Primary Care Opportunity - Space Center VA Clinic - Colorado Springs, CO

Position Information:

The VA’s Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Space Center VA Clinic in Colorado Springs, CO, is seeking full-time board certified Family Practice or Internal Medicine Physicians with three or more years’ of experience to join our Primary Care Health Team. The primary care provider will function as a highly skilled, independent care provider in the management of patients and will be part of an interdisciplinary care team with access to state-of-the-art medicine and some of the most advanced medical technologies available.

The Health Care Clinic operates under a PACT Model (Patient Aligned Care Team). Together with his or her team, comprised of a PCP, RN, LPN, and a Medical Support Assistant, the PCP cares for a panel of approximately 450 patients. The PACT provides comprehensive care for our Veteran population, including the diagnoses, care, and treatment of both acute and chronic conditions. Common diagnoses encountered include diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, degenerative arthritis, depression, congestive heart failure, and chronic pain. Position is Monday thru Friday, no weekends, and no holidays.

Requirements

• Must be U.S. Citizen (Non-Citizen May Be Considered IAW VA Policy)
• Must have current, active & unencumbered US State Medical License (any State)
• Must be FM/IM BC

Facility Information: 

The following services are available at Space Center VA Clinic:

• Primary care services for veterans in the Colorado Springs area.
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Kinesiotherapy
• Mental health care

Community Information:

Magnificent scenic beauty, a favorable climate, and dreams of gold have lured visitors to Colorado Springs and neighboring Pikes Peak Country for well over 100 years.

In 1806, army Lt. Zebulon Pike led a company of soldiers on a trek around the base of an enormous mountain. He called it "Grand Peak," declared it unconquerable, and moved on. Today, the 14,110-foot mountain we know as Pikes Peak has been conquered so often that an auto highway and a cog railway take visitors to the top.

Modern Colorado Springs is a growing city of about 400,000, with more than 600,000 in the metropolitan area. The majority of its residents are conservative, and the city is also home to some of the country's largest nondenominational churches and conservative groups.

To many visitors, the city retains the feel and mood of a small Western town. Most tourists come to see the Air Force Academy, marvel at the scenery at Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak and explore the history of America's West. Colorado Springs also has some of the best lodging and dining in the state.

Benefits Information:

• The VA supports healthy work-life-family balance by offering a robust menu of employee benefits and features
• The expected range of annual salary is $200,000 to $243,000 and includes biennial longevity pay increases
• Physician staff may be considered for an annual performance pay bonus up to $15,000.00 or 7.5% (whichever is less) 
• Annual Paid time off includes 26 days of vacation with pay, 13 days sick leave, 11 federal holidays observed and CME
• Health-Dental-Vision-Life Insurance with premiums partially offset or paid by the government with retirement portability.
• Retirement Plans includes Federal Employee Retirement System (DB) and Thrift Savings Plan (DC) with 5% matching

About the VA:

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, offers Veterans the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the United States. We operate more than 1,400 clinical 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.

Features

* Primary care services for veterans in the Colorado Springs area.
* Handicapped Accessible: full and easy access for all veterans.
* Personal Care: Highly qualified primary and specialty care and mental health providers with referrals to the Denver VA Medical Center.
* Laboratory: Blood drawing services available.
* Prescriptions: Routine prescriptions processed through the mail or My HealtheVet.

Services at the New Colorado Springs Clinic:

*Optometry, Audiology, Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Laboratory, Compensation and Pension, CWT, Homeless, and the Pre and Post-Surgical Clinic will be located on the first floor.

*Primary Care services, OEF/OIF, wound care, and MOVE classroom will be located on the second floor. Dental, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Clinics will be located on the third floor.

*New Services: MRI, CT, ultrasound, and x-ray services as well as the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) will be located on the first floor.

*The new clinic will be a tobacco-free campus. Please help us make this move to an improved health environment by refraining from using any form of tobacco on the campus, including the parking lot.                                 

Paid Time Off:

• 26 Days paid annual (vacation/personal) leave
• 13 Days paid sick leave each year with no limit on accumulation
• 11 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 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

Magnificent scenic beauty, a favorable climate, and dreams of gold have lured visitors to Colorado Springs and neighboring Pikes Peak Country for well over 100 years.

In 1806, army Lt. Zebulon Pike led a company of soldiers on a trek around the base of an enormous mountain. He called it "Grand Peak," declared it unconquerable, and moved on. Today, the 14,110-foot mountain we know as Pikes Peak has been conquered so often that an auto highway and a cog railway take visitors to the top.

Unlike many Colorado towns, neither mineral wealth nor ranching was the cornerstone of Colorado Springs' economy during the 19th century -- tourism was. In fact, Colorado Springs, founded in 1871, was the first genuine resort community west of Chicago. Gen. William J. Palmer, builder of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, established the resort on his rail line, at an elevation of 6,035 feet. The state's growing reputation as a health center, with its high mountains and mineral springs, convinced him to build at the foot of Pikes Peak. In an attempt to lure affluent easterners, he named the resort Colorado Springs, because most fashionable eastern resorts were called "springs." The mineral waters at Manitou Springs were only 5 miles away, and soon Palmer exploited them by installing a resident physician, Dr. Samuel Solly, who exuberantly trumpeted the benefits of Manitou's springs both in print and in person.

The 1890s gold strikes at Cripple Creek, on the southwestern slope of Pikes Peak, added a new dimension to life in Colorado Springs. Among those who cashed in on the boom was Spencer Penrose, a middle-aged Philadelphian and Harvard graduate who arrived in 1892, made some astute investments, and became quite rich. Penrose, who believed that the automobile would revolutionize life in the United States, promoted the creation of new highways. To show the effectiveness of motorcars in the mountains, he built the Pikes Peak Highway (1913-15), using more than $250,000 of his own money. Then, during World War I, at a cost of more than $2 million, he built the luxurious Broadmoor hotel at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain. World War II brought the military and defense industry to this area, and in 1958 the $200-million U.S. Air Force Academy opened.

Modern Colorado Springs is a growing city of about 400,000, with more than 600,000 in the metropolitan area. The majority of its residents are conservative, and the city is also home to some of the country's largest nondenominational churches and conservative groups.

To many visitors, the city retains the feel and mood of a small Western town. Most tourists come to see the Air Force Academy, marvel at the scenery at Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak, and explore the history of America's West. I'm pleased to report that Colorado Springs also has some of the best lodging and dining in the state.