Employee Occupational Health Section Chief- Physician

About the role

Employee Occupational Health (EOH) Section Chief serves as the Agency Medical Officer (AMO) and is responsible for uniformly and consistently applying medical decisions and polices policies for the EOH Program at the facility and ensures EOH professionals have adequate resources such as equipment, staffing, and supplies to operate an efficient and effective program to help ensure and promote a safe and healthy workforce.

Qualifications

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 allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine
• 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. Approved residencies are:
  • Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education — the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) — in the list published for the year the residency (or fellowship if applicable) was completed
  • One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States
  • Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) — 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 experiences
• Exceptions: Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs 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 (not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; they have a "scope of practice" allowing certain restricted duties under supervision. Surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English

Preferred Experience

• Medical Review Officer (MRO) Certification is preferred
• Education and/or experience in the areas of occupational medicine — i.e., occupational disease and injury management, epidemiology, toxicology, and preventive medicine are required

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical services with a focus on pre-placement medical exams, agency administrative exams, restoration of health and workability assessments following work-related injuries, prevention of illness and injury, and protection from work-related and environmental hazards
• Supervise other providers in the EOH section
• Complete applicant onboarding exams as assigned to determine the physical, cognitive, and emotional fitness of applicants for appointment
• Complete periodic exams for employees including boiler plant workers, police officers, and drivers
• Provide evidence-based clinical evaluation and initial treatment of injuries and illnesses that are occupationally related
• Provide ongoing medical care and rehabilitation of the occupationally injured and ill when selected as the provider of choice
• Serve as a liaison for Workman's Compensation Occupational Safety Departments for workplace injuries and illness
• Determine whether the employee is medically able to return to work or resume regular duties without impairing his/her own health or the health of others after a period of injury or illness
• Manage bloodborne pathogen exposures as part of the Employee Occupational Health Team
• Assess the safety of an employee to work when a supervisor requests a voluntary assessment for impairment
• Assess the safety of employees who are expressing thoughts of self-harm
• Perform fitness-for-duty exams at the request of Human Resources
• Recognize potential chemical, physical, and biological environmental causes of health concern to individuals
• Promptly refer employees to their personal health care providers when abnormal exam findings or test results are identified for nonoccupational illness or injury requiring additional evaluation and/or treatment
• Review and administer established medical surveillance program requirements for employees who are exposed to specific workplace hazards
• Assist employees in health promotion and disease prevention
• Provide Medical Review Officer result verification for all pre-placement, random, or other HR requested drug screens
• Remain current on local, regional, and national Policies/Handbooks/Directives related to Occupational Health/Employee Health standards and safety of staff and patients
• Triage and apply a collaborative team approach in identifying, analyzing, and resolving patient care problems, including facilitating referral to higher level of care if indicated
• Work collaboratively with all levels of health care professionals, numerous departments, management, and