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Academic HR Policies & ProceduresAppointments Compensation Promotion - Voluntary Faculty
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Morsani College of Medicine operates as part of USF Health's computer network (HSCNET), which itself is a large component of the University of South Florida's computing infrastructure. MCOM faculty are provided with a USF Health computer account, which provides email, network accessible data storage (home & group/dept), web storage, access to library resources, the HART data warehouse and provides the basis to acquire other academic and research services across the University, including many applications coded in-house at USF Health IS. The USF Health network provides high-speed access to other Morsani College of Medicine facilities across the Tampa Bay area. Included in the 50+ buildings are the major facilities at Tampa General/17 Davis/Harborside Tower, All Children's Hospital campus and a variety of affiliate clinical sites. This network supports the distribution of data and common application support, including videoconferencing, video streaming and podcasting services. As part of the University of South Florida, the Health network automatically routes communications across Internet2 whenever possible. Internet2 provides ultra high-speed connectivity to other collegiate and research centers throughout the U.S. and the world. MCOM faculty have access to a variety of computer services offered by the USF Health Information Services department. Services include workstation and connectivity trouble shooting, computer account activation/support, a variety of University licensed software, training and instructional development services, a full gamut of video services and support, customized web/computer application development and support, and computer project consulting. USF Health Information Services is available to co-sponsor or assist with research projects and grants. Additional information regarding computing support services and classes may be obtained by contacting USF Health IS at 974-6288 or by visiting their web site. Updated 09/08 | |||||
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Initial Appointment | |||||
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All Faculty positions in the Morsani College of Medicine shall have a Position Description that describes the Assigned Duties of the position at the time of initial appointment. Such Assigned Duties shall include the relative allocation of the faculty member's time to teaching, research and other scholarly activity, administration, service and clinical care. Position Descriptions are prepared by the department/school and approved by the Dean prior to the initiation of recruitment and are provided to the faculty members as part of their recruitment and acceptance of the appointment. | |||||
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At the beginning of each academic year (Fall term), each member of the Faculty shall have his or her Assigned Duties for the coming year conveyed to him or her in writing by the departmental Chairperson/school Director. The Assigned Duties will be reviewed at the beginning of the Spring and Summer terms and may be modified or revised at that time by the department Chairperson/School Director in response to a faculty member's request or other appropriate considerations to meet the needs of the department and the College. Further, each newly appointed faculty member should receive a written assignment within the first week of appointment. Refer also to the MCOM Faculty Assignment, Evaluation and Development Process. | |||||
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All faculty members are required to perform their Assigned Duties and the essential functions specified for their position in a timely and effective manner. Faculty members are required to adhere to all applicable Federal and State laws and College and University policies, procedures, and rules as an integral part of their Assigned Duties, as well as to conform to established standards of professional conduct and behavior. | |||||
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The performance of each faculty member is evaluated annually in writing by the department Chairperson/School Director at the completion of each academic year. Such evaluations are made in relation to the faculty member's assigned duties and are considered in making decisions about salary adjustments, promotion, continued employment, tenure, and professional development plans. Refer to the MCOM Faculty Assignment, Evaluation and Development Process for core faculty.
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Under the USF Health Sabbatical Policy, full-time, tenured faculty members of USF Health, excluding those in administrative positions at the level of chair/director and above, with at least six years of full-time service at the University shall be eligible to apply for a sabbatical. For a two-semester sabbatical at two thirds pay, full-time, tenured faculty members with at least twelve years of full-time service at the University are eligible to apply. Faculty who have at least six years of full-time employment with the University of South Florida are eligible to apply for Sabbatical Leave at full-pay for one semester or half-pay for two semesters. Eligible faculty may also apply for subsequent Sabbatical Leave after each additional six years of full-time service. The Morsani College of Medicine has a supplemental internal review process and timetable for this policy. In addition, the Morsani College of Medicine has a separate Sabbatical policy applicable to non-tenure earning faculty on a Clinical Educator or Research Scientist Pathway. Updated 3/05 | |||||
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Temporary Transfer of Full-Time Faculty to Grant-Supported Salary | |||||
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Tenure earning and tenured faculty in the Morsani College of Medicine may apply for temporary transfer of all or part of their University salary from a College-supported line to a Sponsored Research line supported by an external peer-reviewed research grant from NIH, NSF or other such recognized research organization without tenure status disruption. For detailed information on this process, contact the Office of Faculty Affairs. | |||||
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A Resident is a physician at any level of Graduate Medical Education in an approved program that leads to Board eligibility in a medical specialty or subspecialty Board, approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). A Fellow is a physician in a program of Graduate Medical Education that is beyond the requirements for eligibility for the first board certification in the discipline. The term "Fellow" is used unofficially in the Morsani College of Medicine. The University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine uses "Resident" to designate ALL Graduate Medical Education trainees. Additional information and guidelines governing Residents are available through the Graduate Medical Education office (813) 974-9744 or on the web. | |||||
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Residents and Common Pay Source (CPS) Fellows, who have completed three years of approved residency training in their current area of practice and are licensed to practice in Florida and participate actively in the department teaching and/or research programs, may be appointed to the Voluntary Faculty as Clinical Associates or Clinical Instructors without additional remuneration. USF Fellows who are licensed to practice in Florida, Board Eligible in their area of a practice and participate actively in the department teaching and/or research programs may be appointed to the Collateral Faculty as Instructors and may receive a salary supplement from the Academic Support Fund if they participate in the College's Practice Plan.
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In much the same way as funds that are appropriated by the State or Federal Governments for use by the College carry with them stipulations and restrictions on their use, the University has developed a series of Guidelines to cover the expenditure of non-governmental funds by the faculty to ensure that these are spent appropriately in support of its academic mission. These policies cover expenditures from Foundation, UMSA and MSSC funds, among others, and specify the types and amounts of allowable expenses and reimbursements for travel, recruitment, promotion, public relations, faculty development and other professional activities. Copies of the Policies can be obtained from the departmental/school administrator. In general:
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As a faculty member of The University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, you are an important asset. Through your efforts we continue to grow and develop. For this reason, The University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine takes a special interest in your well being on and off the job. With this as an important consideration, The University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, offers a Faculty Assistance Program (FAP). Additional information including phone number and address is available in the FAP section of the Wood & Associates website. Coping Strategies for Dealing with Current Economic Stressors - Links at the bottom of the page | |||||
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The Society is comprised of all of the members of the College's Affiliate Faculty with appointments as Affiliate Associate Professor or Affiliate Professor, with Associate Membership being offered to exceptional faculty with appointments as Affiliate Assistant Professors. Members of the Society function in support of appointment and promotion for Voluntary Faculty as the Voluntary Faculty Appointment and Promotion Committee with staggered terms of two years. In addition, the Society supports University development and liaison with the medical community, conducts an annual process for recognition of deserving faculty and is governed by an Executive Council, made up of a President, a Vice-President and three Councilors, all elected periodically by the members. The Society functions to advise the Dean on matters concerning the Voluntary Faculty and to represent the Voluntary Faculty in the affairs of the College. For further information, contact the Faculty Affairs Office (974-5105). Updated 12/9/03 | |||||
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The College has an active Alumni Association that sponsors an annual reunion to which faculty members are cordially invited. For further information, contact the Office of Alumni Affairs 813-974-6850 or visit their website. | |||||
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Faculty Activity Reporting (FAR) is a legislatively mandated process to report faculty effort within educational, research, service and other categories. Reporting at USF uses the Faculty Academic Information Reporting System (FAIR). All faculty are required to fill out a FAR form three times per year: Summer, Fall, and Spring. This fulfills Florida state statute and is used in expenditure analysis, LCME reporting, management reporting, and Asset Investment Management System (AIMS). | |||||
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Credentialing | |||||
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The USF Morsani College of Medicine Faculty Practice Plan (Plan) supports the medical service activities of the College's physician faculty members. In accordance with the Plan, full-time physician members of the core faculty of the College provide care of patients as an integral part of their College duties, and assign the right to bill, collect, and administer all revenues from such medical services to University Medical Service Association, Inc. (UMSA), the university affiliated non-profit corporation designated by the Plan to perform this function on behalf of the College. UMSA is obligated to distribute funds to support the College's mission and programs. This includes grants to the College's Academic Support Fund (ASF) to support the College's provision of supplemental salary and benefits to eligible faculty. The Plan also includes certain Boards and Committees which perform various functions to assist the College Dean in the governance and management of the College's clinical service enterprise, and is supported by several administrative units, including: Department of Administration/Executive Director; Department of Managed Care, responsible for developing, negotiating, and administering contracts with managed care organization and third party payors; Department of Patient Accounts, responsible for billing and collecting payment for patient services; and Department of Ambulatory Operations, responsible for administration of the USF Medical Clinics and other designated sites. The USF Physicians Group is a registered service mark of the College used for marketing purposes with patients, payors, and others. | |||||
| As part of their employment contract, full-time physician members of the core faculty agree not to engage in any patient care activities other than pursuant to their College employment, and further agree to abide by the Plan's policies and procedures. These policies cover matters including but not limited to credentials verification and review, quality assurance, billing compliance, and HIPPA compliance.
For the full policy, please refer to USF9-017, USF Health Faculty Practice Plan Policy. | |||||
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All physician faculty members whose College duties include patient care must be credentialed prior to the commencement of their patient duties. The College has a responsibility similar to that of a hospital to ensure that the members of its medical staff meet, and continue to meet, appropriate standards of clinical practice within their areas of expertise. For new faculty, this involves the verification of their educational documents, diplomas, references, National Practitioner Data Bank, the Federation of State Medical Boards, malpractice insurance carriers and other hospitals. All physician faculty members are re-credentialed every two years through an updating of the relevant materials. Faculty members may not see patients and do not have malpractice coverage until credentialing is completed. Faculty in clinical departments also need to apply for medical staff membership and privileges at each of the affiliated institutions at which they have patient care responsibilities. For further information call 974-8390. | |||||
| Faculty may only practice medicine in Florida if they meet the licensure requirements of the State or if they hold a Medical Faculty Certificate issued by the Florida Board of Medicine in connection with their College duties. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to apply for and/or renew his or her license. Florida offers licensure by reciprocity for physicians who are licensed in another state for up to 10 years from the time they passed one of the national licensing examinations. If more than 10 years has elapsed, physicians must take and pass a licensure examination specified by the Board of Medicine (currently the SPEX examination) in order to be eligible for licensure in Florida.
Physicians licensed in another state who accept a full-time faculty position at one of the state's medical schools may obtain a Medical Faculty Certificates from the Board of Medicine that ordinarily allows them to practice at the College and its affiliated facilities for a period of two years, allowing them adequate time to apply for and receive a Florida license. Applications for Medical Faculty Certificates are processed through the Office of Faculty Affairs. Visiting faculty, when providing medical care or treatment in connection with the education of students, residents, or faculty at the request of the dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, are required to be registered with the Board of Medicine in order to be permitted to provide patient care activities. They may be registered for a period of up to 180 days in connection with their teaching duties at the College or at one of its affiliated institutions and receive liability protection during this time from the College and are required to pay fees as prescribed by Florida Statute 458.3145 (6). Non-physician faculty members who practice under the auspices of the College must also meet the licensure requirements of their respective professions. Please check the Medical Faculty Certificate Process for more information. | |||||
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Practicing physicians are required to register with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in Florida in order to dispense scheduled medication to their patients. DEA Certificates from other States are not valid in Florida. Faculty are eligible to apply for a waiver of fees upon the approval of the Department Chair, in his/her capacity as the institutional official. Application for a Florida DEA Certificate may be made to: Drug Enforcement Agency, 8400 NW 53rd Street, Miami, FL. 33166. Telephone: (305) 590-4980. | |||||
| Hospital funding for Residents and CPS Fellows is included in their Medicare part A cost base and charged indirectly to patients through their hospital bill. It is illegal to charge a patient directly for services provided by someone budgeted under Medicare Part A, as this is considered double billing. Although exceptions can be made to this when none of the support for the Resident or Fellow is provided by a Medicare hospital, no USF program has been approved for such an exception.
If an affiliated hospital is willing to support a Fellow through a Faculty Support Agreement, rather than through the Common Pay Source, such support is not included in a Medicate Part A cost base and the individual may be appointed as USF Fellow with the rank of Instructor and be able to have independent practice and billing privileges. | |||||
| Faculty members in the USF Morsani College of Medicine are immune to personal liability for negligence when acting within the course and scope of their employment with the College. Under Florida law, the viable defendant for allegations of negligent care is the USF Board of Trustees (UBOT). The SIP provides coverage to the UBOT for such claims.
Faculty have certain significant responsibilities in connection with the SIP protection, including their agreement to cooperate fully with the SIP staff and the USF Health Risk Management Committee in the investigation, defense and settlement of claims in which they are involved, whether or not they are a named defendant. It is essential to the proper operation of the SIP that faculty members give immediate notice upon becoming aware of any incident which may expose them and the SIP to a potential claim. The failure to provide prompt notice of incidents is a prime contributor to physicians being named in malpractice suits, which should have been resolved well in advance of litigation. Timely notice of incidents enables the SIP to gather information while it is still "fresh" and arrive at an early determination of the merits of the claim or possible claim. If a claim is meritorious, attempts can be made to settle and prevent litigation. Faculty are required to report any of the following incidents to their department Chair or to the SIP office (978-3080), even though there appears to be no departure from accepted standard of practice:
For the full policy, please refer to USF9-018-Self Insurance Program Policy.
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When a physician changes his/her domicile, if applicable, or relocates to another facility, the Florida Board of Medicine requires that (s)he advise their agency in writing, by telephone, or email of the change of their address of record. This applies to physicians with a full unrestricted license (ME), a restricted license (RS), limited license (LL), or an area of critical need (ACN). In addition, the update helps ensures that the Hospital Reporting forms are accurate and the Florida Board of Medicine's data base is updated. (This requirement is a direct responsibility of the licensed individual and is not the responsibility of either the Morsani College of Medicine or the practice plan and is strictly enforced by the Board of Medicine.) Florida Board of Medicine Fax: 850-488-0596 Email: Kimberly_Rivers@doh.state.fl.us Updated Feb 2004 | |||||