Physician - Hospitalist Section Chief

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 250,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

Relocation assistance

Competitive benefits

Job summary

The Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, seeks a Hospitalist Section Chief to lead inpatient medicine, including care on Med-Surg and ICU units. The role combines clinical leadership with administrative responsibilities to ensure high-quality patient care and compliance with VA standards.

The incumbent will supervise schedules, lead monthly section meetings, allocate resources for programs, and partner with facility leadership on staff training and quality initiatives.

Qualifications

• MD or DO degree from a school approved by VA
• Current full/unrestricted medical license in the US
• Completion of accredited residency in internal medicine or equivalent
• Board certification required for certain faculty/leadership roles
• Proficiency in English, both spoken and written

Responsibilities

• Provide inpatient medical care in Med-Surg and ICU settings
• Lead Hospitalist Section and oversee staff scheduling
• Coordinate care with other inpatient/outpatient services
• Ensure compliance with VA policies and documentation standards
• Attend required meetings and participate in quality improvement

Skills

Board Certification

English proficiency

Hospitalist experience

Leadership experience

Residency training

Education

MD or DO degree (allopathic/osteopathic)

Job description

Summary

The Hospitalist - Section Chief - is accountable to the Chief of the Medicine Service - for assuring the most effective delivery of inpatient medical care in while meeting and exceeding compliance standards. The Hospitalist Physician will provide expert treatment to patients in inpatient settings - including - but not limited to - patients on the Med-Surg wards and Intensive Care Unit.

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
• Board Certification
• Physicians are generally not required to be board certified for employment in VA
• however - three circumstances in VA require Physician board certification: (1) If the position being filled is required to be a supervisor for medical students or Physician residents (including fellows) - the LCME - ACGME - or AOA standards requiring a particular board certification credential will apply
• (2) If the position being filled will have faculty status with an affiliated medical school (for example - in joint recruitments with affiliated medical schools) - then a medical school requirement for board certification will apply to the jointly recruited position
• (3) If the position being filled is required to be board certified by virtue of specific VHA policy (for example - as director of a cardiac catheterization laboratory or Director of Clinical Laboratory Medicine) - then VHA policy requiring board certification will apply
• NOTE: Board certification must be maintained for the duration of time that the employee is serving in a position that meets the circumstances listed above
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Preferred Experience: 3-5 years hospitalist experience - and greater that 1 year leadership / supervisory exeperince to be selected for an interview
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• In this role - the incumbent will also provide feedback and patient education to the patients and their families and will demonstrate excellence in all facets of patient care that meets or exceeds compliance standards
• The incumbent will provide evaluations for other services - including the CLC (long-term care unit) - and the emergency department (ED) - and perform administrative functions and other tasks as assigned by the Chief of the Medicine Service
• The incumbent is expected to provide patient care that is compassionate - appropriate - and effective for the promotion of health and treatment of critical illnesses
• The ideal candidate should possess strong interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients - families - and other members of the health care team
• The incumbent is expected to adhere to stated policies and provide timely documentation of clinical notes (e.g. - admission H&Ps - daily progress notes and discharge summaries)
• In addition - the incumbent is expected to coordinate and communicate the treatment plan with other inpatient and outpatient health care providers involved in the care of the patients
• Administrative Duties (20%): The incumbent will ensure operations and compliance with Veterans Health Administration guidelines for Hospitalist Section of Medical Service
• The incumbent will provide leadership as the Section Chief of the Hospitalist Section
• This will include - but not be limited to - managing the schedules of employees within the hospital section
• ensuring consistent - up to date - call schedule coverage and posting
• the holding of at least monthly section meetings
• allocation of resources to ensure adequate coverage/availability of clinical programs
• and direction and development of quality improvement (QI) processes and projects
• Attend weekly and monthly staff meetings as required
• work directly with the facility leadership team on evaluations and training requirements for assigned staff
• Clinical Duties (80%): The incumbent is expected to remain privileged in Internal /Hospitalist Medicine
• The exact Professional privileges and Standards procedures for a particular physician will be approved by the Professional Standard's Board
• The incumbent is responsible for conducting and performing daily patient care rounding while supervising medical staff duties
• Reviewing EMR and determining care plans for hospitalized patients - transferring patients - and discharging patients
• Running RRTs and Code Blues
• Collaborates directly with other sections of the hospital on patient care
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized.( Approved for highly qualified candidates)
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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 Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm.