Summary

The Birmingham VA Health Care System is recruiting for a Physician - Deputy Chief Psychiatrist Mental Health Service Line (MHSL) located at the Huntsville Clinic with supervisory responsibility of staff at multiple locations. The incumbent reports to the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) Mental Health the MHSL for all clinical - administrative - and quality performance matters. The incumbent provides direct supervision to a group of staff who provide support to the MHSL.

Qualifications

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.

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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education - the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - in the list published for the year the residency - or fellowship if applicable - was completed
• OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship - first year of residency - or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States
• OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) - 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
• Exceptions: 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 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
• In rare and unusual circumstances - the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer - who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience - accomplishments - performance - and qualifications warrant such action
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Preferred Experience: Previous experience as a Mental Health Section Chief or Program Manager at a VHA Facility
• Management experience of a mental health program in an integrated health care system
• Experience with quality improvement - including but not limited to lean management - change management - and high reliability organization implementation
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position - with or without reasonable accommodation - without hazard to themselves or others
• Depending on the essential duties of a specific position - usable vision - color vision - hearing or speech may be required
• However - in most cases - a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

Duties

• The Deputy Chief Psychiatrist has programmatic responsibilities for the delivery of mental health services at the Huntsville Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) and additional outpatient sites of care and for supporting and executing the mission and vision of the Chief (ACOS) of Mental Health for the Birmingham VA Health Care System (VAHCS)
• The incumbent assists the Chief with management of the MHSL including assessing program needs - allocating resources effectively and efficiently while monitoring their use - working with program managers to develop policies and procedures which are fitted to the needs of each program - and facilitating communication between MHSL programs
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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 Duties include - but are not limited to: Provides support to the ACOS - MHSL in all areas of management - leadership and oversight of mental health clinical - educational - and research activities at the Birmingham VAHCS
• Ensures observance of federal - national - and local regulatory policy and accreditation requirements governing the medical center
• Responsible for supporting strategic planning - budget oversight - staff recruitment and management - and quality assurance
• May function as a liaison to the ACOS - MHSL for Education and affiliated health professional schools for undergraduate and graduate education issues
• Ensures mental health practitioners demonstrate effectiveness in teaching and comply with necessary trainee supervision requirements
• May function as a liaison to the ACOS - MHSL for Research - to facilitate research grants and expand research opportunities and initiatives
• Maintains all necessary credentials in his/her respective discipline in order to provide clinical care approximately ten percent (10%) of the time
• Assists the ACOS in planning - organizing - developing - implementing - coordinating - and refining a comprehensive patient management/clinical support/administrative program which provides services and technical counsel necessary to meet clinical - procedural - legal and administrative requirements relating to the care and treatment of inpatients and outpatients
• Provides a climate in which clinicians can care for patients with an awareness of administrative implications of his/her actions - without feeling he/she is working under unnecessary constraints
• Contribute in implementing VA Headquarters policies and regulations governing broad administrative aspects of the medical center
• Serves on a variety of medical center planning committees - advisory groups and chartered action teams
• Oversees clinical and administrative performance measures
• Assists with service line strategic planning and resource management
• Assist with developing formal - systematic improvement plans for quality measures - access and medical services delivery
• Supports liaison with affiliated schools regarding medical teaching issues and provider appointments
• Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements using programs using data-driven quality assurance processes
• Assures all Mental Health programs are compliant with applicable Federal and State laws
• Oversees the management of Veteran complaints and issues
• Contributes to the development of program goals and objectives to meet VHA Mental Health requirements
• Participates in performance appraisals of staff and addresses disciplinary issues
• Participates in clinical teaching as assigned
• Assists in overseeing appropriate training related to MH issues is completed for all Birmingham VAHCS staff involved in patient care activities
• Contributes to the development of Mental Health Service policies and procedures consistent with VA Directives - as well as VA required accreditation by the Joint Commission - CARF and other MH accrediting organizations
• Supervises the hiring of professional mental health staff
• Directly supervises both clinical and administrative personnel
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m
• Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need.