The Service Line Chief is located in the Specialty/Acute Care Service (SAC) at the VA Bedford Medical Center in Bedford, Massachusetts. This is a full-time position at 40 hours per week. This is a multi-discipline vacancy announcement. To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation. Physician Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Preferred Experience: Broad knowledge and understanding of VA healthcare policies, missions, and operating programs, and extensive specialized knowledge of healthcare management, especially outpatient services. Strong leadership and communication skills within a diverse service line and among other service line leaders required for success in this position. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. ["The Specialty/Acute Care Service (SAC) Service Line Chief is responsible for the supervision and oversight of a service line providing a variety of specialty care services. Sections within this service line include Urgent Care, Laboratory, Gynecology, Podiatry, Allergy Infusion, Physiatry, Pain (including Acupuncture and Chiropractic Care), Neurology, Dental, and Optometry. The DCOS/SAC Service Line Chief may also provide direct patient care. The SAC Service Line Chief's scope is comprised of complex, leadership and administrative components, associated with critical heath care issues and activities that influence the organizational mission, health care, and policy. The SAC Chief is responsible for administrative functions of their assigned units/programs. This Chief functions as an administrator, educator, and consultant utilizing management theory in collaboration with other services. The SAC Chief functions as a member of the Chief of Staff's leadership team for strategic planning, organizational assessment, and program development. They have responsibility for ensuring the continuous and timely availability of clinical services across multiple specialty programs. They champion a High Reliability Organization with a culture of safety founded on a systems approach to developing evidence-based health care solutions based on prevention, not punishment, with collective mindfulness. Key relationships with staff are needed to (1) assist clinical staff, providers, and support staff to carry out the functions and activities expected of them, (2) contribute ideas and recommendations for the establishment of standards of care, policies, and objectives for the enhancement of specialty care, and (3) collaborate with other health care staff to establish and maintain programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care. The SAC Chief is a dynamic, highly innovative, and motivated senior leader with experience in addressing complex system issues who represents specialty care at senior department/medical staff committees and works collaboratively to address issues across the healthcare system. They hold themselves and others accountable for mutual professional expectations and outcomes and helps to educate patient care team members on the financial implications of patient care decisions. They participate in and fully supports workforce and succession planning, and employment decisions. The Chief supports efforts to promote systems-thinking amongst all levels of staff across the service line to involve front line staff in decisions that affect their practice to improve employee engagement, performance, and staff satisfaction and retention. The Chief promotes a healthy work environment through shared decision-making, sustaining a spirit of inquiry, and an academic environment. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Notifications: This position is not a National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) Bargaining Unit position. Selectee may be required to work at any VISN 1 Healthcare System campus, as needed. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is in the Excepted Service. Veterans' preference does not apply for other current permanent Federal agency employees. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status."]
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.