Psychiatrist (Primary Care Mental Health Integration)

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions to units/programs in the Medical Center to which the psychiatrist is assigned and has clinical privileges to practice including diagnostic assessment, medication evaluation and management, suicide risk assessments, crisis intervention, and overall care of patients with psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, PTSD, substance abuse, and other psychiatric disorders in outpatient, inpatient, and ED, settings.
• Ensures the practice of psychiatric medicine is consistent with Joint Commission, CARF, VA policies and procedures, clinical practice psychiatric guidelines, VISN standards, national statutes and regulations, medical record documentation, mandatory continuing education, and HIPPA policies.
• Participates in supervision and teaching in support of the psychiatric residency program, performs on call duties, and other directly related duties as assigned.
• Collaborates with PCPs and PACT team to support high quality, effective, and coordinated service delivery.
• Conducts brief functionally-oriented, psychiatric assessments that are targeted to the reason(s) for referral and less extensive than traditional psychiatric evaluations (consistent with 2014 VHA Memorandum).
• Ensures quality of care by successfully completing the national VA PCMHI Competency Training Program (or approved equivalent) and associated ongoing education modules.

Requirements

General Clinical Responsibilities:

• Examinations - Uses appropriate clinical, laboratory and other pertinent data examine new patients. Provides follow-up when indicated. Answers Mental Health consult requests when required.
• Diagnosis - Accurately interprets clinical data for the purpose of determining diagnosis and treatment. Formulates assessment and plan according to accepted protocols. Corrects diagnosis when necessary.
• Therapeutic Ability - Initiates appropriate and timely treatment. Recognizes changes in behavior, symptoms, signs, and other pertinent facts about patients and modifies treatment plan when indicated. Prescribes medications according to outpatient formulary. Provides direct, short-term, crisis intervention, and brief psychotherapy. Counsels patients on smoking, alcohol and/or other substance cessation.

Supervisory Controls

Practices independently in day-to-day program activities. Supervised by Chief of Psychiatry for the Durham VA Health Care System Mental and Behavioral Health Service (MBHS), or designee. The Chief of Psychiatry, or designee, is the administrative Supervisor and conducts performance evaluations.

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.
• 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.