Chief of Staff Physician (Regular Ft) (Detail NTE 12 months)

The Chief of Staff (COS) is a member of the executive leadership team which functions as the decision-making body for the overall administration and oversight of the health system. The COS works with the other executive leaders in the formulation, supervision, and integration of clinical activities inherent in the clinical services, education, and research of the Lexington VA Health Care System (LVAHCS).

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

The Chief of Staff is a board-certified physician in a clinical specialty (Internal Medicine/Family Medicine, etc.) with clinical experience and demonstrable administrative and leadership skills.

The COS develops and maintains currently accepted management practices throughout the clinical services. The COS develops and presents the budgetary requirements of the clinical services and assists in the formulation of the annual budget program. The COS is fully responsible to the Medical Center Director for programs of patient care and for the educational and research activities of the clinical services.

Practice is of an executive nature, comprised of complex leadership and administrative components, associated with critical heath care issues and activities that influence the organizational mission, health care policy and delivery, and overall strategic direction of the facility. The Chief of Staff is the senior executive within the health system and is a key member of the executive leadership team. As such, the COS is involved in strategic planning, organizational assessment, and program development. The Chief of Staff has the authority and responsibility for establishing and maintaining standards of medical practice and ensuring the continuous and timely availability of quality medical services. The incumbent is the chief spokesperson for the organized medical staff and is the catalyst for the integration and collaboration of the medical staff with other professional disciplines and functional areas in the mutual achievement of organizational goals. The COS also ensures VA's missions of education and research are conducted effectively.

Participates with the health system's governing councils, management, medical staff and clinical leaders in the health system's decision-making structures and processes reporting directly to the Director.

Provides effective leadership, coordination and oversight for the following programs and services: Emergency Service, Primary Care Service, Mental Health Service, Medicine Service, Neurology Service, Surgery Service, Anesthesia Service, Research Program, Education Service, Dental Service, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service, Radiology Service, Geriatrics and Extended Care Service, Women's Health Program, Pharmacy Service, Care in the Community Service and Clinical Operations.

Serves as a member of key medical center managerial bodies including serving as a member of the organized medical staff, chairing its meetings, and helping to ensure adherence to its bylaws and rules and regulations, working with other health care professional to establish policies so that all health care professionals practice within the scope of their licenses, consulting in developing and maintaining an adequate medical record system, and participating in in-service training programs.

Chairs the Medical Executive Board, Health Care Delivery Council and Peer Review Committee.

Demonstrates ability to supervise a staff of employees who work collaboratively to accomplish the work of the organization.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Relocation Incentive may be available for highly qualified permanent selection without further competition
Permanent Change of Station: PCS may be available for highly qualified permanent selection without further competition
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, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Telework: Ad Hoc Telework only
Virtual: This is not a virtual position

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.

Additional Requirement:
The incumbent must have:
Experience in a leadership role that is highly professional and collaborative
Demonstrated commitment to an interdisciplinary approach to care delivery
Experience as Section or Service Chief demonstrating supervisory skill and skill in managing a broad continuum of programs and services
Experience ensuring adherence to performance measures and compliance with VA and other regulatory standards
Experience developing a strategic framework for operations and ensuring continued forward progress toward goals
Demonstrated skill in providing clinical interface with academic affiliates and other key stakeholders
Demonstrated skill in overseeing day to day operations of clinical program
Experience managing a budget, operating programs efficiently, and in identifying opportunities for cost savings/cost avoidance
Knowledge of VA computer software/programs

Preferred Experience: VHA experience as Chief of Staff or Deputy Chief of Staff preferred.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

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 an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted.
2. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted.
3. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated.

NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.