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Summary 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) & 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 ineligible to apply. Responsibilities The Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) works at the VA Central Western Massachusetts (VACWM) and is responsible for providing administrative and medical guidance to clinical service staff to provide outstanding care to eligible veterans. He/she supports the Chief of Staff in overall administration, technical aspects, program planning, policies, and evaluations, as well as integration and implementation of programs and activities. The DCOS works in close collaboration with the Chief of Staff, Associate Director, Associate Director for Patient Care Services, Director, Group Practice Manager, and Clinical and Administrative Service Chiefs of the health care system. In addition, the Deputy Chief of Staff works in collaboration with the Chief of Staff at other facilities in the VISN, as well as with other VHA and VA national, regional, and facility leadership and clinicians, as needed. Additional Duties include but not limited to the following: The DCOS works with Quality Improvement and Service Chiefs to ensure VACWM is a High-Reliability Organization (HRO) and to ensure clinical performance improvement recommendations from third-party reviews are implemented. Examples of reviews include Systems Redesign, Office of Inspector General, SOARS, Joint Commission, and other accrediting and review entities. The reviews and actions taken based upon findings and recommendations ensure that services provided are per standards that govern the quality of care. The DCOS plans the provision of services with a patient-centered vision to enhance patient education and shared decision-making. The DCOS maximizes budgetary and operational efficiency by ensuring policy and regulatory compliance and resolving professional staff matters. The DCOS is responsible for establishing and maintaining high standards of care in all areas and is also responsible for ensuring high standards in their area of influence. The DCOS actively participates in performance improvement initiatives that are monitored by the Quality Management service and the ECMS, and in meeting established performance goals, and the achievement of the mission and strategic goals. The DCOS is responsible for monitoring Patient Safety and Risk Management issues and ensuring that the issues are addressed in a timely and effective manner. The DCOS is responsible for leading and participating as an active member of various task groups and committees that address clinical issues at the local, VISN, and national VHA levels. The DCOS has direct patient care responsibilities within his/her area of clinical expertise, a minimum of 20% (8 hours per week) and the remaining time will be dedicated to administrative duties. As a clinical user of the electronic medical record and associated software and equipment, s/he serves as a clinical champion in proposing recommendations for improvement and participating in their implementation. Work consists of managing a full range of inpatient and outpatient medical treatment for patients and administrative responsibilities for the services. Participates in the review and adjudication of Veteran clinical appeals and service recovery efforts of Veterans and their families with healthcare concerns in Primary Care and the Office of Community Care. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Relocation Incentive: Approved for qualified applicants. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): This position is eligible for the EDRP, a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of your start date. 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 complete review of the EDRP application. Contact Hannah Neilson [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions or assistance on how to begin the application process. 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: Monday - Friday (8:00a - 4:30p) 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. 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). 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 Requirement: Board Certification Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Must be able to physically and mentally perform the duties in an outpatient setting under normal and emergent conditions. Light lifting under 15 pounds; reaching above shoulder; both hands required, walking or standing up to 2 hours per day; near/far vision correctable; hearing aid permitted. There are no special demands for the office environment. The clinical work environment will require occasional personal protective equipment, cleaning, sterile procedure and other precautions specified. Works both alone, and closely with others. 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 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.