Occupational Medicine Physician

Akahi Associates•Springfield, VA

4d•Remote

About The Position

The HRU requires a remote Occupational Health Physician support to provide case review services of occupational medical exams performed for medical clearance, medical surveillance, reasonable accommodation, medical review board, and other purposes as needed by the DEA. This review is provided by a Reviewing Medical Officer (RMO) who makes a recommendation for clearance based on the medical information provided to make a medical recommendation to the DEA regarding an applicant or employee’s ability to perform their job duties safely. Location: Remote for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) located at 75 Morrissette Dr, Springfield, VA 22152 Pay: $140/hr Schedule: Services shall be provided either Monday- Wednesday or Thursday- Friday between the hours of 0830 - 1700 EST. Average between 16 - 24 hours each week. Position Type: Independent Contractor (1099)

Requirements

Experience: Minimum 12 months specialized expertise and experience rendering opinions about whether an applicant or employee is medically qualified to perform the duties of their position, with or without accommodation.
Education: Completed Undergraduate Program and Medical School (MD/DO).
Specialized training in Occupational Health Medicine.
Licensure: Unrestricted state licensure in state of practice
Certification: General Practitioner, at minimum; Contractor shall be a board-certified Occupational Health Medicine Physician
Malpractice Insurance: Provider is required to provide their own malpractice insurance.
Demonstrate the ability to convey expert medical opinions and advice using excellent communication skills. Communications will primarily be in writing.
If needed, contractor shall be able to provide expert witness testimony related to case reviews performed.

Responsibilities

Perform duties of Reviewing Medical Officer (RMO) to make medical recommendations to DEA about a worker’s ability to perform their job duties safely by reviewing exams and associated medical documents within 30 days of receiving paperwork.
Communicate daily with DEA Health Services Unit staff to determine work priorities, issues encountered, and discuss individual exams as needed.
RMO will communicate as needed to 3rd parties such as personal or treating physicians in order to successfully and accurately issue a clearance determination.
Provide weekly reports to the DEA on productivity.
Utilize federal, agency specific, and industry medical standards established prior to the examination to make a medical determination of fitness for duty.
Perform clearance case reviews; make a determination about whether the applicant or employee meets job specific medical standards to safely perform work that is arduous, involve a high degree of sensitivity toward the public or sensitive national security concerns, or put employees at risk of hazardous exposures during the course of performing essential job functions.
The RMO determination shall address: Whether the applicant or employee is medically cleared to work with or without Whether the applicant or employee is medically able or unable to work. Employee has a suspected work-related injury or illness. Whether or not additional information is needed to make the medical Whether to accelerate exam frequency and/or further evaluation such as additional medical testing or a Fitness for Duty evaluation is warranted.
Case reviews shall include examinations performed prior to employment for applicants, for periodic medical evaluation of incumbents, before return to work after an injury, or to determine an incumbent’s ongoing fitness for duty when a change in health status has caused concern about the worker’s or others’ safety.
When conducting medical screening and medical surveillance case reviews, the RMO determines whether there is a change in the health status of an employee due to a potential exposure at work. Requirements for these examinations fall under the general OSHA standard.
The RMO determination will address: Whether the health status of an employee has changed due to a potential workplace exposure. Whether work areas require further evaluation due to medical information that raises suspicion for an unsafe work environment.
In determining medical support for medical employability case review, agency specific requests shall include: Reasonable Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act Leave under the Family Medical Leave Act Medical Fitness for Duty evaluations Return to work after illness or injury Handicapped parking requests Federal disability retirement applications Advanced sick leave and leave bank requests Hardship requests
The RMO shall provide consultative occupational medical services related to agency and occupational health needs.
The consultative services may include: Subject Matter Expertise in Medical Review Board proceedings Assistance with developing medical guidelines and standards Creating agency policies and standard operating procedures for medical issues Providing medical guidance on and evaluations for specific occupational medicine issues that arise in the workplace
In any instance, absence of specific guidance for medical determinations requires RMO research and expertise in collaboration with agency POC to develop consistent protocols for evaluation.
Transmission: Encrypted documents will be furnished electronically to RMO’s DEA email address, and will be returned via same. All communications should be via DEA email or shared folder.
The Contractor’s management organization shall be responsible for ensuring that all work activities are performed in a timely and cost-effective manner while maintaining the highest quality of performance.
The Contractor shall: (1) prepare monthly status reports; and (2) participate in ad hoc status meetings.
The Contractor shall ensure that project management activities are reflective of all active task orders.
Litigation Support. The Contractor’s reviewing physicians, specialists, or other staff may be required to provide legal testimony or testify in court proceedings for the DEA.
These services may include: Providing copies of medical files and related documentation Ad hoc consulting Participate in investigatory interviews in person or by electronic means Prepare affidavits Participate in depositions by electronic means Provide testimony by electronic means