, and supervisors. The incumbent requires appropriate time mapping and resources to ensure they are empowered to meet expected proficiencies in administration, clinical practice, education, and research. Administrative Duties: Obligations/Responsibilities: Attending required staff meetings, communicating up and down the chain of command, and helping prepare heads-up and issue briefs related to adverse patient outcomes; quality assurance, management of clinics and maintaining standards. Clinical Coverage & Management including indirect patient care: Open encounter and open consult maintenance, CPRS documentation requirements, secure messaging, and monitoring of clinic management. Maintains involvement in matters concerning clinic productivity, relevant performance measures, Quality and Patient Safety oversight, as well as process improvements (system redesigns). Clinical Duties: The incumbent is expected to remain privileged and practicing in their specialty field. The exact privileges and procedures for a particular provider will be approved by the Professional Standards Board. All practitioners must meet the following qualifications: Patient Care: Practitioners are expected to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the promotion of health, prevention of illness, treatment of disease, and care at the end of life. Specialty specific responsibilities(core): The mid-levels will perform assigned duties. Medical/Clinical Knowledge: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical and social sciences, and the application of their knowledge to patient care and the education of others. Prescription of controlled substances used to treat patients only in accordance with requirements outlined in MCM 659 11-19 2, f. Instruction of medical students and allied trainees assigned to the cardiology program. Assists in the management of medical emergencies using advanced life support and basic life support. Must have current ACLS and BLS certification Clinical Judgment: To ensure practice-based learning and improvement, practitioners are expected to be able to use scientific evidence and methods to investigate, evaluate, and improve patient care. Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, families, and other members of the health care team. Professionalism: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, and understanding and attitude toward their patients, their profession Systems-Based Practice: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate both an understanding of the contexts and systems in which health care is provided, and the ability to apply this knowledge to improve optimizing health care. Research and Development: If the incumbent is involved in research, they will show an ability to work with the physician to identify and define significant Research and Development problems, to plan and execute a precise research program, and to generate effective reports and results worthy of publication. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: The practitioner is accountable to the Cardiology Section Chief and is responsible for providing the most effective delivery of medicine care as specified by his/her scope of practice while meeting and exceeding compliance standards CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS: Incumbent meets the needs of customers while supporting the Medical Center and Service missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (patients, visitors, volunteers, and all Medical Center staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner; Provide customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.