Physician (Pain Management)

Veterans Health Administration • Augusta, GA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Staff Physician, Pain Management, provides direct clinical pain care to Veterans as a member of the interdisciplinary Pain Management Team at VA Augusta Health Care System. The physician delivers comprehensive, patient-centered care through biopsychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and longitudinal treatment to improve Veteran function and quality of life, following the VHA Stepped Care Model for Pain Management. The position reports to the Medical Director, Pain Management.

The physician evaluates and manages a range of pain conditions, including chronic non-cancer pain, cancer pain, post-surgical pain, neuropathic pain, and complex regional pain syndromes. Care integrates pharmacologic, procedural, behavioral, rehabilitation, Whole Health, and complementary and integrative health approaches. The physician may perform pain procedures within credentialed privileges and may provide Medication-Assisted Treatment for Veterans with Opioid Use Disorder within the scope of DEA authority and applicable credentialing.

The role includes consultation through e-consult, SCAN-ECHO, and telehealth; coordination with interdisciplinary clinical teams and other care services; participation in case conferences and program improvement; and support of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service when assigned. The physician must comply with VA documentation, opioid safety, peer review, adverse event reporting, and clinical performance requirements.

The position's stated work schedule is 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., subject to change based on agency needs. VA describes a comprehensive total rewards package that may include recruitment and relocation incentives, paid leave, retirement benefits, insurance, CME reimbursement eligibility, and malpractice protection.

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 an applicable alternative training and independent-practice pathway described in the announcement.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• DEA registration with Schedule II–V authority.
• Board eligible or board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, American Board of Anesthesiology, or American Board of Family Medicine, with specialty or subspecialty boarding in Pain Medicine.
• Meet federal employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship subject to the stated exception, applicable Selective Service registration, background/security investigation, pre-employment drug testing, physical evaluation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Ability to meet the listed physical requirements, including standing, walking, light lifting and carrying, assisting patients with positioning and transfers, computer use, communication, and working with biohazardous materials.

Nice To Haves

• X-Waiver or buprenorphine prescribing authority, or willingness to obtain it within six months of appointment.
• Expertise or experience treating patients with Opioid Use Disorder, including experience prescribing buprenorphine.
• Highly qualified candidates may be considered for a recruitment incentive.
• CME reimbursement may be available to full-time, board-certified physicians.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive pain evaluation, diagnosis, and longitudinal management for Veterans, including chronic non-cancer pain, cancer pain, post-surgical pain, neuropathic pain, and complex regional pain syndromes.
• Deliver care using a biopsychosocial framework and appropriate pharmacologic, procedural, behavioral, rehabilitation, Whole Health, and complementary and integrative health modalities.
• Perform pain-related procedures within the credentialed scope of privileges as clinically indicated, which may include trigger point, joint, bursal, and epidural steroid injections; medial branch blocks; radiofrequency ablation; and sympathetic blocks.
• Manage pharmacologic pain therapy in accordance with VA/DoD opioid therapy guidelines, the Opioid Safety Initiative, and VHA controlled-substance prescribing standards.
• Provide Medication-Assisted Treatment for Veterans with Opioid Use Disorder within DEA authority and applicable credentialing, coordinating with the Substance Use Disorder program.
• Meet Message Manager, encounter completion, documentation, and timeliness standards.
• Provide consultative services through e-consult, SCAN-ECHO, telehealth, and clinical video telehealth as assigned.
• Provide Primary Care-Pain integrated services and consultation to Primary Care Service as assigned.
• Participate in or work closely with the facility PMOP Triad and contribute to program development and process improvement as assigned.
• Coordinate care with the interdisciplinary Pain Management Team, including addiction medicine, behavioral medicine, rehabilitation medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and Whole Health team members.
• Participate in interdisciplinary case conferences, pain team huddles, and complex patient case reviews.
• Coordinate transitions of care with Primary Care, Specialty Care, Mental Health, Palliative Care, and Community Care providers.
• Support patient care in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service when assigned, including covering Pain clinic providers on leave.
• Comply with Opioid Safety Initiative requirements, including MME monitoring, urine drug screening, PDMP queries, informed consent documentation, and naloxone offering.
• Document pain treatment agreements and long-term opioid therapy informed consent in accordance with facility policy.
• Participate in peer review, OPPE, and FPPE processes in accordance with VHA policy.
• Report adverse events and near-misses through JPSR in accordance with VHA policy.
• Maintain compliance with applicable VHA clinical performance measures for Pain Management.

Benefits

• Recruitment incentive (sign-on bonus) may be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
• Relocation incentive is authorized.
• 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 contributions by VA.
• 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.
• No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.

What This Job Offers

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