Physician (Psychiatrist PCMHI)

Summary 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 VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Work Schedule: Full-time, compressed work schedule may be available with supervisory approval. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be eligible for highly qualified candidate. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): May be eligible. Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting The Primary Care Mental Health (PCMHI) psychiatrist provides outpatient consultative psychiatric services including direct patient care as well as indirect chart-based/e-consultation services in support of the primary care team (PACT). An integral part of the inter-professional team, the psychiatrist is co-located within the primary care setting and works closely with PCMHI team and PACT members to address the mental and behavior health needs of the primary care population. Strong knowledge of psychopharmacology and evidence-based practices are preferred. Medical care is provided in accordance with the approved privileges and all applicable State and/or Federal guidelines in support of the Mental Health Service at the Phoenix VA Health Care System. Major duties include but not limited to the following: Screen, evaluate, and admit/enroll patients to various mental health programs as well as transfer to primary care as clinically appropriate along the continuum of care. Key functions include direct consultative patient evaluation and treatment via face to face or telehealth care as well as indirect chart-based/e-consultation in a team- based model within the primary care setting. These include but are not limited to: Same day evaluations/warm hand-offs Care manager supervision Crisis intervention Psychopharmacology Serves in a consultation/liaison role with other mental health programs to facilitate coordination of care Ongoing support of the primary care teams and other PCMHI team members in evaluation and management of their patients including "curbside" consultation Patient education Order diagnostic studies such as laboratory tests, x-rays, electrocardiograms, (EKGs), etc. including HIV tests and evaluate results of such tests, as indicated. Provide psychiatric on-call coverage. Completing functional assessments/evaluations (including the mental status evaluation). Prescribe Clozapine, as indicated Prescribe evidenced-based pharmacotherapy for substance use disorders including but not limited to those for tobacco, alcohol, opioid use disorders Initiate and refill prescriptions for all applicable medications. Monitor and record patient progress. Obtain consent for hospitalization, tests, & medications. Carry out health promotion and disease prevention activities including education and shared decision-making. Provide education and counseling of patients and families in preventive care, medical conditions, and use of prescribed treatments and medications. Write orders and notes in CPRS (Computerized Patient Record System). Administer and document Suicide Risk Assessment in CPRS as well as applicable clinical reminders. Perform other delegated tasks not specifically outlined herein upon the direction of supervising chiefs. Provide telephone consultation with patients and family members. Function as member of assigned committees, task forces, and investigative teams. Attends PACT huddles and clinic meetings, as assigned Attends Mental Health Program and Mental Health Service meetings as assigned. Teach and supervise medical students, PA students, psychiatry (and as needed, residents from other specialties) residents and fellows, and NP students. Faculty appointment(s) may be required. Modality of care may include telehealth from a VA owned/leased facility or telehealth from the provider's home directly into the Veteran's home. (Contingent on approval of Chief of Psychiatry). Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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. Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. 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. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Preferred Experience: Board eligible/Board certification, Buprenorphine prescribing, Enrollment in the Clozapine Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) and Ability to use telemental health equipment is preferred. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: VA Handbook 5019/1, Part II, Pre-Placement Physical Examination and Evaluation. Education Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.] NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.