Las Vegas, New Mexico
Eskridge & Associates
Description:
6 Board Certified ER Physicians or FP/IM Physicians w/ recent ER experience needed in Emergency Room department of the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center
1. BACKGROUND.
1.1. ED physicians are required in the VASNHS ED in support of Veteran beneficiaries of VASNHS. Patient load is estimated to be approximately sixty (60) - ninety (90) patients per day, but may be higher or lower on certain days.
1.2. The VASNHS ED is currently considered a level three (3) acute care unit, however it is anticipated that the ED will be reclassified as a level two (2) at some time prior to the end of the contract period of performance.
1.3. Contract ED physicians shall not be required to provide care in areas other than the ED with the exception of Code Blues and Rapid Responses in designated areas unless there is an unusual emergency situation or a disaster.
1.4. Paramedics do not transport acute trauma patients to VASNHS at this time. If patients with major trauma are presented, they will be stabilized and transferred to a trauma center. The VASNHS facility manages only minor trauma.
1.5. The ED is operational twenty-four (24) hours per day, every day. Contract ED physicians will be required to fill all shifts with an emphasis on evenings, weekends and holidays. Contract physicians shall not work more than sixteen (16) continuous hours per day nor exceed eighty (80) hours of duty per calendar week (Sunday-Saturday).
1.6. Contract ED physicians will not be required to oversee any residents or medical students who rotate through the ED.
2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
2.1. Contract ED physicians shall provide emergency/urgent/observational care to patients requiring care in the ED. The medical coverage shall consist of, but is not limited to:
•Assessment of acute medical/surgical/psychiatric conditions after preliminary evaluation for triage by the nursing staff. This includes history and physical, diagnostic testing, treatment, requesting consults as needed, and admitting patients when clinically required.
•Making outside calls on behalf of the patients and other parties regarding care in the VASNHS ED.
•Receiving phone calls from other facilities requesting transfer of Veterans to the VASNHS ED and making timely decisions on acceptance of such patients according to VASNHS policy.
•Timely completion of medical record documentation in accordance with VA and The Joint Commission (TJC) policy utilizing the VA Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Such documentation includes, but is not limited to, procedure notes, encounter forms, informed consents rapid response and Code Blue notes.
•Seeing all presenting patients in a timely manner. Timeliness will be defined based on criticality of the patient and triage category, not time of their arrival. Each physician will support the VA's National performance standards and goals. Specifically, absent any extenuating circumstances outside of the physician's control, efforts must be made to see every patient within forty-five (45) minutes or less.
•In support of timeliness goals, contract physician productivity will be measured against that of peers in the same or significantly similar setting.
•Prescribing medications for patients according to the VASNHS appropriate clinical protocols and the established drug formulary.
•Establishing plans for hospitalization (if required) through coordination with inpatient units and VA staff physicians, including transfer to surrounding facilities if bed space or necessary services are unavailable to meet patient care needs.
2.2. Additionally, Contract ED physicians shall:
•Commit to a minimum of six (6) shifts per month, each shift being ten point five (10.5) hours.
•Follow all VASNHS ED policies and procedures.
•Assume the responsibilities of Triage Officer as required and as outlined in the Medical Center Disaster Plan.
•Assume responsibility for compliance with TJC and other departmental and facility-wide performance improvement reviews and monitors.
•Effectively communicate with Veteran patients, their families, and other interested parties regarding Veterans' condition, including death, suicides, aftercare, and transfer to/from other medical facilities.
2.3. The VASNHS Director and Chief of Staff shall make a final determination that Contract ED physicians are well qualified and fully capable of providing high quality care for Veteran patients based upon verification of credentials pertaining to education, training, experience and competency. If a Contract physician is rejected by VASNHS, the Contractor shall be required to propose substitute acceptable personnel. The VASNHS determination is conclusive and not subject to further review through dispute resolution procedures.
3. QUALIFICATIONS.
3.1. Personnel assigned by the Contractor to perform services covered by this contract shall hold an unrestricted medical license in the State of Nevada. The qualifications of such personnel shall be subject to review by the VASNHS Chief of Staff (COS) and approval by the VASNHS Director.
3.2. Emergency Department physicians shall:
•Be Board Certified, or eligible to take boards, in Emergency Medicine (EM) by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM); or American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine (AOBEM); or be certified in Internal Medicine or Family Practice and meet all other requirements stated below.
•Have completed an Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Family Practice or Surgery residency program.
•Be credentialed by the appropriate civilian American Medical Association (AMA) specialty and indemnified by an appropriate/legal third party corporate entity for their professional activities.
•If not board certified/eligible in EM, have a minimum of five (5) years of experience in emergency department care. Time spent in an ED setting as a physician intern or in a residency program shall count toward the five (5) years of experience.
•Be certified in American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
•Have a valid/certified Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) license.
•Have a valid/certified State of Nevada Controlled Substance certificate.
•Be a U.S. citizen or be permitted by law to work in the U.S.
•Not have had a medical license revoked or limited by a State, Territory, Commonwealth or the District of Columbia.
•Not be pending or have had past felony charges against him/her.