Associate Chief of Staff of Community Care

This position is in Office of Community Care VA San Diego Healthcare System and supports the Community Care Program. Incumbent is responsible for assisting with authorization & clinical care coordination of care that is being referred to the community.

Position provides executive leadership & direct supervision for Community Care Service & is the clinical & administrative coordinator for all aspects of Community Care internal/external including policies practice budgetary & administrative oversight of compliance with VHA Directives. Incumbent provides oversight for the Service to include: Administrative Supervisors Program Support Analyst Budget Analysts Contract Nursing Home Coordinator State Veterans Home Liaison Administrative Assistant Administrative staff for review of eligibility authorizations & scheduling Registered Nurses & Licensed Practical Nurses for care coordination & if applicable all processes related to review & approval of Community Care consult requests (for justification/medical necessity) &/or denial of Community Care consults unauthorized/Mill Bill & traditional VA Community Care claims based on eligibility criteria.

The Chief CCS is a senior leadership position directly aligned under the Chief of Staff. This individual assumes direct responsibility & authority for the administrative & clinical operations as well as personnel within Community Care Service. This individual executes leadership that is characterized by substantial & continuous responsibility & accountability for population groups or integrated programs within Community Care & coordinates areas that cross service &/or discipline lines influences the organizational mission & facilitates care coordination with both internal/external providers & demonstrates nursing leadership clinical expertise & responsibility for outcomes.

Physician assigned to VA Community Care will meet basic requirements & hold a degree satisfactory to the Chief meet the physical standards as described by the Chief & will be licensed to practice without restrictions in a state or territory of the United States. All Physicians will meet the qualifications as stated below. Each Physician will establish & maintain professional relationships within VA Community Care & with other services & staff which result in improved patient care.

Duties include but not limited to the following:

• Serves in management of all Community Care consults & requests for additional services as directed.
• Demonstrate sound decision-making skills both clinical & administrative which bring credit to the profession & serve to enhance the distinctive & contributory role of physicians.
• Participates in multidisciplinary activities involving the treatment plan & discharge plans of patients admitted to the bed services as assigned.
• Utilizes problem solving methodologies to resolve problems that impact on patient care.
• Ability to review patients both clinically & administratively to determine eligibility for Community Care services.
• Provides guidance to all staff assigned to Office of Community Care.
• Assists in the training of staff & other stakeholders in the use of Community Care.
• Assists in the coordination of care with outside providers using knowledge of the resources & specialty care available in the VA.
• Facilitates ongoing communication between Community Care staff & leadership to evaluate data & review workload demands.
• Fosters team-oriented environment among staff to work collaboratively with administrative staff & other clinical staff within the Office of Community Care building trust relationships.
• Participates in & attends medical center committees as assigned.
• Revises work schedule & assignments on short notice to meet frequent abrupt & unpredictable changes in prescribed workload & deadlines.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: 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.
• Residency Training: 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. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) b) OR(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)OR(3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States) which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as Physician Resident Providers (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e. not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather they are to have a scope of practice that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

• Board certified/eligible physician with demonstrated leadership experience as a Section or Service Chief or similar experience.
• Significant demonstrated administrative leadership skills mentoring and management experience.
• Knowledge of Community Care or similar purchased care programs.
• Substantial experience ensuring adherence to performance measures and compliance with internal and external standards.
• Ability to assess needs and support others through a leadership role and in a highly professional and collaborative manner throughout all levels of the organization.
• Experience working in a VA 1A complexity facility or similar academic health center.