Physician - Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Services

Veterans Health Administration • San Diego, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The VA San Diego Healthcare System is recruiting a Physician - Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PALMS). The incumbent provides administrative, clinical, and programmatic leadership to ensure the service achieves its clinical, research, and education goals and applicable performance measures. The position also serves as the VA medical facility CLIA Laboratory Director and oversees laboratory testing, quality, accreditation, and patient-care functions. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Chief directs and coordinates PALMS patient care, administration, education, research, and outreach functions. The role provides consultation to VA health care providers about pathology, laboratory medicine, and the medical significance of test findings; participates in facility and cross-organizational committees and performance-improvement activities; and coordinates efforts to integrate patient care and support services. The Chief also oversees pathology physician performance evaluations and quality reviews, technical and quality aspects of anatomic pathology, laboratory accreditation and compliance, and appropriate use of specialized testing at outside reference laboratories.

The position is based at the VA San Diego Healthcare System. The announcement describes San Diego as offering beaches, a culinary scene, public schools, family activities, and a lower cost of living than San Francisco or Los Angeles. The role may include an academic appointment through the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine for qualified candidates.

Requirements

• Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved or accredited institution.
• Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Completion of qualifying residency training in an accredited core specialty program leading to board-certification eligibility, or a qualifying alternative training and independent-practice pathway described in the announcement.
• Board certification in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when recruitment of qualified citizens is not possible under VA policy.
• Meet the job announcement's conditions of employment, including applicable background/security investigation, pre-employment physical evaluation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Ability to demonstrate an academic record commensurate with associate or full professor rank and eligibility for academic appointment through the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

Nice To Haves

• A track record of translational or clinical research.
• Significant clinical expertise and a publication record in pathology disciplines.
• Experience and knowledge in formulating and reporting diagnostic information.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the VA medical facility CLIA Laboratory Director and fulfill the responsibilities of that role.
• Oversee all laboratory testing performed at VA medical facility laboratories, consult for specialty laboratories, and ensure testing complies with federal regulations.
• Direct and coordinate PALMS patient care, administration, education, research, and outreach functions.
• Ensure quality measures for patient services and provide consultation and guidance to VA health care providers on pathology, laboratory medicine, and the medical significance of laboratory findings.
• Participate, as the CLIA Medical Director or through a delegated voting member, on the Clinical Executive Board or analogous medical staff committee and other appropriate committees.
• Participate in cross-organizational performance-improvement activities; develop and communicate objectives to the Chief of Staff and coordinate integration of patient care and support services.
• Ensure laboratories performing patient-care testing meet hospital accreditation requirements and maintain current AABB accreditation for any blood bank or transfusion service.
• Consult when community care providers are contracted to perform laboratory testing for VA patients, and ensure documentation of appropriate CLIA certification and accreditation where applicable.
• Ensure OPPE of pathology physicians and that technical and quality aspects of anatomic pathology are met; ensure FPPEs are performed as appropriate.
• Oversee PALMS-related quality reviews, including OPPE, FPPE, the PLM quality-management program, and anatomic pathology internal quality review.
• Review and approve CLIA Laboratory Director appointments at specialty laboratories when the appointee is not a pathology physician.
• Establish and implement criteria for rescreening cytopathology specimens for high-risk patients.
• Work with the Chief of Staff to monitor and evaluate the usefulness and appropriateness of specialized testing requests to outside reference laboratories.
• Equitably assign pathology workload and establish and maintain pathologist daily schedules, including on-call services.
• Participate in multidisciplinary conferences, such as Tumor Board, Chest Conference, and GI Conference.

Benefits

• Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
• Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• 50–55 days of paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, federal holidays, and possible paid CME absence.
• Traditional federal pension and federal 401(k), with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many programs may be carried into retirement.
• Possible $1,000 per year CME reimbursement for full-time, board-certified physicians.
• Free liability protection with tail coverage.
• No physician employment contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree