Summary

The Ophthalmology physician is assigned to VISN 23 Virtual Eye Care Program and provides comprehensive eye care for patients with a subspecialization in retina who have illnesses within the scope of Ophthalmology. This includes comprehensive care such as screening ocular health examinations - provision of glasses - disease management and follow up eye care all rendered by the virtual clinic.

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
• Additional Requirements: Board Eligible/Board Certified in Ophthalmology Fellowship trained in Medical or Surgical Retina Preferred Experience: Prior experience in eye telehealth is preferred
• Experience in tele-ophthalmology and tele-retinal services beyond diabetic teleretinal screenings is highly preferred
• One (1) year of clinical experience Secondary degree such as MBA - MHA - MPH Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Mild lifting (10-15 lbs)
• mild carrying (10-15 lbs)
• straight pulling (1 hour)
• pushing (1 hour)
• reaching above shoulder
• use of fingers
• both hands required
• walking (5 hours)
• standing (4 hours)
• sitting (6 hours)
• kneeling (1 hour)
• repeated bending (4 hours)
• both legs required
• ability to perform rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• near vision correctable at 13" to 16" Jaeger 1 to 4
• far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
• hearing (aid permitted)
• emotional/mental stability.

Duties

• The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers
• This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest
• As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care - you will operate in a model with three core elements - seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran
• This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community
• This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being
• Functions: This is a virtual care position that reports directly to the Clinical Director of Virtual Eye Care and provides subspecialty virtual eye care in retina
• The Virtual Eye Care ophthalmologist is responsible for patient care through the Virtual Eye Care program which includes reading images per protocol - reading images in a timely fashion - caring for ophthalmology patients nationally via telehealth using all modalities - asynchronous - synchronous - hybrid - and e-consults
• Must be comfortable and willing to practice comprehensive ophthalmology - in addition to retina - and perform SLT/LI/Yag Cap
• This position requires travel of up to one week per month to provide procedural care at a VISN 23 facility to perform injections - procedures - lasers - and potentially surgery
• This is a requirement of the position and if unwilling to perform this duty will need to leave the position
• Clinical Responsibilities: The Reading Ophthalmologist is responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with medical diseases - accomplished through the Virtual Eye Care program
• Actively participates in patient care and provide high quality care as if she/he were seeing the patient through an in-person exam
• Reads Virtual Eye Care photographic sets in a timely fashion
• Follows Virtual Eye Care protocols and procedures
• Participates in peer review
• Provides retina expertise via telehealth to all spoke sites of the V23 Virtual Eye Care Hub
• Responsible for coordinating and providing ophthalmologic consultation via Virtual Eye Care and contact patients to help arrange follow up care and ancillary tests throughout the medical center
• Academic/Teaching/Training: May participate in the selection and development of all resident physicians and ensures that education experiences of Ophthalmology are of the quality and quantity expected by relevant accrediting bodies as needed
• May participate in recruiting qualified physicians to join the Virtual Eye Care program
• Provides education about the Virtual Eye Care program to new sites and help train new providers
• Provides teaching and consultation on staff education and development to VISN 23 VAMC Virtual Eye Care clinical staff including residents and fellows - as well as other clinical trainees and clinical staff from other specialties such as primary care
• Research/Program Evaluation: Provides feedback on Virtual Eye Care protocols and the overall Virtual Eye Care process
• Participate - if desired - in research studies involving Virtual Eye Care
• Aids the Clinical Director with QA/QI of the national VECS and NSON programs
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• 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 - 4:30pm CT
• Compressed tour available
• Additional information may be provided during the interview process
• This is a remote position
• Candidates must reside within 50 miles of a VA facility
• Internet speed tests may be requested to verify/determine suitability for remote work of candidates in consideration under this announcement.