Physician - Hospital Epidemiology and Infectious Disease

Job Description

Join our Team at the Department of Veterans VA Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA as a Physician - Hospital Epidemiology and Infectious Disease!

The Hospital Epidemiologist will study and review factors that determine disease, disability, or other healthcare outcomes (usually with a focus on Infectious Diseases and other hospital associated infections).

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Chair the Infection Prevention and Control Committee and guide the program using principles of epidemiology and data analysis, including providing subject matter expertise and policy recommendations which would include, but are not limited to: a) procedures for precautions towards the prevention of infections; b) environmental sanitation and disinfection; c) infection surveillance; d) epidemiologic reviews; e) consultation on surveillance, prevention, and epidemiologic follow-up on communicable diseases/infections affecting VA staff in cooperation with employee Occupational Health; f) advise and/or participate in appropriate local facility committees; g) provide guidance for activities under the Infection Prevention and Control Program.
• Participate as a lead in pandemic preparedness efforts and programs, together with IPC and other departments.
• Implement strategies for the prevention and control of disease directed towards patients/residents, visitors, employees, and others identified by local needs, including during outbreak and epidemic situations including but not limited to: a)ensuring the medical facility complies with policy documents developed to support infectious diseases and infection prevention and control programs, MDRO prevention, antimicrobial stewardship and bio surveillance activities; b)ensure that educational resources as related to infectious diseases, infection prevention and control, antimicrobial stewardship and biosurveillance are in place and available for patients/residents, visitors, employees and others as identified by local needs; c)ensuring the integration of the Infectious Diseases section and the Infection Prevention and Control Program and the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program - Study and review factors that can determine disease, disability, or other healthcare outcomes (usually with a focus on infectious diseases and hospital associated infections).
• Participate as a core member of the multi-disciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team at VAPAHCS.
• Care of Veterans with Infectious Diseases in VAPAHCS through in-person, video, and other telehealth modalities.
• Disseminating and educating on new Hospital Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship policies, management guidelines, national VHA guidance or directives to facility ID staff, leadership and providers.
• Serving as core teaching faculty at VAPAHCS/Stanford University, which may include delivering Hospital Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship-related presentations as part of Stanford Fellowship ID Lecture Series, internal medicine conferences or lecture series; primary care quarterly clinical updates; or other opportunities.
• Contributing to medical trainee education in Hospital Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship, including precepting residents and fellows rotating in the VAPAHCS and participating as ID subject matter expert in multidisciplinary case conferences.
• There may be additional duties suitable for an ID physician as assigned by the ID section chief.

Benefits and Features

• Expected Salary range from $294,308 to $315,000 (negotiable based on candidate's qualifications, credentials and experience).

• Work Schedule: Full-time, schedule to be determined by supervisor.
• 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.

We encourage you to consider VA employment in Palo Alto, CA. We offer both a mission you can put your heart into and a home for fun, new experiences. Join a team that values a healthy home/work life balance and be rewarded by your role in keeping the promise to those who served.