Chief, Disability Evaluation Service Line
What you'd do
This announcement is only open to current employees of the Fayetteville VA Mid-Atlantic Healthcare System. The Service Chief of the Disability Evaluation Service Line (DESL)provides administrative, clinical, and programmatic leadership for DESL Health to ensure achievement of the clinical, research, and education goals. The incumbent reports to the Deputy Chief of Staff and serves as a key clinical resource for the Medical Center Director.
Major duties
The incumbent is a board-certified practitioner with advanced clinical experience and demonstrated administrative and leadership skills. The responsibilities include hands on clinical work, oversight, and administration of all aspects of the service, including an extensive research program and guidance and training for residents and other trainees. Leadership & Program Management Provide daily leadership for DESL operations including staff supervision, workload oversight, scheduling coordination, and clinic management. Ensure compliance with VHA and VBA exam timeliness, quality, and accuracy standards. Develop and update processes, workflows, and performance expectations. Drive continuous improvement efforts to reduce backlog, enhance efficiency, and improve Veteran experience. Clinical Oversight & Quality Assurance Oversee the clinical accuracy and completeness of disability examinations. Ensure proper completion of Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) in CAPRI. Ensure accurate documentation for Environmental Health Registry (EHR) examinations. Maintain separation between clinical care and benefits evaluation; no treatment or prescribing within DESL. Conduct quality reviews, provide feedback, and implement corrective action plans. Environmental Health Registry (EHR) & Military Exposures Ensure DESL physicians complete military exposure examinations per Health Outcomes Military Exposures (HOME) Office guidelines. Provide clinical and programmatic support for EHR operations. Support DESL and EHR integration across FVACHCS. Maintain staff competency in exposure documentation, screening protocols, and registry requirements. Toxic Exposure Screening (TES) Perform TES duties as assigned. Ensure staff understand TES protocols when serving as TES Navigators or supporting workflows. Assist with TES program planning, reporting, and internal review processes. Collaboration & Interdisciplinary Coordination Serve as primary liaison with VBA Regional Offices regarding exam workflows, requests, and priorities. Coordinate with clinical services, scheduling teams, EHR staff, and administrative partners. Collaborate with external contracting partners to ensure continuity and compliance. Administrative & Compliance Responsibilities Develop and maintain local DESL/EHR policies. Ensure compliance with VHA directives, HOME Office guidance, Joint Commission standards, and other regulatory requirements. Oversee workload capture, productivity monitoring, data integrity, and documentation compliance. Participate in audits, administrative reviews, and executive-assigned duties. Staff Supervision & Professional Development Supervise physicians, APPs, and administrative personnel. Provide onboarding, education, performance evaluations, and competency assessments. Foster a positive work environment and support staff development. Veteran-Centered Service Ensure Veterans receive respectful, timely, and transparent examinations. Address Veteran concerns related to exam processes, documentation, or exposure evaluations. Promote a culture of trust, communication, and service excellence He/she is accountable and responsible for providing the most effective delivery of administrative oversight and care throughout the medical center while meeting and exceeding compliance standards for the DESL. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, 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 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA 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 restriction on moonlighting Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. 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 physician(s) 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. 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. 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. 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. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) 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; OR (2) 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; OR (3) 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 and 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 (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, 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, who may approve requests 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. Additional Requirement: Must be board certified. Preferred Experience: Familiarity with VBA and VHA workflows, including exams, ratings, and appeals processes. Coordinating C&P exam operations, scheduling, and compliance efforts. Ensuring alignment with national VA directives. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and up to 25 pounds frequently to move objects, including equipment and assisting with client movement. Emotional Demands-Includes regular interaction with patients and families, meeting their needs and expectations. May involve working with critically ill patients and witnessing patient suffering. Visual Requirements: Must be able to read printed materials and distinguish colors, such as reading medical orders and assessing skin tone or wounds. Requires the ability to visually inspect patients, accurately read measurements on medical equipment (thermometers, gauges, IV pumps, monitors, etc.), and perceive depth to move safely and interact appropriately with patients and staff. Intellectual/Emotional Requirements: Ability to function effectively in high-stress environments with frequent interruptions, urgent situations, and collaboration with a multidisciplinary team. Must be able to shift tasks without loss of efficiency, meet workload and scheduling demands, and balance patient care, documentation, and participation in meetings or committees. Requires effective, courteous communication with diverse individuals, the ability to work independently, recognize when to seek assistance, and maintain confidentiality to protect patient privacy.
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