Summary The Chief of the Anesthesiology Service provides administrative, clinical, and programmatic leadership for the Anesthesiology Service to ensure achievement of the clinical, research, and education goals of the program. The incumbent reports to the Chief of Staff or the Deputy Chief of Staff and serves as a key clinical resource for the Medical Center Director and the Chief of Staff. Responsibilities The responsibilities include hands-on clinical work, oversight, and administration of all aspects of the service. The incumbent is directly accountable to the Chief of Staff or the Deputy Chief of Staff for clinical program activities and overall compliance to VA, VHA, and VISN-wide policies and procedures. A. Clinical Work Provides direct patient care on a rotational basis and clinical oversight in: The Operating Room and/or The Pain Clinic and/or The Intensive Care Units and/or The GI Clinic and/or Other specialty areas where qualified to provide clinical patient care. B. Customer Service Bases planning on patient and staff feedback and projected needs. Plans the provision of services with a patient centered vision to enhance patient education and shared decision making. Establishes a customer-oriented culture and promotes hiring of people who demonstrate the VA's iCARE values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence. Actively identifies and encourages the implementation of best practices in customer service. Breaks barriers that impede good service delivery. Empowers staff to resolve problems and complaints independently at the lowest level. Shares resources to service customers effectively and efficiently. C. Quality Improvement Works closely with Service Quality Improvement coordinator or the VAMHCS Quality Department to accomplish the QI goals described below. Serves as or supervises a service lead physician for quality and safety improvement initiatives and utilization management. Develops a high-reliability organization through direction of the continuous measurement and improvement of the quality-of-care provided by the service. Plans, coordinates, and ensures high quality care through utilization of multiple quality measurement tools. Improves patient outcomes through the implementation of strategies such as clinical practice guidelines and critical pathways, health risk assessments, provider profiling, use of electronic medical record and clinical reminders, and case management. Continuously assesses and improves the processes of care delivery in the service to enhance patient safety. Ensures the services ability to meet standards issued by various accrediting and regulatory groups and VACO. D. Research and Education Encourages and supports research and education missions. Facilitates translation of research findings into improved patient outcomes. Works closely with the Associate Chief of Staff for Research and the Associate Chief of Staff for Education. Encourages continuing education for all personnel in the service and ensures compliance with performance standards. Creates a climate where continuous learning and self development are valued. E. Budget and Fiscal Management Works closely with Service Administrative Officer / Business Manager to accomplish the budget and fiscal management goals described below. Responsible for the financial management of the service, including budget planning and management. Develops the annual strategic and budget plan for the service consistent with guidance and goals from the Director's Office and/or Fiscal Service. Develops and implements tracking methods to monitor the service's fiscal activities. 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 to Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm Baltimore's local area: Baltimore's story is essential to learning about the influential people and significant moments that shaped American history and the African American experience. Explore historic sites like Fort McHenry, birthplace of the national anthem, Edgar Allan Poe's home-turned-museum, the Washington Monument (built before the one in D.C.!) and historic ships, including the USS Constellation, the last remaining sail-only warship commissioned by the U.S. Navy. And the best way to see it all is with a guided tour. Home to the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and the MLB's Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore has a lot of team spirit. Whether you're looking for things to do in Baltimore this weekend, this month or next year, there is something always going on here! Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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. Additional Requirements: Board Certified in Anesthesiology Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Lifting up to 35 pounds, intermittently; moderate carrying (15-35 pounds), intermittently; lifting over 35 pounds with assistive devices in accordance with the Safe Patient Handling Policy except in emergent situations requiring prompt patient care; pulling, intermittently; pushing, intermittently; reaching above the shoulders, intermittently, both hands required; walking, intermittently; standing, intermittently; kneeling, intermittently; and repeated bending. Education 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: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate 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. Additional Information "Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their well-being and live their life to the fullest. VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care." This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
