Physician (Primary Care) - Regional Medical Director

Veterans Health Administration • Billings, MT

5d

About The Position

The Regional Section Chief provides operational, clinical, and administrative leadership for assigned Primary Care providers at Montana Veterans Health Administration Health Care System facilities. The role ensures high-quality, evidence-based, Veteran-centered care; oversees Primary Care providers and teams; supports regulatory compliance; and carries out organizational performance strategies across the assigned region.

The position leads the planning, organization, development, implementation, and refinement of Primary Care delivery. It oversees regional staffing, scheduling, morale concerns, resource needs, and workflow optimization, and collaborates with service-line leadership. The Regional Section Chief directly supervises physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, communicating goals and expectations and overseeing provider performance, productivity, panel management, documentation, scheduling practices, and patient-care standards.

The role also has direct responsibility for reviewing and acting on regional Patient Advocate Tracking System (PATS) submissions and Joint Patient Safety Reporting (JPSR) reports. It oversees professional practice evaluations (OPPE/FPPE), provider performance evaluations through ePerformance, engagement with Pay-for-Performance metrics, and completion of mandatory training in the Talent Management System (TMS).

The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It includes periodic travel to regional clinics, VISN meetings, and training sessions. The VA offers a federal benefits package, including paid leave and holidays, retirement benefits, insurance options, and potential CME reimbursement. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to eligibility and approval.

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 qualifying residency training in an accredited core specialty program leading to board-certification eligibility, or an applicable alternative training and independent-practice pathway described in the announcement.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when recruiting qualified citizens is not possible under VA policy.
• Ability to perform duties involving prolonged computer use, sitting, standing, and periodic travel to regional clinics, VISN meetings, and training sessions.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination.
• Comply with applicable background/security investigation and pre-employment drug-testing requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Complete required online onboarding and application documentation.

Nice To Haves

• Leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, organization, development, implementation, and refinement of Primary Care delivery within assigned clinics.
• Ensure alignment with VHA, VISN, and facility-level policies and standards.
• Oversee regional provider staffing, scheduling, morale concerns, resource needs, and workflow optimization.
• Collaborate with the Associate Chief of Staff Primary Care, Deputy Chief of Primary Care, and other service chiefs.
• Ensure clinical contracts and contracted services in assigned areas meet quality and value expectations.
• Support clinical performance strategies, reminders, templates, and process-improvement initiatives.
• Directly supervise physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants assigned to the region.
• Communicate service goals, performance expectations, and clinical priorities to the regional team.
• Oversee provider productivity, panel management, documentation, scheduling practices, and patient-care standards.
• Process, review, and act on PATS submissions concerning assigned Primary Care providers.
• Ensure JPSR submissions occur and process and review reports submitted within the region.
• Ensure ongoing and focused professional practice evaluation (OPPE/FPPE).
• Ensure rigorous provider performance evaluations through ePerformance.
• Promote physician understanding of and engagement with quality and productivity metrics under P4P.
• Ensure completion of mandatory training and education requirements in TMS.

Benefits

• 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, 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 liability protection with tail coverage.
• Eligibility for the Education Debt Reduction Program, with potential student loan reimbursement of up to $200,000, subject to program approval and eligibility.
• No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.

What This Job Offers

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