<p>The Staff Neurosurgeon at VA St. Louis Health Care System provides advanced Complex Spine and peripheral nerve care within Surgical Service. Candidates must be Board Certified or Board Eligible with a Complex Spine Fellowship or other neurosurgery-based advanced spine fellowship. Duties include clinical care, spinal procedures, teaching, and administrative support. A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive has been authorized for highly qualified individuals.</p> <p>VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.</p> <p>Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized and may be offered to highly qualified individuals.</p> <p>Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases</p> <p>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)</p> <p>Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA</p> <p>Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)</p> <p>Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory</p> <p>CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification)</p> <p>Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided</p> <p>Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting</p> <p>Major Duties and Responsibilities</p> <p>The Staff Neurosurgeon is a key member of the Surgical Service team, responsible for delivering high-quality, patient-centered neurosurgical care to Veterans. This role encompasses a wide range of clinical, educational, administrative, and potentially research-related duties.</p> <p>Outpatient Care:</p> <ul> <li>Evaluate, diagnose, and treat Veterans with cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerve conditions. </li><li>Collaborate with Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), nurses, and technicians to ensure efficient clinic operations and timely follow-up. </li><li>Delegate tasks appropriately while maintaining oversight of all clinical care. </li></ul> <p>Inpatient Care:</p> <ul> <li>Serves as an attending neurosurgeon for admitted patients, supported by APPs, RNs, and residents (if present). </li><li>Work closely with inpatient nursing staff, case managers, and technicians to manage daily care, post-operative recovery, and discharge planning. </li></ul> <p>Operative Care:</p> <ul> <li>Perform complex spinal surgical procedures, including spinal reconstruction. </li><li>Lead perioperative teams, including anesthesiologists, surgical nurses, APPs, and scrub technicians. </li><li>Provide intraoperative teaching and model best practices in teamwork, sterile technique, and safety. </li></ul> <p>Emergency Surgical Care:</p> <ul> <li>Respond promptly to urgent neurosurgical consults and emergent operative cases. </li><li>Direct multidisciplinary emergency responses involving ER physicians, ICU staff, and nursing teams. </li></ul> <p>On-Call Duties:</p> <ul> <li>Participate equitably in the neurosurgical call schedule. </li><li>Collaborate with inpatient and on-call surgical teams to triage and manage emergency consults. </li></ul> <p>Community Care Coordination:</p> <ul> <li>Work with Care in the Community staff, APPs, and case managers to coordinate external referrals. </li><li>Review and integrate external operative and imaging reports into VA care plans. </li></ul> <p>Team-Based Care</p> <ul> <li>Provide leadership within a multidisciplinary team of APPs, nurses, surgical technicians, and allied health professionals. </li><li>Ensure team members operate at the top of their license and competencies. </li><li>Mentor and guide APPs in both clinic and inpatient settings. </li><li>Collaborate with nursing leadership to optimize patient care processes and perioperative protocols. </li><li>Participate in interdisciplinary care teams, tumor boards, and spine conferences </li></ul> <p>Teaching and Education</p> <ul> <li>Supervise and educate residents, APPs, nursing staff, and other health professions trainees. </li><li>Deliver structured learning experiences focused on neurosurgical principles, patient safety, and team-based care. </li><li>Conduct in-service training for OR nurses and technicians on neurosurgical instrumentation and sterile technique. </li></ul> <p>Administrative and Professional Duties</p> <ul> <li>Attend Surgical Service meetings and participate in peer review and quality improvement initiatives. </li><li>Collaborate with nursing leadership, OR managers, and APP supervisors to enhance workflows and patient outcomes. </li><li>Ensure timely and accurate documentation in the Electronic Health Record (EHR). </li></ul> <p>Research and Scholarly Activity (if applicable)</p> <ul> <li>Engage in research related to neurosurgical outcomes, spine surgery, and neuromodulation. </li><li>Promote APP and nursing involvement in scholarly projects and quality improvement initiatives. </li></ul> <p>Scope of Practice / Privileges</p> <ul> <li>Includes outpatient, inpatient, elective, and emergent neurosurgical care, with a focus on complex spine and functional neurosurgery. </li><li>Provide oversight of care delivered by APPs, RNs, and technicians. </li><li>Clinical privileges are subject to approval by the Professional Standards Board and Chief of Staff. </li></ul> <p>Supervisory Controls</p> <ul> <li>Reports directly to the Associate Chief of Staff, Surgical Services. </li><li>Provides direct clinical supervision to APPs and indirect oversight of nurses and surgical technicians. </li><li>Performance is evaluated through clinical outcomes, peer reviews, and quality metrics. </li></ul> <p>Work Schedule: Full-Time tour of duty to be negotiated upon selection.</p>