Physician - Primary Care Medical Director

This leadership opportunity is located at the Royal C Johnson VA Health Care System in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred until the announcement closes on August 20, 2026.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed below. 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 physicians 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.

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Degree: Doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic 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.
• License: 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.
  • Residencies approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in the list published for the year the residency or fellowship 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 in the United States.
  • Non-U.S. residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States, performing duties related to the position applied for, which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems appropriate.
• Exceptions: Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs who meet the basic requirements may be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed and may only be appointed on an intermittent basis. They are not considered independent practitioners and must perform restricted duties under supervision. In rare circumstances, the Facility Director may request exceptions to the residency training requirement.
• Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Administration

• Provide supervision, clinical leadership, and oversight of medical management for the Sioux Falls VA Primary Care Clinics and the Community Care program, including safety and quality standards, utilization management, and continuous quality improvement activities.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based policies, care algorithms, and care bundles to optimize the use of VHA and network care resources.
• Serve as a medical reviewer for purchased services; determine medical necessity and appropriateness of utilizing care outside the VHA system and document clinical decisions in the EHR.
• Collaborate closely with Community Care (CITC) staff, Business Office, Quality/Safety/Value (QSV), Utilization Management, and ad-hoc teams to ensure high-quality care for Veterans receiving community care.
• Act as a liaison with community physicians and internal SFVAHCS providers to coordinate Veteran-centered plans of care and exchange clinical feedback.
• Provide recommendations on the adequacy of the community provider network and identify additional specialties for consideration as appropriate.
• Review concerns regarding care quality by external providers and make recommendations to appropriate committees and leaders.
• Operate in a Program Manager role for the Primary Care Service Line, including performance management, access, quality, and compliance.
• Attend staff meetings, serve on committees, teams, workgroups, and peer reviews as requested by ACOS for Primary Care.

Medical Director Role

• Functions as the Medical Director for both Primary Care and Care in the Community (Community Care) programs at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS).
• Provides integrated administrative leadership, policy oversight, quality and safety direction, and clinical governance across Primary Care and Community Care operations to ensure timely, Veteran-centered care that complies with VA and VHA regulations and Federal law.
• Maintains proficiency in the VA electronic health record (EHR) and adheres to local and national performance measures.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Provide outpatient primary care in accordance with scope of practice, including history and physical exam, ordering and interpreting diagnostic studies, developing treatment and follow-up plans, preventive care, and chronic disease management.
• Deliver care through face-to-face visits and other modalities such as group or telephone clinics, virtual visits, and secure messaging consistent with health care operations.
• Complete patient encounters and documentation in accordance with coding guidelines and VHA/medical staff bylaws.
• Maintain required training (e.g., TMS, HIPAA, information security).
• Maintain active clinical practice within Primary Care (adjustable per operational need).

Benefits

• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized for highly qualified candidates.
• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): Student loan repayment program available. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov for questions. Eligible candidates must submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program approval, award amount (up to $200,000), and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office.
• Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year, and possible 5 days paid absence for CME).
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% contributions by VA.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
• Licensure: One full and unrestricted license from any U.S. State or territory.
• CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification).
• Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided.
• Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.

Schedule

7:30 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.