Chief Pain Management (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)

The VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, Harlingen Texas is seeking a Physician (Chief of Pain Medicine) responsible for the overall operations of the Pain Management Program.  In this position you will be responsible for the overall clinical care provided within the Pain Medicine Service.  Ensure that clinical and administrative functions are integrated in order to provide optimal utilization of available resources to include responsibility for the quality and timeliness of services provided, customer service, as well as compliance with applicable standards.

Duty Hours: 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday (Outpatient Only)

On Call requirements: Not Required

Compensation:

• A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate.
• Salary: Between 250K and 340K
• This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP).

Requirements:

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.

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.

Duties and Assignments:

Advise leadership on policy implications, key issues, and relationships to both internal and external interest groups, and recommends courses of action. Maintain interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals. Coordinate and negotiate resolutions to complex problems; prepare special reports and responses, Congressional responses, and other correspondence service related as necessary. Coordinate with other disciplines concerning total patient care using professional knowledge and skill in applying a wide range of concepts, principles, and methodology.

Department of Veterans Affairs offers Veterans the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the United States. We operate more than 1,400 sites of care, including 153 medical centers, 909 ambulatory and community-based outpatient clinics, 135 nursing homes, 232 Veterans centers, 47 readjustment counseling centers, and 108 comprehensive home-care programs, across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S.Territories.

More than 7.9 million Veterans, their family members, and survivors are enrolled in the VA Health System, with more than 6.3 million seeking treatment each year. Currently, that annual treatment involves 773,600 inpatient visits and 60 million outpatient visits. About 250,000 full-time employees and 90,000 health professional trainees work in interdisciplinary care teams to deliver those patient services daily.

VA's patient population crosses a wide spectrum of individuals, from elderly World War II Veterans, to baby boomer Vietnam Vets, to today's younger heroes who served during the Gulf War era and in the present day Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. VA also serves a growing number of women Veterans, who currently account for seven percent of the total Veteran population.

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 each pay period and the VA contributes 12.2% of the employee’s salary 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 2020, employees under the age of 50 may contribute up to $19,500, while those over age 50 are eligible to make catch-up contributions that allow them to defer up to $25,500.
• 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

Paid Time Off:

• 26 Days paid annual (vacation/personal) leave
• 13 Days paid sick leave each year with no limit on accumulation
• 10 paid Federal holidays per year
• 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 each pay period and the VA contributes 8.3% of the employee’s salary each pay period for a total annual contribution percentage equal to 12.7% 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 2020, employees under the age of 50 may contribute up to $19,500, while those over age 50 are eligible to make catch-up contributions that allow them to defer up to $25,500.
• 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

Features

• Three level center providing Specialty outpatient care & surgical services for Veterans in the Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System area.
• First Floor: Patient Resource Center (Centro de Rescursos), Medical Administration (Administration Medica), MyHealtheVet, Prosthetics/Amputee Clinic (Protesis)
• Second floor: Cardiology  (Cardiologia), ENT, Eye Clinic (Clinica de ojos), Gastroenterology (GI - Gastroenterologia), Lab (Laboratorio), Behavioral Health  (Salud mental), Orthopedics  (Ortoedicos), Physical Medicine & Rehab (Terapia fisica y rehabilitacion), Podiatry (Podologia), Pulmonary (Pulmonar), Rheumatology (Reumatologia), Urology (Urologia), GU Clinic, Infectious Disease (las enfermedades infecciosas), General Surgery (cirugia general), Home Health (includes CCHT, Community Nursing Home, and other Home Health programs), Anesthesia (anestesia), and Dermatology (dermatologia).
• In July 2012, ambulatory surgery procedures began at the HCC.
• Prescriptions: Routine prescriptions processed through the mail or My HealtheVet. Visit our Pharmacy page for details on requesting prescription refills.
• Open Access Scheduling System with the goal to schedule appointments within five to seven days of request.
• Handicapped Accessible: full and easy access for all veterans. 
• Personal Care: Highly qualified specialty care providers.