Summary

CRH Cardiologist position is a VISN based position located in VISN 9 - under general supervision of the VISN 9 Specialty Care Service or VISN 9 CRH Director. Serves Veterans Affairs facilities within a Veterans Integrated System Network. Expected to provide inter-professional services to facilities that are underserved due to the inability to match provider supply with demand. Services provided by CRH staff are conducted via multiple modalities - virtual and in-person care.

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 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
• Preferred Experience: Board certification or board eligibility (BC/BE) in Cardiology or equivalent board certification is required
• At least three years' experience in Cardiology post fellowship training is preferred
• Previous experience with Veteran care is preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Cardiologists are appropriately credentialed and privileged
• They participate in various Clinical Resource Hub committees - in-service programs - and education programs
• They are also involved in continuous quality improvement and the VA peer review process
• The incumbent works as part of a virtual and in-person team - together with patient site care team members - to provide Cardiology consultative care to Veterans
• Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT) is a primary modality for treatment - though this position may require occasional travel to VISN medical centers or Community Based Outreach Clinics (CBOC).

Duties

• Primary duties are to provide Cardiology consultative and continuity care services at underserved or understaffed VISN facilities through a combination of virtual and in-person care
• Cardiologists are responsible for providing consultation and continuing care for various forms of cardiovascular disease states - both for diagnosis and treatment in the inpatient and outpatient settings and by telehealth
• Incumbent is expected to provide comprehensive patient care in the form of non-invasive - consultative - and inpatient/outpatient cardiology care
• Expertise in the interpretation of EKGs - Holter monitors - stress test interpretation - tilt testing - non-invasive ICD stimulation - pacer and ICD evaluation and programming - as appropriate to the telehealth setting - are required
• Central venous line insertion and management - intra-arterial line insertion and management - cardioversion - and moderate sedation privileges and fluoroscopy privileges are not required unless the Incumbent provides concurrent in-person care services
• The physician is responsible for recognizing patients appropriate for referral or consultation
• Clinical activities may include - but are not limited to - clinical assessment and evaluation of Inpatients and Outpatients
• Health care management of assigned Veteran patients with acute and chronic illnesses
• Ordering and interpreting laboratory and diagnostic studies
• Consultation and referrals
• Inpatients and Outpatients
• Patient follow-up - as appropriate
• Health promotion and disease prevention
• Patient - family - and staff education and counseling
• Outpatient Clinics for general and subspecialty Cardiology Patients
• Cardiologists are responsible for the oversight of all aspects of cardiology medical care delivered to patients under their care
• They may directly provide or supervise fellows - residents - students and/or mid-level providers in the evaluation and treatment of both inpatients and outpatients
• Cardiologists evaluate the patient to assess changes in the physical status during inpatient or outpatient care via in-person exams or telemedicine care
• Documentation of every encounter will be entered into the electronic medical record - with the appropriate level of detail - with an assessment and plan for ongoing care
• Any notes written by the fellow - resident - student or midlevel provider under Cardiology supervision are reviewed by the staff Cardiologist - with corrections and additions added in an attending note - as appropriate and in a manner consistent with the VA guidelines for trainee supervision
• MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Physician is licensed to practice medicine and authorized by credentialing - training - and/or experience to provide Cardiology consultative services to CRH Spoke sites
• Physician will provide specialty Cardiology consultation and treatment - seeing patients referred to the CRH in an outpatient telehealth setting and supporting CRH clinicians and clinicians at CRH Spoke sites
• The practice emphasizes evidence-based medicine - the use of computerized medical record system and continuous quality improvement based on individualized provider data
• The physician may sometimes need to work alone but can request assistance from other medical staff (including other CRH telehealth staff - as well as staff in the Emergency Room or inpatient service at the nearest VA medical center when needed)
• Special training will be provided to utilize CVT technology
• Interpersonal relationships: works effectively with patients - families - co-workers and other health care professionals
• At the request of authorized personnel - responds to emergencies or covers other CRH services
• Physicians comply with information security policy and procedures and all documentation on coding
• Documents medical advice to patients by telephone as appropriate and in accordance with the VASNHCS protocol
• Performs necessary administrative duties which include operation of VISTA and the computerized electronic patient record (CPRS) - and meets established timelines for completion of documentation and encounter completion
• There is minimal administrative work - but the physician will be required to attend staff meetings - team meetings - some committee meetings - and complete some peer review evaluations
• Time will be provided outside of assigned shifts to complete this work
• The CRH Cardiology Physician may perform other duties as assigned.