Physician - Pain Management

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

The VA Pittsburgh Health System (VAPHS), Division of Pain Medicine is seeking a board-certified or board-eligible pain management physician to join the interdisciplinary Pain Management Team at University Drive VA Medical Center. The position serves all VAPHS-associated facilities through onsite and virtual care. The division is part of the Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine service line and serves western Pennsylvania, including the Altoona, Butler, and Erie VHA facilities and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics. Duties include but are not limited to: Clinical Provides comprehensive pain evaluation, diagnosis, and longitudinal management for Veterans with chronic non-cancer pain, post-surgical pain, neuropathic pain, and complex regional pain syndromes; performs neuromusculoskeletal and functional assessments, differentiates musculoskeletal, neuropathic, and centralized pain, and interprets imaging to identify pain generators. Delivers care using a biopsychosocial framework, integrating pharmacologic, procedural, behavioral, rehabilitation, and Whole Health/complementary and integrative modalities, including rehabilitation plans, bracing, orthotics, assistive devices, and DME. Provides consultative services via e-consult, SCAN-ECHO, telehealth, and clinical video telehealth as assigned. Manages medications for chronic pain, focusing on polypharmacy reduction, opioid risk stratification, and non-opioid analgesics and adjuvants. Manages opioid therapy, including adjustments and tapers, in compliance with the VA/DOD Long-term Opioid Therapy Clinical Practice Guideline and VHA policies. Coordinates care with the PMT, including addiction medicine, behavioral medicine, rehabilitation medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and Whole Health team members; participates in interdisciplinary case conferences, huddles, and complex case reviews. Coordinates transitions of care with Primary Care, Specialty Care, Mental Health, Palliative Care, and Community Care providers. Performs pain-related procedures within credentialed privileges, including trigger point and peripheral joint injections, caudal, epidural, and spinal blocks, diagnostic/therapeutic nerve blocks (peripheral, cranial, costal, plexus, ganglion), neuroablative radiofrequency modalities, and percutaneous/subcutaneous neurostimulator electrode implantation. Obtains informed consent; follows procedural safety standards, universal protocol, and time-out; applies radiation-safety principles (ALARA); manages procedural complications and sedation/anesthesia coordination per facility policy. Responds to inpatient consultation requests for acute, post-operative, and chronic pain, performing bedside evaluation, recommending management (including opioid-sparing regimens, rehabilitation, safe opioid continuation or tapering at discharge, and interventional techniques), communicating recommendations to the primary team, and providing follow-up. Adheres to Message Manager, encounter completion, and documentation timeliness standards; completes CPRS documentation, orders, and consults; maintains compliance with VHA clinical performance measures, licensure, DEA registration, and required VA training. Administrative Supports and coordinates the Integrative Pain Medicine service by evaluating service needs, managing clinical workloads and staffing resources, and linking clinical improvements to operational efficiency. Serves on institutional and regional pain committees and initiates ongoing improvements to service delivery consistent with clinical practice guidelines and the VHA Pain Directive. Applies strong interpersonal, consultation, and problem-solving skills with support staff, peers, and service line and facility leaders. Participates in peer review and professional practice evaluations. Ensures accurate procedural documentation and coding; helps select and evaluate procedural equipment, implants, and supplies; contributes to procedure-suite workflow, scheduling, and patient-safety standards. Works with the facility PMOP Triad on program development, process improvement, and local standards, ensuring compliance with VHA, Joint Commission, and other accrediting standards. Education Teaches and supervises residents, fellows, and students from affiliated programs in clinic, the procedure suite, and inpatient consults, including hands-on procedural instruction within privileges and trainee assessment; ensures supervision and documentation meet VA and accreditation requirements. Maintains a faculty appointment if available. Provides didactic teaching, case conferences, and journal clubs; educates nurses, therapists, primary care, and other clinicians on pain assessment, opioid safety, and non-pharmacologic care; educates Veterans and families through shared decision-making and self-management teaching. Research and scholarly activity are encouraged as time and approvals allow.

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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.