Chief of Geriatrics and Extended Care in Salisbury, NC— Convenient Drive, Close to Charlotte & Lake Norman, Affordable Living, and a Rewarding Mission

Chief of Geriatrics and Extended Care in Salisbury, NC— Convenient Drive, Close to Charlotte & Lake Norman, Affordable Living, and a Rewarding Mission

The W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Health Care System is seeking an experienced, full-time, board-certified or board-eligible Geriatrician as the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) to lead the Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) Service Line, located in Salisbury, NC.  The Physician will lead an academically affiliated group practice providing a full array of Geriatric, rehabilitation, palliative, hospice, community, and home care services to Veterans living in the North Carolina Piedmont area, with a focus on maximizing their function, independence, and quality of life. 

The Physician will join four fellowship-trained Geriatricians, ten advanced practice registered nurses, Nurse Practitioners, and one Physician Assistant working in various venues, including a 124-bed, state-of-the-art Carolina Pride Community Living Center (CLC) with private bedrooms and baths.  The CLC features the self-contained Liberty Lane 12-bed Hospice House, as well as indoor Main Street, an atrium garden, and a gymnasium, among other amenities associated with the provision of state-of-the-art Geriatric and Hospice care.  The Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) Program is expanding, with its primary focus on providing primary care to homebound Veterans.  In addition, the Physician oversees Geriatrics Care in the Community program.  The W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Health Care System proudly serves over 100,000 Veterans and remains one of the fastest-growing VAs in the country. 

            The GEC Service Line is committed to and responsible for ensuring quality outcomes in Veteran care, ready access to care, and excellence in customer service to support the Medical Center and VHA mission of serving Veterans and their families.  The Physicians’ time will generally be expected to include 75% administration and program development, with 25% devoted to clinical care.  The GEC service offers a robust training program, including, but not limited to, medical students, residents, and Geriatric and Palliative Medicine Fellows affiliated with the Wake Forest School of Medicine, the Virginia Tech School of Osteopathic Medicine, and other professional schools in the area.  The ACOS GEC reports to the office of the Chief of Staff.  The ACOS directly supervises the Medical Director of the CLC, as well as the Medical Director and Program Director of HBPC, and the Administrative Officer of GEC.   

In addition, the Physician is expected to fully participate in performance improvement and continuous readiness activities to support ongoing excellence in Veteran care.  The GEC staff is encouraged to participate in independent and/or collaborative investigative research.  The W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Health Care System's Geriatrics and Extended Care Service Line offers the qualified individual a dynamic and unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of America's heroes. 

Qualifications:

• Board Certified or eligible in Geriatric or Palliative Medicine
• Full, unrestricted medical license in any U.S. State
• Degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) or an equivalent from an accredited medical or osteopathic medical school
• Completed residency training approved by the VA Secretary in an accredited core specialty leading to board eligibility
• U.S. Citizenship required; non-citizens may be considered only when qualified citizens are unavailable, per VA policy
• 2 years Supervisory and leadership experienced preferred

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary with annual performance bonuses and regular increases
• Paid Time Off: 26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 federal holidays, plus up to 5 days for CME
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (vesting after 5 years) and 401(k) with up to 5% VA contributions
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, life, and long-term care coverage (many plans transferable into retirement)
• Licensure: One full, unrestricted license from any U.S. state or territory
• CME Reimbursement: Up to $1,000 annually (full-time, board-certified physicians)
• Malpractice Coverage: Free liability protection with tail coverage
• Employment Status: No employment contract or significant restrictions on moonlighting

Interested candidates should email their current CV to Annie Luckey, VA Physician Provider Recruiter @ annie.luckey@va.gov.

The W.G. Hefner VAMC is a 484-bed medical center located in Salisbury, North Carolina. Inpatient services are provided for acute medicine, cardiology, surgery, psychiatry, physical rehabilitation, subacute and extended care, neuropsychiatry services, psychiatric intensive care, and geropsychiatry. Primary and specialized outpatient services are provided at the medical center and outpatient clinics. The medical center is affiliated with Wake Forest University School of Medicine, with a focus on resident involvement in primary care, dermatology, rehabilitation, ophthalmology, and psychiatry. The Salisbury VAMC is recognized as one of the largest employers in Rowan County and enjoys the recognition and respect of the community through an active outreach program.

Community Information:

Salisbury provides all the perks of a small town but is located just 40 minutes down Hwy I-85 from Charlotte,NC which is the 33rd largest metropolitan in the nation boasting 1.84 million in population. Both Greensboro, NC and Winston-Salem NC are located within 1 hours drive. Salisbury has a population of 26,548, and is the county seat of Rowan County. It is also the home of three colleges: Catawba College, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and Livingstone College

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