Physician - Chief Quality Officer

Summary

Ralph H. Johnson VA is located in downtown Charleston - a historic coastal city known for its culture - architecture - and dining. With a subtropical climate and nearby communities like Mount Pleasant - West Ashley - North Charleston - and Summerville - the area is highly accessible. Charleston International Airport is just 15 minutes from downtown.

Qualifications

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 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 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) - b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) -OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States) - 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
• 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 or fee-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
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Preferred Experience: M.D. or D.O. degree and a minimum of five (5) years of progressive managerial experience in healthcare and seven (7) years of progressive quality improvement experience required
• Board certification in a clinical specialty
• Advanced degree in healthcare administration - business - or a related field preferred
• Extensive experience in quality management - patient safety - and healthcare leadership
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements and accreditation standards
• Excellent communication - leadership - and collaboration skills
• Proven ability to drive change initiatives and foster a culture of continuous improvement
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Duties

• This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30 - 2026
• The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be April 19 - 2026 with subsequent cut-off dates every week
• Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until position is filled
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized 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 As the Chief Quality Officer (CQO) - you will lead the organization's mission to achieve excellence in clinical quality outcomes - patient safety - and value-based care
• This role is central to fostering a High Reliability Organization - promoting a Just Culture - and embedding safe - reliable processes throughout healthcare delivery
• The Chief Quality Officer will - Collaborate with the Quality Data SAIL coordinator - Infection Control Team - Surgical Quality - Chief Informatics Officer and Executive Leadership Team - to implement strategies for exceptional quality and patient safety outcomes
• Drive initiatives that advance high reliability principles and advocate for a Just Culture across the organization
• Partner with the Chief of Staff - Medical Director - and Quality Management team to integrate quality programs throughout the healthcare system
• Work with physicians - hospital leadership - and multidisciplinary teams to identify vulnerabilities - apply human factors and system principles - and prevent adverse events
• Oversee departmental staff activities to ensure quality - productivity - and operational excellence
• Manage employee engagement - staffing levels - budget compliance - hiring - termination - coaching - and policy development
• Establish priorities and functional standards to deliver superior service and achieve high patient satisfaction
• Actively participate in committees - educate medical staff - and serve as a liaison to maintain a competent and engaged workforce
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 7:30AM-4:00PM - (subject to change based on agency's needs)