Physician (Chief Hospitalist)

Chief Hospitalist

The Chief Hospitalist is a clinical leadership position that interfaces with the medical center's administrative leadership and works in close collaboration with other clinical services. The Chief Hospitalist guides acceptable evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, remains current in scientific medical advancements and state of the art medical practices, and provides oversight and mentoring to at least four (4) full-time hospitalists. S/he follows appropriate ethical principles, code of conduct, policies and protocols defined by the organization. This position leads the acute medicine service in the Medicine Directorate of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) in North Chicago, Illinois. FHCC is larger than just a single facility, but rather a system of facilities throughout Northeastern Illinois which provide medical and dental services to U.S. Military Active Duty, Recruits, Veterans, and eligible beneficiaries. The Chief Hospitalist has a broad range of authority with the responsibility for setting the direction of the service, direction and supervision of the hospitalist staff, maintaining professional standards, maintaining quality control standards, identifying quality improvement opportunities and participating in provider patient care and consultation. S/he serves as clinical authority for professional, licensed, and certified hospitalist staff. S/he must demonstrate skills in exercising a high degree of initiative, judgment, discretion, and decision-making to achieve organizational objectives including ensuring that high quality care is provided consistently. S/he will be a point of contact for physicians and clinical staff assigned to the unit for clinical and process guidance. This will include, but is not limited to, training, documentation, process workflow and other functionality regarding necessary clinical systems. This individual will work with nurse manager, staff and physicians to optimize the usage of clinical systems through education and training, quality and outcomes, and providing support in accordance with organizational goals.

Major Duties:

• Provide direct care of acute medicine patients and consultative General Medicine care to patients on other services (at least 70% of the time).
• Recruit and hire for all hospitalist positions.
• Staff and schedule of hospitalist services.
• Supervise, manage and execute performance evaluation of hospitalists. Participate in Peer Review, staff counseling, and other quality assurance efforts.
• Work with facility leadership on strategic planning and implementation related to acute medicine.
• Collaborate with nurse manager and other departments to optimize quality of care, efficiency, and inpatient satisfaction.
• Monitor quality of care parameters for inpatient care. Develop and implement inpatient quality improvement projects.
• Monitor SAIL measures and implement corrective action, as needed.
• Improve efficiency and productivity throughout the unit.
• Chair the Patient Flow Committee.
• Teach residents and medical students.
• Implement, manage and participate in education programs for the inpatient unit personnel.
• Update and develop inpatient policies and procedures.

Chief Hospitalist may be assigned to perform other duties by Medicine Directorate leadership or Deputy Chief of Staff. The Chief Hospitalist will have 30% of time for administrative duties, however, administrative time may flex depending on staffing and/or on strategic priorities.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. Due to the nature of this leadership position, it is expected that working hours could be extended beyond the normal tour of duty and it is expected to be available 24/7 as well as holidays and weekends if needed.

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment) Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact View email address on click.appcast.io, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more.

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

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