Psychiatrist

Required education and experience

• Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from a school in the United States or;
• Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree from a foreign medical school that provided education and medical knowledge substantially equivalent to accredited schools in the United States as established by:

1. The National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA) and 2. Permanent certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).

Required licensure/Certification

• Permanent, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine independently in the state in which the duty station is located. The license must be maintained in a permanent, full, and unrestricted status during the term of employment. Any changes to license must be reported to employer immediately.
• Board Certification by The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN). Or,
• Board Certification by The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN). Within 18 months of hiring.
• Any candidate who is not board certified at the time of hiring must be presented to the IHSC Medical Director for concurrence.
• This position requires privileging by IHSC.
• Maintains BLS for Healthcare Providers® certification through the American Heart Association.

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Knowledge of the indications and contraindications, complications and techniques in the various psychiatric treatment and diagnostic modalities.
• Ability and proficiency to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures.
• Teaching experience acknowledging a level of expertise and capacity for developing and accessing clinical educational programs.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual environment.
• Ability to utilize telephonic interpreter/translation services to complete assigned duties if not fluent in a language the patient understands.
• Ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and flexibility in work requirements.
• Ability to communicate proficiently in English (verbal and written) in order to develop positive rapport with patients, co-workers and other stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Ability to navigate in an electronic work environment including electronic health records, web based training and communications.
• Knowledge of, and moderate proficiency in, common Microsoft Office programs, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and SharePoint.
• Knowledge of regulations (HIPAA/Privacy Act) regarding the confidentiality of patient medical records and information as well as Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

Major duties and responsibilities

• Provides direct care to patients within discipline Scope of Practice and performs functions in accordance with current accepted practice, licensure, certification, credentialing and or granted privileges.
• Provides treatment of persons throughout the life span as appropriate to discipline and facility setting.
• May be expected to respond to and or coordinate response to medical emergencies.
• Prescribes and monitors psychiatric medication treatment services including monitoring the side effects of medication and/or adverse reactions.
• Offers comprehensive psycho-educational information with each medication/somatic treatment regarding the patient’s mental illness, emotional disturbance or behavior disorder, treatment goals, potential benefits and the risk of treatment, self-monitoring aids, and identifies support groups for therapeutic assistance.
• Utilizes the evidence-based algorithms for decision-making regarding patient assessment and medication management.
• Utilizes Assessment of Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) is used if identified treatment carries the risk of inducing a movement disorder.
• Adheres to medical standards in accordance with IHSC policies, American Psychiatric Association standards, and legal requirements.
• Determines the need for core treatment and specialty services for identified patients in a full range of psychiatric problems.
• Performs various diagnostic and treatment procedures, including cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy, supportive individual and group psychotherapy, somatic therapies (including the use of traditional and atypical drugs).
• Provides professional, recovery based psychiatric care considerate of cultural and ethnic diversity and focuses on empowering individuals to change their own lives.
• Assures patients are treated with dignity and are consulted when evaluating and/or revising treatment and services.
• Utilizes evidence-based practices to promote recovery, reduces stigma and unconditionally enhance the quality of life.
• Assures a positive therapeutic milieu exists during treatment and emphasizes recovery goals.
• Participates in comprehensive performance improvement and utilization management plans to include:
• Quality and appropriateness of services,
• Evaluation of patient-based functions,
• Decreasing the escalation of healthcare costs, and
• Improvement in patient outcomes.
• Prepares or oversees the preparation of documentation, testimony, and written orders needed for care, treatment, medical records, legal actions, referrals, performance development, credentials/privileges, and administrative requirements.
• Provides expert guidance to the Director and other staff in all matters pertaining to mental health treatment (modalities and medications), and mental health programs both domestic and international.
• Analyzes public health care trends, in the mental health area, of related special population groups and assists in developing and implementing policies and guidelines to improve mental health services of such groups.
• Assumes responsibility for the non-psychiatric medical evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of patients for whom she or he is responsible in the absence of non-psychiatric physicians in emergency situations and within incumbent’s competency and scope of practice.
• Provides clinical supervision to mental health staff.
• Spends at least 60% of time in direct patient care to meet the performance targets set by the IHSC.
• Provides specialized medical services to “outpatients” and provides medical care to inpatients in facilities with a short stay unit. Specific duties involve all aspects of health care delivery. The incumbent will work in concert with both facility staff and consultant specialists in various clinical areas.
• Acts as a mental health consultant to medial staff, providing oversight and direction related to the provision of mental health care.
• Examines and orders appropriate diagnostic testing and provides necessary treatment and/or medications as required. Refers selected cases to consultant specialists when necessary. Refers residents requiring hospitalization to a community hospital and to an appropriate admitting physician.
• Ensures that proper evaluations and treatments are carried out and documented. Incumbent shall constantly monitor and evaluate the quality of patient care, providing data to the departmental Performance Improvement program, and other agencies or committees as required.
• May be required to see patients who are not in the category of his/her expertise but within his or her scope of practice.
• Assures proper maintenance of medical records, preparation of reports, etc., as related to the area of responsibility. Makes recommendations on matters of policy, procedures, training, personnel, and equipment as related to specific area of responsibility.
• Performs record keeping functions in accordance with program policies and position.
• Maintains functional proficiency and ease of use utilizing electronic health records as required by, and appropriate to, position.
• Completes and passes all discipline specific competencies testing, initially and annually.
• Completes all initial, annual and ad hoc training as required/assigned.
• Maintains patient confidentiality, and confidentiality of medical records, in compliance with the Privacy Act and HIPAA regulations in all work activities.
• Adheres to, and maintains awareness of, IHSC Policies, Procedures, Directives, Operational Memoranda and accreditation standards as prescribed by ICE/IHSC.
• Adheres to, and participates in, IHSC’s Safety, Prevention, Infection and Control, Quality Improvement, Patient Education and other programs and collateral duties as appropriate to position.
• Attends and participates in general/medical staff meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Duty hours/On-Call requirements

• IHSC operates 24/7/365; this position is required to respond during an emergency activation.
• This full time position is required to provide rotational on-call coverage and may need to return to the facility during non-core hours to provide care.

Security requirements

• The Department of Homeland Security’s Personnel Security Unit (PSU) must render a Preliminary Favorable Fitness Determination to be considered a qualified candidate.
• A Complete Favorable Fitness Determination must be rendered by PSU upon completion of initial and subsequent background investigations to meet the requirements of this position.
• Must be a US Citizen.

Physical demands

• Required to walk unaided at a normal pace for up to 10 minutes and maintain balance.
• Required to respond to any medical emergency within 4 minutes, where a fast walk or jog may be necessary to provide assistance.
• Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
• Must have the ability to assist sick, injured or aging detainees or staff exiting the building during an emergency (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than self).
• Must be able to see, hear and smell with or without the use of aides if necessary (exceptions on a case-by-case basis).
• Must easily alternate between kneeling and standing.
• Must be able to lift, push, or carry 30 pounds.
• Must perform the duties in a stressful and often austere environment without physical limitations.
• Must be capable of standing on hard services (cement floors) for long periods of time.