Physician - Geriatrics

Veterans Health Administration•Coatesville, PA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Geriatric Physician oversees clinical care for patients receiving geriatric services at the Coatesville VA Medical Center. The physician works with healthcare providers and specialists inside and outside the VA to coordinate inpatient and outpatient care. Services include care in the Community Living Center, Home-Based Primary Care, and palliative or hospice settings. The role includes assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients; coordinating care with patients’ families and interdisciplinary teams; and supporting patient-centered goals, including symptom management and palliative and end-of-life care when appropriate. The physician may provide clinical oversight to Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners and serves as Medical Officer of the Day on a rotating schedule. The physician also supports quality and performance monitoring, regulatory and accreditation compliance, chart reviews, committees, and process-improvement activities. Encounters must be closed on the day of the visit, and documentation, critical test-result notifications, credentials, competencies, training, and employee-health requirements must be maintained. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Requirements

Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved and 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 residency training meeting VA requirements, including an approved accredited core specialty residency leading to board-certification eligibility, or an approved alternative training and independent-practice pathway.
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.
Subject to pre-employment drug screening, background/security investigation, and physical evaluation; seasonal influenza vaccination is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
Must complete the online onboarding and application requirements and may be required to serve a probationary period.
Must serve as Medical Officer of the Day on a rotating schedule.

Nice To Haves

Board certified or board eligible in Geriatrics and/or Hospice & Palliative Medicine.
Specialized experience in Geriatrics and/or Long-Term Care.
Fellowship training in Geriatrics and/or Hospice & Palliative Care Medicine.

Responsibilities

Assess, diagnose, and treat a range of health conditions; take histories and perform physical examinations.
Order diagnostic and therapeutic tests, initiate consultations and referrals, and prescribe medications and supplies for patients at home.
Communicate and consult with primary and specialty care providers to coordinate care for geriatric patients.
Use evidence-based practices to improve symptom management, including palliative and end-of-life care when appropriate.
Support patients and families in defining and understanding care goals.
Partner with interdisciplinary care teams to develop written plans of care and participate in team meetings.
Provide clinical oversight, when applicable, to Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners working in these services.
Participate in pre-admission screening, discharge planning, and interdisciplinary team rounds.
Provide clinical services in Geriatrics and Extended Care, including the Community Living Center, Home-Based Primary Care, and palliative or hospice care.
Monitor Community Living Center quality and performance measures and support compliance with federal statutes, VA directives and policies, Joint Commission standards, Ascellon surveys, and other VA requirements.
Perform additional clinical duties as needed by the medical center, consistent with the time requirements of the role.
Participate in chart reviews, staff meetings, committees, and process-improvement initiatives.
Respond to critical laboratory and diagnostic test-result notifications in a timely manner.
Close encounters on the day of the visit and complete documentation in the Computerized Patient Record System in a timely manner.
Maintain credentials required for privileging and re-privileging, and meet competencies and performance standards.
Complete required training, employee-health, and Environmental and Occupational requirements.
Serve as Medical Officer of the Day on a rotating schedule.

Benefits

Education Debt Reduction Program (student loan repayment), with awards up to $200,000 for eligible participants, subject to approval and program terms.
Recruitment incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate.
Relocation incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate.
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 VA contributions.
Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.
Possible CME reimbursement of $1,000 per year for full-time physicians with board certification.
Free liability protection with tail coverage.
No physician employment contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.