Summary

The Tele-Critical Care Intensivists perform medical evaluation - monitoring - and management of patients presenting with critical illness complaints - diseases - and injuries - and in need of critical care management - including high-risk - high-volume and problem-prone procedures - exclusively via telemedicine techniques from remote access.

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: Must be able to demonstrate he/she has a satisfactory number of critical care inpatient encounters within the last 24 months
• Critical Care Board Certification or Critical Care board eligibility
• Completed an ACGME/AOA - accredited and approved residency training program in internal medicine - surgery - anesthesia - emergency medicine - neurology - or neurosurgery - followed by completion of an accredited and approved training program (fellowship) in critical care medicine
• Alternatively - applicant may be Critical Care Medicine (CCM) certified through the ABIM
• Have a current ACLS certification
• Prior Telemedicine experience - especially Tele-Critical Care
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Per VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - a physical examination will be conducted based on the physical requirements of the position
• A physical examination prior to placement is required
• Heavy lifting - 45 pounds and over
• light carrying - under 15 pounds
• reaching above shoulder
• use of fingers
• both hands required
• walking (8 hours)
• standing (8 hours)
• ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• near vision correctable at 13"" to 16"" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
• ability to distinguish basic colors
• ability to distinguish shades of colors
• hearing (aid permitted)
• mental and emotional stability
• clear speech
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Rigid deadlines and need for high degree of accuracy periodically becomes stressful.

Duties

• Tele-Critical Care Intensivist Duties: Providing state-of-the-art evidence-based critical care clinical management for all patients in Tele-Critical Care equipped beds or utilizing Tele-Critical Care equipped mobile carts within facilities affiliated with the Tele-Critical Care Program
• Working in the Tele-Critical Care center with sufficient frequency to maintain full fluency with the software - equipment - technical issues - primary site staffing models and patterns of utilization of the Tele-Critical Care program and to sustain familiarity with the primary site teaching programs and familiarity with the full cohort of Tele-Critical Care and bedside physicians and nurses (a minimum of 2 12 hours shifts monthly)
• Interacting with bedside hospital-based physicians and nurse managers to facilitate professional relationships Fostering professional relationships with academic faculty and trainees at all sites served
• Assisting the Tele-Critical Care Physician Director and Associate Physician Director(s) in building a positive working relationship with academic program directors to ensure Tele-Critical Care program adherence with ACGME requirements while maintaining optimal utilization of the Tele-Critical Care resource - as well as patient safety and quality in the management of critically ill patients across the system
• Developing and maintaining a positive working relationship with department - Medical Center - VISN - national and other personnel - and outside agencies
• Completing and maintaining all training and proficiency requirements
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be 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: Variable - Days/Nights/Weekends