Physician (Psychiatrist)

Outpatient Psychiatrist

This physician provides ongoing psychiatric care to a vulnerable population of Veterans in an outpatient setting and provides a full array of psycho-diagnostic, psychotherapeutic and pharmacological management. They will provide services to Veterans in a BHIP/Outpatient team setting that will include multi-disciplinary approaches. Outpatient psychiatrists have on call responsibility. The Outpatient Psychiatrist functions within the Mental Health Service. The Chief of Psychiatry provides direct clinical and administrative supervision. The clinician is further responsible to the Chief, Mental Health Service and the Chief of Staff. Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care.
• Performs psychiatric evaluations for a diverse population of patients of males, females, geriatric, and post deployment combat veterans who are mentally ill and have psychosocial issues that may include homelessness, unemployment, and poor family support network.
• Responsible for identification of patient problems requiring consultation with other multi-disciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals.
• Assures that appropriate referrals to specialty programs, including community resources, are accomplished. This may include referrals to other Mental Health Programs (i.e., Mental Health Clinic, Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program, Neuropsychology, PTSD Clinic, Mental Health Intensive Case Management, Compensated Work Therapy, Homeless services, Vocational Rehabilitation).
• 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, cognitive impairment, and other psychiatric disorders in various clinical settings including the outpatient, inpatient, emergency department, primary care/mental health integrated programs, and hospital ward settings.
• Participates effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences and collaborates with multidisciplinary team members which enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care.
• Orders diagnostic tests and consultations and discriminates between normal and abnormal findings and makes appropriate treatment decisions.
• Ensures that 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 performs other directly related duties as assigned.