The Oklahoma City VA Healthcare System (OCVAHCS) is actively recruiting a board-certified, board-eligible full-time permanent hospital employed Cardiothoracic Surgeon to join our Surgery department. The Cardiothoracic Surgeon is accountable to the Chief of Surgery. The Cardiothoracic Surgeon physician participates in inpatient and outpatient care related to Cardiothoracic surgeries at the OKC VA. Responsibilities include design and conduct comprehensive examinations, diagnosis, and implementation of treatment plans, admission orders, discharge summaries, ordering special labs, and radiographic studies, Provide medical education/counseling to patients & their families, and Verify, establish, and ensure that identified pre-operative surgical requirements are met, ensure appropriate arrangements have been established for admission, and coordinate inpatient activities on the floor. The cardiothoracic surgeon will also be responsible for performing bedside procedures including placement of arterial lines, swan-ganz catheters, and central lines, bronchoscopy, changing of tracheostomy tubes, wound care and debridement, thoracentesis, removal of chest tubes, temporary pacing wires, intra-aortic balloon pump, central lines, arterial lines, and drainsall, management of clinic staff, productivity, oversight of performance measures, patient safety initiatives, and process improvement as well as apply national and VA guidelines to patient screening, surveillance and management. Additional duties include;

1. Demonstrate ability to diagnose and treat CT surgery patients seen in consultation with other health care providers
2. Promote patient care programs for the CT surgery patients
3. Integrates the activities of the CT surgery service with other patient care programs at the facility
4. Provides education, teaching, and support to surgical residents and fellows
5. Participates in Quality Improvement (QI) projects as deemed necessary by the department, Quality Management (QM), and/or the Chief of Staff
6. Participates as a key member of the CT surgery Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) to ensure optimized outcomes for all CT surgery patients

SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE DUTIES

1. Considers factors related to safety, effectiveness, and cost in planning and delivering CT surgical care
2. Performs complex CT surgeries and procedures on a high-acuity patient population; manages a broad range of CT surgery practice. This encompasses all areas of general CT surgery.
3. Evaluates and treats CT surgery emergencies in the emergency department, inpatient wards, ICU, and operating room
4. Obtains H&P, and assessment of ongoing patient needs
5. Orders and interprets routine laboratory tests, diagnostic studies, and radiographic tests
6. Performs diagnostic and stabilization procedures as necessary based on ACLS
7. Collaborates with respiratory therapy and nursing for airway management and ventilator weaning
8. Writes orders for laboratory work, medications, and treatments in compliance with hospital policies
9. Participates in and prepares discharge planning needs for SICU patients through communication with team members, patients, families, and consultants
10. Documents relevant laboratory data, study results, patient care, pertinent procedures, and patient updates within notes
11. Demonstrates competence with placement and removal of enteral feeding tubes, central venous catheters, arterial lines, swan-ganz catheters, sutures, drains/tubes
12. Assists with and performs invasive procedures including central lines, arterial lines, etc.
13. Collaborates with physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team using effective communication and interpersonal skills to develop and maintain interdisciplinary teamwork
14. Identifies 'at risk' individuals in need of referrals
15. Maintains accurate, timely medical records
16. Participates in performance measures through documentation and data collection/reporting
17. Assists in investigation and documentation of patient issues and concerns
18. Identifies individual differences as related to the physiological, cultural, and psychological aspects of maturational development
19. Demonstrates ability to multi-task and prioritize patient care needs

The OCVAMC is located in Oklahoma City, OK and is the “Flagship” for the Oklahoma VA Health Care System (OCVAHCS) - a Joint Commission accredited, referral level 1b (medium complexity) facility. The surgery department serves patients across the spectrum of inpatient and outpatient care for more than 70,000 veterans in an area that includes 48 counties in Oklahoma and 2 counties in North Central Texas. Join a department that is expanding the clinical area to better serve veteran patients!

Work Schedule

Full-time, Monday-Friday 08:00-4:30

• U.S. Citizens receive preference – non-U.S. Citizens may be considered.
• Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in the U.S.
• Board Certified in Vascular Surgery preferred, but Board Eligibility may also be considered.

The starting pay is $325,000- $400,000 per year.

• A recruitment incentive will be offered, and there is the potential for an annual performance bonus of up to $15,000.
• Retirement: Federal Retirement Plan through the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) - A three-tiered retirement plan composed of 1) Social Security benefits; 2) FERS-FRAE basic benefits (pension); and 3) Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which is a 401K-type plan, with up to 5% government matching contributions
• Eligible for Education Debt Repayment Program. (EDRP)
• Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentives available.
• 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 day paid absence for CME)
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US 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 restrictions on moonlighting
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentives available
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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