Physician - Geriatrics PACT (Stockton)

Staff Geriatrician

The Staff Geriatrician will provide both primary and specialty care to older veterans, most commonly with multiple chronic conditions including dementia, in ambulatory care as well as long-term care facilities. The incumbent takes responsibility for providing geriatric care to eligible Veterans in the Geriatrics outpatient clinics including the primary care geriatrics clinic and the consultation clinic, through face-to-face & telehealth clinics, and E-consults. They will manage proportional panels of geriatric primary care patients. These patients are complex, need specialty interdisciplinary geriatrics expertise, and are frequently at high risk of frequent hospital re-admissions and emergency department visits due to multiple comorbidities or prolonged hospitalization. Veterans are evaluated and managed by a core interdisciplinary team comprising a Geriatrician (MD, DO), Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurse, LVN, Pharmacist, and Social Worker integrated with the Geriatrics team.

The principal duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• The incumbent will provide extensive expertise in the treatment of conditions occurring in older patients, including but not limited to (a) medical illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, chronic renal insufficiency, lower urinary tract symptoms, osteoarthritis, and others; (b) geriatric syndromes that are often multifactorial in etiology such as cognitive impairment and dementia; gait instability, urinary incontinence, functional decline, mood disorders, and polypharmacy.
• Performs daily clinical activities, including providing patient care in continuity clinics, Geriatrics consultation and management in outpatient clinics, and occasionally long-term care facilities.
• Collaborates daily with the interdisciplinary team (IDT), referral sources, and all stakeholders.
• Provides effective collaboration and leadership to interdisciplinary teams and administrative staff. The incumbent will be able to provide guidance and coaching to other Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants and other interdisciplinary staff in GEC and referral sources if needed.
• Supervises clinical staff, including nurse navigator, nurse practitioner and physician assistant.
• Completes medical records and encounters timely and accurately
• Communicate with patients, family members and treatment teams, including community partners and vendors.
• Responsible for teaching and supervising fellows, residents, medical students, and other allied health trainees in clinical settings.
• Supports the primary responsibility of Geriatrics clinical activities which is to apply new knowledge and ideas, evaluate their usefulness in a patient care setting, and demonstrate their practicality for exporting throughout the VA system.
• Participates in other clinical activities as appropriate to the needs of the medical center and as compatible with the overall time demands of the position.