Physician Assistant - Community Living Center and Home-Based Memory Care

Summary

VA Black Hills Health Care System (VA BHHCS) is seeking a Physician Assistant (PA) to care for Veterans at the BHHCS Community Living Center (CLC) with the expectation to expand services to veterans with neurocognitive disorders. The focus is caring for Veterans with dementia in the CLC and as a provider of a home‑based memory care (HBMC) team. This vacancy is posted as a Physician Assistant and Advanced Practice Nurse for one position.

• The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers.
• This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well‑being and live their lives to the fullest.
• As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care – you will operate in a model with three core elements – seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran.
• This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community.
• This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well‑being.
• Specific practice setting is at Hot Springs CLC with plans to expand the Home‑Based Primary Care (HBPC) Program and start a Home‑Based Memory Care (HBMC) Team specializing in care of Veterans with dementia.
• The PA will collaborate with physicians and interdisciplinary health team members to identify, implement, test, and evaluate novel approaches to optimizing quality of life of older Veterans and Veterans with neurocognitive disorders/dementia.
• Scope of Assigned Duties include – but are not limited to:
  Obtains medical histories and performs physical examinations – at admission to CLC and annually.
• Documents Discharge Note and Discharge Summaries at the time of discharge.
• Provides and coordinates medical care for assigned patients – including establishing diagnoses, formulating, and implementing care plans, and providing follow‑up care.
• Orders and interprets diagnostic testing results and therapeutic modalities – including but not limited to laboratory tests, ECG, radiological studies, hemodynamic monitoring, treatments, limited IV fluids/electrolytes, oxygen, etc. – based on the current CLC treatment guidelines of stable patients.
• Orders ancillary services – including but not limited to pharmacy, social services, physical medicine and rehabilitation therapies, prosthetic services, etc.
• Attends CLC Interdisciplinary Team meetings to coordinate care for CLC Veterans.
• Orders VA specialty service consults and initiates requests for non‑VA medical care and consults in accordance with VHA and local facility policy and procedures.
• Orders interfacility transfers and other transportation for CLC Veterans.
• Orders or prescribes devices, supplies, and durable medical equipment.
• Orders or prescribes medications for patients under their care consistent with privileges.
• Obtains and documents informed consent for treatments and procedures for which the PA is responsible according to BHHCS Medical Bylaws.
• Provides education and counsels patients and families on preventive care, medical conditions, and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs.
• Conducts Goals‑of‑Care conversations with high‑risk patients regarding any desired limitation in life‑sustaining treatments and choice of surrogate and records the Life‑Sustaining Treatment Decisions (LST) progress note and corresponding orders when the Veteran is under their care, or if delegated by the attending physician.
• Telehealth modalities may be utilized for the provision of care by an authorized provider pursuant to Service Level Guidance – required training and instruction – and in collaboration with the Facility Telehealth Coordinator (FTC).
• Provides clinical oversight and participates in peer review of other Rehabilitation and Extended Care (REC) providers through periodic chart reviews.
• Acts as a surrogate for absent CLC providers as needed – including review of EMR alerts and other duties as assigned.
• Regularly attends all provider meetings – departmental meetings and medical staff meetings as…