Career Center

The Tampa VA Healthcare System is recruiting for a Physician to serve in the Home Based Transitional Care (HBTC) program. The Tampa Home Based Transitional Care (HBTC) program is expanding to meet the health care needs of patients discharged from the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital at risk for rehospitalization. The Home Based Transitional Care physician acts as a liaison between the discharging medical team and the primary care provider. 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. 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. Board Certified in Geriatrics. Physical requirements outlined below. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical examination as required by VA Handbook 5019. This examination is administered by VA Occupational Health. This position requires: light to moderate lifting (15 - 44 lbs.); light carrying (15 lbs. and under); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to 2 hours); standing (up to 2 hours); kneeling (up to 1 hour); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; depth perception; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted); emotional stability; mental stability; working closely with others; and working alone. ["The HBTC physician is academically and clinically prepared to perform a broad range of home based patient medical care utilizing evidence based medicine while respecting patient goals and values. The primary goal of the service is to provide a safe transition and to prevent 30 day rehospitalizations. Secondary goals include customer satisfaction, VERA reimbursement, and serving as a referral source for GERI PACT and Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) services. The HBTC physician serves as team leader for the HBTC team, currently consisting of RN care managers, kinesiotherapists, and a social worker. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Review new HBTC consults with team members during regularly scheduled huddles. Coordinate contact with the veteran/family by an HBTC team member within two working days of discharge and plans for visits determined by the next huddle. Provide home based geriatric care, preventative and palliative therapies and utilize consults as deemed appropriate. When required for patient care, he/she will enlist community partners providing skilled or specialty care including hospice. Evaluate referrals for appropriateness for assignment to GERIPACT or HBPC and discuss referral with the primary care physician, the patient, and the appropriate GEC physician. Cross coverage for HBPC/GEC Physicians during absences, as well as night on-call coverage of patients in Community Living Center (CLC) and Hospice and Palliative Care unit (HPCU), which is shared among all GEC physicians. Provide education and mentoring to other interdisciplinary team members, patients and families, referring physicians and trainees including medical students, residents and fellows, and interdisciplinary trainees. Be readily available to the team members for collaboration when medical or other problems arise. Keep the HBTC team apprised of medical care advances and practice standards. Work collaboratively with VA staff and community partners and participate in performance improvement activities and research where appropriate. Participate in activities that advance the practice of home and transitional care through local and national involvement within and outside the VA Health Care System. Obtain a Florida Driver License and completing all requirements to drive a government car in Florida by the end of the second week of employment. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases\nPaid Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid time offer 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)\nRetirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA\nInsurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)\nLicensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory\nCME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement\nMalpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided\nContract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.\nEducation Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): Eligible *See \"Additional Information\" section below for more details.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized.\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not Required"]