Join the Montana VA and Make a Difference for Our Nation's Veterans
Are you ready for an exciting career move that combines professional excellence with a thriving personal life? Helena, Montana is right in the heart of Big Sky Country! Montana isn’t just a place; it’s a way of life. Montana’s unspoiled nature make for a one-of-a-kind backdrop for your next adventure and career opportunity! Ft. Harrison is located just outside of the state capitol of Helena, MT. Helena exists at a crossroads between past and present, tame, and untamed, mountainous wilderness and hometown warmth. A place where you can hike for miles without seeing a soul, stroll through our charming downtown, and enjoy local restaurants with breathtaking views—all in the same day.
Montana VA Health Care System (MTVAHCS) is seeking an Emergency Medicine physician is responsible for maintaining professional and technical competencies and skill to deliver effective, timely and high-quality medical care to patients seeking emergency care at VA MT HCS as well as assist emergency care throughout the hospital, when required in response to major medical emergencies or disasters.
Opportunity information:
- Evaluate, manage, and treat all patients who seek emergency care, consistent with delineated clinical privileges
- Maintain continuing medical education and required certifications, including Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Comply with policies, procedures, plans, and professional standards that guide and support Emergency Medicine operations
- Support all existing safety and infection control practices relevant to this position.
- Participate in the Rapid Response Team and Code blue Team per hospital policy
- Assist in the appropriate transfer of patients
- Request specialty care consultation as appropriate
- Complete medical records in accordance with Bylaws and Rules and Regulations of the Medical Staff.
- Participate in Medical Staff committee assignments as determined by Chief of Emergency Medicine.
- Perform other duties assigned by the Chief of Emergency Medicine.
Administrative Duties:
- Participate in the educational programs for the Emergency Medicine personnel as well as the medical staff.
- Participate in monitoring the quality, safety and appropriateness of patient care.
- Demonstrate ethical conduct and serve as a positive role model to others at all levels of the organization.
- Participate in quality assurance programs and chart reviews.
- Attend Emergency Medicine Staff meetings and the All-Medical Staff meetings.
Preferred Experience: Current certification in Emergency Medicine by the American Board of Emergency Medicine or in Emergency Medicine by the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine or its equivalent. ACLS and BLS preferred.
Benefit Highlights:
- Excellent benefit package and competitive compensation.
- Loan forgiveness availability - up to $200,000.
- 11 federal holidays and 26 vacation days per year.
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
- Annual Leave Max Carryover 86 days
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 $23,500, while those over age 50 are eligible to make catch-up contributions that allow them to defer up to $30,000.
- 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
Helena, MT is the state capitol with a population of 35,000 people. Helena has one of the largest city park systems in the US with a combined 1,000 acres. It is also the perfect mid-way point between Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. Helena is located just miles from the Missouri River and some of the best fly fishing in the world.
VA Montana Healthcare System serves veterans across the great state of Montana. In addition to our main medical center in Helena, we offer a number of services to patients in our community-based outpatient clinics.
The VA Montana Health Care System provides a VA presence in every major city in the state through a series of community based clinics, a community living center, and an acute care medical center.
Fort Harrison (Helena) is a 50-bed acute care, medical-surgical facility that offers a broad range of acute, chronic, and specialized inpatient and outpatient services for both male and female veterans. Specialty care includes internal medicine, gerontology, neurology, dermatology, cardiology, rheumatology, palliative care, pain management, medical oncology, surgery (general, vascular, laparoscopic, endoscopic), urology, orthopedics, plastic, ophthalmology, ENT, podiatry, gynecology, chiropractic care, psychiatry (including outpatient substance abuse treatment and PTSD and MST specific care), and ambulatory care (primary care). Radiology Service provides a broad range of diagnostic and interventional care provided on a full time basis. Pathology Services are available on site also provided on a full time basis. Telemedicine services are available for psychiatry, radiology, ophthalmology and tele-home health. The 24-bed inpatient mental health facility serves patients needing treatment for substance abuse and PTSD.
A 30-bed Community Living Center (CLC) that provides general and ventilator dependent care is located in Miles City. Primary care is provided at Anaconda, Billings, Bozeman, Cutbank, Glasgow, Glendive, Great Falls, Havre, Kalispell, Lewistown, Miles City, and Missoula. Primary Care Telehealth Outreach Clinics are located in Hamilton and Plentywood. Staff and contract specialists visit the clinics regularly and provide access to specialty care as needed.
Montana is the fourth largest state geographically and has one of the largest per capita veteran populations. To augment mental health services in the outbased clinics, VA Montana Health Care System contracted mental health care outside Lewis and Clark County (location of Fort Harrison) to reduce veteran travel. This allowed the VA to provide for local care while maximizing funding in rural areas without making the veteran travel.
Montana has two state veterans' homes located in Columbia Falls (northwest) and Glendive (east). VA also uses contract arrangements with private nursing homes to allow veterans to be placed in long term care facilities closer to their families.