Physician - Pain Management

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. 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 after complete review of the EDRP application. Learn more

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. The Nebraska Western Iowa-Omaha VA Health Care System is currently recruiting for one Full-time, Pain Management Physician. This position will be located in the Extended Care and Rehabilitation Service Line. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Authorized amount to be determined. Education Debt Reduction Program: Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Authorized: This position is eligible for EDRP, a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of your start date. EDRP Authorized: Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid time offer 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 Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Duties include but are not limited to the following: Will be recognized as an expert in the safe prescribing of opioid medication and will manage complex chronic pain patients on opioids and taper opioid and benzodiazepine medications as appropriate. Expertise in diagnosing and treating chronic pain patients with Opioid Use Disorder and will be a clinical champion for medication assisted therapy with Suboxone. Provide training to other staff within the health care system and VA region on integrative pain management and safe opioid prescribing. Provide pain care that that empowers and equips Veterans to take charge of their health and well-being and to live their life to the fullest. In addition to integrative pain management, will be expected to provide interventional pain care in the procedural clinic. Work closely with a comprehensive team of specialists to provide care focused on activation and rehabilitation. Our team will include the following team members: interventional pain physicians, addiction medicine specialist, physician assistant, pharmacist, pain psychologist, clinical social worker and pain physical therapist. Work closely with pharmacist, addiction medicine specialist, psychologist and physical therapist on the Pain Management Team (PMT) to provide safe and effective, multidisciplinary pain management and mitigate the risk for patients receiving chronic opioid therapy. Provide patient-centric tapering of opioids and benzodiazepines and treatment of Opioid Use Disorder with Suboxone. Collaborate with other team members to develop an integrated pain management approach that maximizes the utilization of complementary and alternative therapies and active pain management strategies to improve the overall health and functioning of patients. Team with PMT members to perform proactive medical record reviews of patients at risk of opioid related side effects and provide recommendations to primary care providers to enhance the effectiveness and safety of pain care. Work with interventional pain physicians and advance practice practitioner to improve efficiency, continuity, and effectiveness of interventional pain care. Provide regular risk reviews of high risk opioid patients as part of the Data Based Opioid Risk Review Team. May also assist in monitoring VA Pain Management quality assurance metrics, including the Opioid Safety Initiative, program outcome data, and other local data source measurements as needed to ensure strong clinical performance. Work Schedule: The tour of duty for this position is typically Monday- Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm.

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. You may be required to serve a probationary period. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.