Summary

The physician is accountable to the Sleep Section Chief and is responsible for providing the most effective delivery of medical care as specified by his/her scope of practice while meeting and exceeding compliance standards. The physician is expected to perform the following specific Sleep Medicine duties: - Identify excessive daytime sleepiness and initiate a basic evaluation of patients with this complaint.

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
• 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
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• The physician will work without direct supervision but is administratively and clinically responsible to the Chief - Medicine Service
• The physician is expected to perform the following: Participate in administrative work assignments - including program building as assigned by the Section Chief of Pulmonary Medicine and The Chief of Medicine Service
• Operate as a director of one of the major functions within the Pulmonary Section under the direction of the Chief of Pulmonary Medicine
• This may include but is not limited to Bronchoscopy - Home Oxygen Program - Critical Care - CPAP clinics - or Lung Cancer screening program
• Provide guidance and support to the nurse practitioners assigned to Medicine Service in their respective areas of expertise
• Provide guidance and supervision for the medical students and residents (Interns - Residents - and/or Fellows) assigned to General Medicine House Service/subspecialty services and clinics according to the standards outlined in Center Policy Memorandum - F-14A-39 - \"Monitoring of Resident Supervision -\" when assigned to do so by the Chief - Medicine Service
• Participate in and attend medical center committees as assigned by the Chief Medicine Service and Chief of Pulmonary in his/her absence
• Participate in various facility programs designed to enhance and improve the delivery of patient care services - such as Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams - as assigned by Chief - Medicine Service
• Demonstrate commitment to high quality customer service - including specific measures identified as performance goals by the Medical Center
• Adhere to all information security and privacy measures set by VHA and the Medical Center
• Give Medicine Grand Rounds and other lectures for staff education
• Remain privileged and practicing in the respective specialty field(s)
• The exact privileges and procedures for a particular provider will be approved by the Professional Standards Board
• Provide quality patient-centered care that is compassionate - appropriate - and effective for the promotion of health - prevention of illness - treatment of disease and care at the end of life
• Provide Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine specialty care within the scope of approved specialty privileges
• Provide accurate sleep and pulmonary diagnosis for undifferentiated patient symptoms and/or other findings
• Provide long term treatment and monitoring of patients with a broad range of sleep and pulmonary disorders
• Participate in multidisciplinary activities for optimal care with respect to pulmonary and sleep conditions
• Order appropriate sleep and pulmonary testing to diagnose and monitor sleep and pulmonary conditions - respectively
• Exhibit leadership in initiating changes in patient care programs based on current concepts and findings from research and studies
• Keep informed of developments in the management and treatment of diseases and illness through continuing medical education - both formal and informal
• Successfully integrate patient care activities on Medicine Services and other patient care programs at the medical center and in the community such as Social Work - Prosthetics - Home Based Health Care (HBHC) - and private nursing homes
• Consistently demonstrate expertise in diagnosing and treating a broad range of pulmonary - critical care and sleep medicine patients
• Complete all medical record documentation in CPRS
• Include patient/family/significant other/health care provider in establishing realistic - measurable goals related to health education and treatment plan and in planning care on a continuum
• assist staff in the process of mutual goal setting
• Demonstrate skill in implementation of clinical practice guidelines and protocols for patients with complex pulmonary and sleep medicine care needs
• Document administrative and clinical information in a thorough and accurate manner Order durable medical equipment therapies routinely used in pulmonary and sleep medicine specialty
• Serve as expert specialist in interpreting pulmonary and sleep tests - including but not limited to home sleep tests - attended in lab sleep studies - pulmonary function tests - and oximetry testing
• Provide pulmonary and sleep care through non face to face encounters - including e-consults - telephone and video clinics
• Provide collaborative medical guidance to respiratory therapists - sleep technicians - and other health providers within pulmonary and sleep medicine
• Assist in conducting studies regarding treatment modalities - outcomes - and other aspects of patient care when appropriate
• If involved in an ongoing research project - abide by all VA regulations governing research protocols/policies and/or procedures
• Retain current BLS certification - as well as ACLS certification if providing coverage in the ICU - and provide support in this regard during medical emergencies.