Optometrist

MAJOR DUTIES & CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Optometrist will be responsible for duties, including but not limited to the following:

• Provides high quality direct care to outpatients by examining the eyes and applicable visual systems for defects or abnormalities, including the medical diagnosis and management of eye diseases within the scope of the optometrist’s clinical privileges.
• The practitioner will examine patients in the outpatient settings; make a diagnosis and develop and implement a treatment plan that may include a referral to the Low Vision Service and/or to the Ophthalmology Service.
• Keeps informed of developments in the management and treatment of diseases and illness through continuing medical education, both formal and informal.
• Successfully integrate patient care activities within the eye clinic as well as other patient care programs within the medical center and/or within the community.
• Consistently demonstrate expertise in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients.
• Participates in multidisciplinary activities involving treatment plans and discharge patients.
• Participates as a peer reviewer when requested.
• Additionally, the optometrist may be called on to perform a reading of teleretinal imaging studies after being trained and certified by the Office of Telehealth Services Store and Forward Training Center and the reading is delineated and approved in the optometrist’s clinical privileges.
• Is responsible for entering accurate, complete, timely progress notes for

Each episode of care goes into the patient’s electronic record. This is accomplished by

Utilizing the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS).

• Is responsible for the proper use, maintenance, and calibration of

Specialized equipment is used in the assessment and care of patients. He/she demonstrates knowledge and maintains standards in the use and reprocessing of Reusable Medical Equipment (RME).

• Current BLS certification is required.
• Provides basic low vision services and may occasionally be assigned to the Advanced Low Vision Team Clinic (directing a multi/interdisciplinary care team, prescribing custom-designed optical systems, electronic aids/devices, etc.).

About the Washington DC VA Medical Center

The more than 2,000 employees and volunteers of the Washington, DC. VA Medical Center take great pride in providing world-class health care to all Veterans in an environment that fosters compassion, commitment and service.

Our mission is to respect and serve our Nation’s Veterans by honoring them with excellent health care at our main facility and at our five community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) located in Ft. Belvoir, VA; Southeast Washington, DC; and in Greenbelt, Charlotte Hall and Camp Springs, MD. The Medical Center also operates a Community Resource and Referral Center for homeless and at-risk Veterans which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Medical Center’s culture and presence is transforming to meet the needs of more than 106,903 Veterans who are enrolled for VA health care in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. In FY 2013, the Medical Center had more than one million (1,263,472) patient encounters, and we are excited about expanding programs and offering services to meet the unique needs of Veterans.

The Medical Center
The Washington DC VA Medical Center, located within sight of the Nation’s Capitol, is the only health care system that specifically provides care to Veterans. Offering tertiary care in a Complexity Level IB hospital, allows our staff to provide comprehensive primary and specialty care in medicine, surgery, neurology and psychiatry. The Medical Center has 175 acute care beds, 30 Psychosocial Residential Rehabilitation Treatment beds, and a 20-suite Fisher House. Also, the Medical Center is home to an adjacent 120-bed Community Living Center which provides Veterans with geriatric long-term care, hospice and palliative care.

Specialized Services
We provide specialized services and care for veterans, such as: invasive and non-invasive cardiology, home-based primary care, women’s health, MRI, PET/CT center, interventional radiology, renal care, trauma services, nutritional services, homeless outreach, compensated work therapy, substance abuse treatment, recreation therapy, and alternative therapies as well as a wide variety of Telehealth services.

We are home to the VISN 5 Polytrauma Network Site and Polytrauma Amputation Network Site and ensure the coordination of lifelong rehabilitation services for Veterans with brain injuries and limb loss, as they progress from acute care to their homes.

OEF/OIF/OND Veterans
The Medical Center’s OEF/OIF/OND Program Office is ready to assist returning Veterans with care coordination as well as VA benefits, claims issues, and support to help ease their transition from active duty to civilian life. Together, the Case Manager and Veteran or Service Member will work as a team to deal with the physical, emotional, and social concerns associated with being a combat Veteran.

VA Benefits

Paid Time Off:

• 26 Days paid annual (vacation/personal) leave
• 13 days paid sick leave each year with no limit on accumulation
• 11 Federal holidays with pay annually
• 5 Days paid absence to attend approved CME courses

Insurance:

• Health Insurance: VA employees have an outstanding number of health insurance plans from which to choose (premiums are partially paid by VA). Lifetime Healthcare Insurance options available
• Dental & Vision: Our insurance options also include exceptional vision and dental plans (premiums are partially paid by VA)
• VA employees have the option to use Flexible Spending Accounts, which allow you to use tax-free dollars to pay for medical, dental, and vision care expenses that are not reimbursed by your health insurance plan.
• Term life insurance, family, and additional coverage options are available with the cost shared by the Federal Government.
• Long-term care insurance is available as an option

Federal Retirement Plan:

• VA employees are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). FERS is a three-tiered retirement plan composed of 1) Social Security benefits, 2) FERS-RAE basic benefits (pension), and 3) Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which is a 401K-type plan.
• How is the pension funded? VA employees automatically contribute 4.4% of their salary for each pay period and the VA contributes 12.2% of the employee’s salary for each pay period for a total annual contribution percentage equal to 16.6% of the employee’s salary.
• Similar to the 401(k) savings plans widely available in the private sector, the TSP allows employees to tax defer a portion of their income each year, subject to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service. For calendar year 2025, employees under the age of 50 may contribute up to $23,500, while those over age 50 are eligible to make catch-up contributions that allow them to defer up to $31,000.
• The Federal Government also provides an automatic basic contribution (1% of salary) and up to 4% of salary in matching contributions, depending on the amount of the employee contribution.
• For retired military personnel, these benefits are in addition to full monthly retirement pay or pension.
• In addition to FERS, VA provides health care insurance coverage for retired personnel.
• Disability Retirement
• Employees are vested in a federal pension after only 5 years' service.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.