Physician-Primary Care-Section Chief

Primary Care Section Chief

Duties include, but are not limited to: The Section Chief of Primary Care oversees delivery of primary care services for Veterans within ECHCS and provides direct clinical care. The incumbent interacts with Veterans, families, community agencies, and staff, and supports the overall operation of this complex service, including education, clinical leadership, research, quality improvement, and safe equipment practices. The Section Chief ensures alignment with national, network, and local missions and performance measures, manages resources effectively, fosters a collaborative team environment, oversees orientation and training of clinical staff, and proactively identifies service needs and concerns.

60% Clinical Section Chief practices in an outpatient clinic setting with ECHCS at the expert level. The Section Chief is academically and clinically prepared to be responsible for managing the full spectrum of primary care. Primary Care at ECHCS includes, but is not limited to, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring outcome measures of healthcare problems of patients presenting with internal medicine concerns. A nonexclusive list includes the following:

• Perform histories and physicals
• Initiate and adjust therapeutic regimens
• Order diagnostic and therapeutic tests/studies
• Initiate consults to specialty services
• Prescribe medications/supplies in accordance with VA policy and the VA formulary
• Provide appropriate follow-up care
• Triage patients with non-medicine complaints, diseases, and injuries to appropriate discipline for diagnostics and treatment

40% Administrative: The Section Chief, under the direction of the DACOS, provides leadership and strategic direction for Primary Care. Responsibilities include business planning, program development, and oversight of clinical operations. The Section Chief manages Primary Care staff, supports labor-management relations, ensures quality and productivity standards, and meets the primary care needs of the Veteran population. The role includes conducting and attending staff meetings, supporting educational and research activities, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, supervising residents, maintaining accurate documentation, and safeguarding patient confidentiality. The Section Chief establishes and upholds standards of clinical competence, monitored through credentialing and privileging processes in accordance with policy. As part of the management team, the Section Chief contributes to local and network-wide mission, vision, and goals, promotes effective problem resolution, and maintains accountability for all professional and administrative activities within their scope of supervision.

• Responsible for strategic direction, business planning, program development, organization, and implementation of Primary Care.
• Management / leadership of all Primary Care staff assigned to his/her section
• Labor and management relations
• Standardization of clinical practice
• Assurance of quality metrics
• Meeting the productivity standards and outcome measures

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

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Eligible for qualifying applicants.

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply. 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

Work Schedule: 8:00 am-4:30 pm Monday thru Friday