Primary Care Physicians (Internal Medicine)

Primary Care Physician

Place of performance: Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, One Freedom Way, Augusta, GA 30904 in the primary care clinic

VA Business Hours: The Primary Care Service operates Monday-Friday and off on Weekends and Federal Holidays. Schedule: 8:00AM – 4:30 PM

Requirements:

• Board Certification: All contractors’ physicians shall be Board Certified or Board Eligible in Internal Medicine.
• Active, unrestricted medical license (any U.S. state)
• Active DEA and NPI
• Active BLS

Duties and Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Comprehensive Primary Care: Preventive care of immunizations, cancer screening, and lifestyle counseling. Chronic disease management of Diabetes, hypertension, COPD, heart failure, etc. Acute care evaluations and treatment of new or urgent symptoms. Mental Health screening for depression, PTSD, and substance use (with referrals as needed).
• Care Coordination: Serve as the team leader in the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model with coordination with specialists, mental health providers, Social Workers, Pharmacists, and Community care providers (via VA’s Community Care Network). Manage referrals, consults, and follow-up care.
• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: Educate veterans on nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation, and alcohol use. Use clinical reminders and health maintenance tools in the electronic health record to track preventive care.
• Geriatric and Palliative Care Integration: Address aging-related issues, including cognitive decline, falls, and polypharmacy. Collaborate with Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) and Palliative Care teams when appropriate.
• Women’s Health: Provide gender-specific care. Address reproductive health, menopause, and trauma-informed care.
• Telehealth and Virtual Care: Conduct video visits, telephone appointments, and secure messaging via My HealtheVet. Use remote patient monitoring tools when available.
• Documentation and Compliance: Maintain accurate and timely documentation in the electronic health record. Comply with VA Policies, clinical reminders, and performance measures (e.g., HEDIS, eQMs).
• Shifts: Contractor’s physician(s) shall be present on time for any scheduled shifts as documented by physical presence in the Primary Care Service at the scheduled start time.
• Inpatient Admissions: Contractor’s physician(s) shall review all admissions to inpatient hospital care recommended by Advanced Practice Provider (Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner). Every admission to inpatient care shall have a person-to-person hand-off/hand-over from the admitting Provider to a responsible member of the admitting team.
• Consultation and Referral Responsibilities: Contractor’s physician(s) shall provide consultation with and instruction to referring physicians regarding appropriate indications for procedures so that the most expeditious and clinically appropriate care can be provided. Contractor’s physician(s) shall determine the appropriate course of treatment and communicate in person or by phone with the referring clinicians.
• Contractor’s physician(s) shall initiate appropriate social work referrals for all identified homeless veterans and for patients who do not have primary care providers.

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