Physician - Clinic Service Chief for Primary Care

Veterans Health Administration • Richmond, VA

19h • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinic Service Chief within the Primary Care Service Line provides professional and administrative leadership for the Primary Care Clinic they supervise, working with the Deputy Chief of Primary Care and/or the Associate Chief of Staff Primary Care. The position is responsible for staffing, work assignments, budget, clinical services, and day-to-day program operations. It is located at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System in Richmond, Virginia, and works closely with the Deputy Chief of Primary Care to manage assigned clinic services. The Chief may represent the service on facility-wide committees, participate in strategic clinic initiatives, and provide leadership in key decision-making situations.

The role administers and analyzes information systems to evaluate and improve service quality; develops, implements, and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols; and supervises an interprofessional team that may include physicians, psychologists, nurse practitioners, and program support or clerical staff. It provides administrative, technical, and clinical supervision, including work at other Medical Center or VISN sites as needed. The Chief performs personnel management, monitors and evaluates performance, orients and trains staff, addresses complaints and grievances, advises staff, and takes disciplinary measures within delegated authority. The position also reviews clinic profiles, conducts program analysis and reviews, monitors and assesses programs, interprets trends, and recommends program enhancements, while providing technical assistance and working with external agencies and universities as appropriate.

The stated work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The VA describes a total rewards package that includes competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases, paid time off, retirement, insurance, possible CME reimbursement, and malpractice coverage. No Physician Employment Contract or significant restriction on moonlighting is specified.

Requirements

• Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved or accredited school.
• 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 training program leading to eligibility for board certification, or an applicable alternative training and independent-practice pathway described in the announcement.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship; non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Compliance with required background and security investigation, onboarding, identification, and application requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position, including visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, manual dexterity, and potentially long periods of sitting or standing; transferring objects may be required.
• Ability to work effectively in stressful situations and shift priorities based on patient needs.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Applicants selected for a testing-designated position must undergo urinalysis for illegal drug use; refusal results in denial of employment.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional and administrative leadership for the assigned Primary Care Clinic in coordination with the Deputy Chief of Primary Care and/or Associate Chief of Staff Primary Care.
• Manage clinic staffing, work assignments, budget, clinical services, and day-to-day program operations.
• Represent the service on facility-wide committees, participate in strategic clinic services initiatives, and provide leadership in key decisions.
• Administer and analyze information systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of services provided to patients.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services.
• Supervise an interprofessional group of employees, potentially including physicians, psychologists, nurse practitioners, and program support or clerical staff.
• Provide administrative, technical, and clinical supervision, including involvement at other Medical Center or VISN sites as applicable.
• Perform administrative and personnel management functions for supervised staff.
• Observe staff performance, demonstrate work, conduct performance critiques, provide feedback, and periodically evaluate employee performance.
• Ensure staff are oriented and trained and monitor compliance with mandatory VHA training.
• Resolve informal and formal complaints and grievances, develop work improvement plans, recommend personnel actions, advise and counsel staff, and apply disciplinary measures within delegated authority.
• Review and revise clinic profiles according to program needs.
• Conduct program analysis, development, review, research, design, and related work with agencies as possible.
• Review, monitor, analyze, assess, and plan programs under the Primary Care Service for the assigned clinic.
• Interpret trends and patterns, apply guidelines, and recommend program enhancements.
• Provide technical assistance to state, local, and private agencies and universities as indicated.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• 50–55 days of paid time off per year, including 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays, and possible five-day paid CME absence.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Possible $1,000 per year CME reimbursement for full-time physicians with board certification.
• Free malpractice liability protection with tail coverage.
• No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.
• Federal employee benefits package, with eligibility depending on position type.

What This Job Offers

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