Primary Care Physician

The Primary Care Physician functions within multidisciplinary PACT team assigned to provide comprehensive, collaborative acute and continuity care to an assigned panel of Veterans as well as to patients outside of the assigned panel when Veteran care indicates a need for such.

The Primary Care/PACT Provider will provide leadership in the application of the PACT model and clinical practice guidelines to organizational processes and/or systems to optimize patient care outcomes, achieve excellence in both internal and external customer service and shape collaborative, high-performing teams.

Duties include but are not limited to:

Ongoing, continuous care of one or more assigned panel(s) of Veterans.

Utilizing all available tools, such as registries, to enable effective and efficient identification and intervention of individual patients and cohorts.

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, functional statement, or other VHA or local facility approved documentation of competency.

Participating in team performance improvement 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 the 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 support persons, commensurate with the documented expertise or professional training of the PACT member.

Engaging patients in using health care, encouraging patients to engage personal support persons, receiving input from patients and personal support persons regarding VA care.

Using formal and informal communications that are respectful, effective, timely, and bidirectional with all team members (including the patient and personal support persons) to convey significant, clinically relevant information for the care of the patient.

Providing health care commensurate to the PCP's licensure and clinical privileges or scope of practice.

Ensuring the patient's care plan contains medical recommendations for clinically indicated care.

Offering clinically indicated health care services to patients assigned to the PACT and providing or arranging for care to which patient's 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 the team, focusing on continuous improvement of critical team processes.

Ensuring the patient has same-day access for face-to-face and telephone care visits during regular clinic hours.

Collaborating with PACT staff to develop personal health plans that incorporate care management and care coordination appropriate to the patient's needs.

Communicating with facility leadership regarding the resources needed by the PACT for optimal function.

Work Schedule:  Monday - Friday (8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.)

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.  VHA Physician Total Rewards.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus):  Authorized
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment):  Authorized "See details in Education Section"
Pay:  Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases
Paid Time Off:  50-55 days of annual paid time offer per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME)
Retirement:  Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance:  Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Licensure:  1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory
CME:  Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement
Malpractice:  Free liability protection with tail coverage provided
Contract:  No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting

A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate.  This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP)

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

Nestled in Pennsylvania Dutch Country near Hershey, the chocolate capital of the United States, you will find the VA Medical Center, Lebanon, PA. The medical center consists of a main campus in Lebanon plus Community Based Clinics in Camp Hill, York, Reading, Lancaster, and Pottsville, PA, serving the veterans of 13 counties in south central Pennsylvania.

The city of Lebanon has been recognized as the second least stressful city in the United States. The survey conducted by Sperling’s BestPlaces.net found the area which includes Harrisburg and Carlisle to score well in the areas of low crime, low divorce rates, short average commute times and low unemployment. The strong work ethic and skilled workers have brought one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.

The buildings of Downtown Lebanon are historic and attractive. While many of the buildings date back to the 1800’s and some in the 1700’s, the work accomplished there includes local businesses serving local needs, as well as serving national and international clients in areas of advertising and website development.

Lebanon City provides 10 parks, 6 playgrounds and walking paths to the residents of the city and surrounding area. Several tennis courts, a large community swimming pool, park pavilions with picnic facilities and other recreational activities are all available within the city limits. Coleman Memorial Park is a picturesque 110-acre park deeded to the City of Lebanon in 1937 by G.D. Coleman. Today, the park is an excellent site to hike and explore the rich history of Lebanon. Stoever’s Dam Park is comprised of 163 acres with a dam for fishing, habitat for wildlife, a community theater, nature barn, camping facilities, garden plots for rent and hiking and biking trails.

The City of Lebanon is strategically located almost equidistant from Harrisburg, Lancaster, and Reading. Lebanon is accessible from the south via the Pennsylvania Turnpike and from the north by both I-81 and I-78. The City’s 25,000 residents enjoy the many opportunities for outdoor relaxation and a strong sense of community.