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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Primary Care Physician Assistant (FT, PT, PRN) Near Anthem, AZ

Qualifications:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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.
• Education or Training. The candidate must meet the following: (1) Graduate of a PA training program which is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of PA (ARC-PA) or one of its predecessor organizations. Additionally, candidates must meet one of the following:
  • Master's degree in any discipline;
  • Bachelor's degree in any discipline with on year of experience as a PA.
• Certification. Must have successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE).
• Licensure. Must possess an active, current, full, and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. PAs must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active and current licensure in that State OR be a graduate physician assistant pending licensure.
• English Language Proficiency. PAs appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard effective 9/27/2020 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.

Grade Determinations:

Physician Assistant-I.

a. Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

b. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level PA. This practice may include, but is not limited to:

• Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care.
• Ability to perform patient history and physical.
• Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient.
• Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession.

Physician Assistant-II.

a. Experience and Education. The PA at this grade is at the intermediate grade level and has had progressively increasing responsibility and experiences as indicated in the KSAs listed below. Individuals will have demonstrated the ability to analyze and solve more complex medical problems than at the entry level grade and can utilize their training in the successful practice of patient care and participate in team problem solving. Individuals demonstrate the KSAs of PA-II intermediate level by:

• Two years of successful practice as a PA; OR
• Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency; OR
• A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education

b. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-II:

• Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems.
• Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions.
• Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care.
• Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care.
• Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively.

Physician Assistant III.

a. Experience and Education. PAs at the PA-III grade are at the full performance level and lead and organize patient care independently, practice within multi-disciplinary teams, and coordinate all aspects of patient care across the health care system. They utilize advanced clinical knowledge and judgment in decision-making and evaluating outcomes. They function as experts in clinical practice and/or in areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities, may serve as mentors for transitioning PAs, and may provide training for health care students. Individuals can demonstrate the KSAs for the full performance level by:

• Three years of successful practice as a PA; OR
• Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency and one year of professional practice as a PA; OR
• A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and one year of professional practice as a PA.

b. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-III:

• Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care.
• Skill to consistently demonstrate an elevated level of expertise and autonomy in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients through facility Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE).
• Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials.
• Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel.
• Ability to implement and initiate clinical changes to established treatment protocols based upon new medical literature research findings to enhance patient delivery care for improved patient outcomes.
• Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records.

The full performance level of this vacancy is PA-III. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of PA-I to PA-III.

Physical Requirements: Moderate Lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light Carrying, under 15 pounds; Use of fingers; Walking - 2 hours; Standing - 2 hours; Near vison correctable at 13' to 16' to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vison correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other eye; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid permitted); Mental/Emotional Stability required; Working Closely with Others; Working Alone.

Responsibilities:

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

The duties of the position include but are not limited to:

• Ongoing, continuous care of one or more assigned panel(s) of Veterans
• Utilizing all available tools to enable effective and efficient identification and interventions of individual patients
• Ensuring appropriate evaluation and access is provided to patients assigned to the patient panel
• Functioning at the full extent of the team member's relevant clinical privileges, credentials, scopes of practice, elements of practice, certification, or other facility approved documentation of competency
• Participating in team performance improvements and sustainment activities to optimize team efficiency and care delivery to patients
• Implementing primary care operations management processes, as appropriate
• Managing communications and facilitating safe transitions of patients between PACT's site of care and other health care settings, using informal and formal communication methods, as appropriate
• Providing health education, and health coaching on wellness, disease prevention, chronic care management, and self-management skills to patients and personal supports persons
• Engaging patient in using health care, encouraging patients to engage personal support persons, receiving input from patient and personal support persons regarding VA care
• Using formal and informal communicators that are respectful, effective, timely, an bidirectional with all team members (including patient and personal support persons) to convey significant, clinically relevant information for the care of the patient
• Collaborating with informatics technology staff to develop and implement systematized, electronically supported tools to support PACT care delivery process (e.g. pre-visit reminder calls, post-hospitalization follow-up up calls, recall scheduling procedures, new patient orientation, disease registries and primary care protocols for chronic disease management
• Ensuring patient's care plan contains medical recommendations for clinically indicated care
• Offering clinically indicated health care services to patients assigned to PACT, and providing or arranging for care to which patients' consent
• Providing leadership to the team including shared delegation of appropriate care and care processes to appropriate team members
• Reviewing available clinical and performance data with team, focusing on continuous improvement of critical team processes
• Evaluations and treatment, including face to face, telephone, and/or video to home clinics
• Initial and ongoing assessment of patient's medical, physical, and psychosocial status
• Obtaining and documenting a comprehensive medical/physical history and physical examination
• Ordering and following-up on appropriate diagnostic tests
• Reviewing and interpreting laboratory tests and take appropriate action
• Referring patients to consultations with specialty clinics
• Providing medical advice to patients, families, and community health providers by telephone
• Managing chronic and acute medical problems
• Entering orders into VA Electronic Medical records for medications, consults, testing, etc.
• Women's Health examinations and counseling, including preventive care services such as but not limited to breast and cervical cancer screening, osteoporosis screening, intimate partner violence screening and military sexual trauma screening
• Communicating with patients via secure email
• Timely completion of peer reviews
• Timely closure of encounters

Work Schedule: This position potentially requires flexibility in schedule and assignments, as this is a 24/7 hospital. Some positions require rotation of tours or indefinite work on non-administrative tours as established by the immediate supervisor. Not all duties may be listed, so other duties may be assigned.
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Job Summary