The VA Tele Critical Care (TCC) program provides 24/7 remote Critical Care for more than 80 VA ICUs and over 1200 beds across the United States. TCC is staffed with a team of Physicians who leverage technology and clinical expertise to deliver care to some our nation's most critically ill Veterans. We are seeking a Physician who has completed a Critical Care Fellowship to join our team at one of the 15 locations identified in this announcement.
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. Preferred Experience: The ability to demonstrate a satisfactory number if critical care inpatient encounters within the last 24 months. Critical Care Board certification or Critical Care Board eligibility. Completed an ACGME/AOA accredited and approved residency training program in internal medicine, surgery, anesthesia, emergency medicine, neurology or neurosurgery, followed by completion of an accredited and approved training program (fellowship) in critical care medicine (CCM) certified through the ABIM. Have a current ACLS certification . Prior telemedicine experience, especially tele-Critical Care. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Per VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - a physical examination will be conducted based on the physical requirements of the position. A physical examination prior to placement is required. Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over; light carrying, under 15 pounds; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (8 hours); standing (8 hours); 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; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted); mental and emotional stability; clear speech. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Rigid deadlines and need for high degree of accuracy periodically becomes stressful.
Tele Critical Care Intensivist Duties: Provides state-of-the-art evidence-based critical care clinical management for all patients in Tele Critical Care equipped beds or utilizing Tele Critical Care equipped mobile carts within facilities affiliated with the Tele Critical Care Program. Works in the Tele Critical Care center with sufficient frequency to maintain full fluency with the software, equipment, technical issues, primary site staffing models, and patterns of utilization of the Tele Critical Care program and to sustain familiarity with the primary site teaching programs, familiarity with the full cohort of Tele Critical Care, and bedside physicians and nurses (suggested 24 hours scheduled per month or per scheduling policy guidelines at East/West Tele Critical Care Programs). Interacts with bedside hospital-based physicians and nurse managers to facilitate professional relationships. Fosters professional relationships with academic faculty and trainees at all sites served. Assists the Tele Critical Care Physician Director and Associate Physician Director(s) in building a positive working relationship with academic program directors to ensure Tele Critical Care program adherence with ACGME requirements while maintaining optimal utilization of the Tele Critical Care resource, as well as patient safety and quality in the management of critically ill patients across the system. Develops and maintains a positive working relationship with department, Medical Center, VISN, national, and other personnel and outside agencies. Complete and maintain all training and proficiency requirements. Medically evaluates, monitors, and manages patients presenting critical illness complaints, diseases, and injuries in need of critical care management including high-risk, high-volume, and problem-prone procedures, exclusively via telemedicine techniques from remote access. Accesses patients' medical records and clinical database as needed to permit clinical evaluations, utilizes Tele Critical Care software, audiovisual, and written communication technologies, decision making and recommendations or orders and requires the ability to perform a history and physical exam/visual assessment, reviews and interprets the medical record, forms a differential diagnoses and clinical plan, makes appropriate clinical decisions and provides recommendations, consultation and/or orders. Duties may include triaging patients with non-critical illness complaints, diseases, and injuries to appropriate disciplines for diagnosis and treatment, remote monitoring and management of devices such as pacemakers, pulmonary artery catheter, central venous catheters, calibration and operation of hemodynamic recording systems and interpretation of hemodynamic waveforms and data. ICU telemedicine duties are understood to be performed under the direction of, or with the approval of the patient's bedside attending physician(s) as documented per memorandum of understanding between the East and West Tele Critical Care Program of understanding between the East and West Tele Critical Case Program. Maintenance of cordial and profession interactions between Tele Critical Care center and ICU at all times is an essential attribute of the Tele Critical Care physician. Responsible for contacting the the bedside attending physician or his/her designee anytime physician presence is required at the bedside as delineated in the memorandum of understanding between the East and West Tele Critical Care Program of understanding between and affiliated VA facility receiving Critical Care telemedicine services. Participates and documents end of life, resuscitation status, and clinical update discussions with patient's family as delineated in the memorandum of understanding between the East or West Tele Critical Care Program and affiliated VA facility receiving Critical Care telemedicine service. The attending physician at the bedside or his/her designee has final decisional authority for all patient care decisions. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. 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: Variable: Days/Nights/Weekends