Psychiatrist/Psychiatric MD, DO, PA, or NP

JOB TITLE: Psychiatrist/Psychiatric NP FLSA STATUS: Exempt DEPARTMENT: Behavioral Health SUPERVISED BY: Behavioral Health Director

I. POSITION FUNCTION SUMMARY

Under the general direction and supervision of the Behavioral Health Director, the Psychiatrist or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (NP) is responsible for supporting Behavioral Health (BH) services provided in a primary care setting by a team comprised of primary care and behavioral health providers.

Clinical supervision is provided by the Medical Director, with operational and program oversight by Behavioral Health Director.

The duties of this position require the handling and management of confidential, proprietary and consumer health information. Consequently, the primary responsibility of this position is to safeguard, protect and maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all proprietary and consumer health information at all times.

II. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This position may have various work assignments within HICHC. This description is intended to be generic in nature, and as such it does not detail all duties and responsibilities of the job assignment. Various duties, responsibilities and accountabilities may be assigned to an incumbent in this position depending on clinic needs, and may include but not be limited to the following:

• Provides regularly scheduled caseload consultation to Behavioral Health providers and sometimes when requested by Primary Care Providers (PCP).

o These consultations focus primarily on patients who are new to treatment or who are not improving as expected and are typically done in person or on telephone.

• Works with assigned Behavioral Health and Medical providers to consult with, track and oversee their patient panels and clinical outcomes using the EHR system.

• Suggests treatment plan changes, including medication recommendations, for patients who are not improving as expected.

• Clearly communicates to Behavioral Health and PCP the limitation of the consultation and treatment recommendations.

o Examines patients to determine mental status.

o Orders laboratory and other special diagnostic tests and evaluates data obtained.

o Determines nature and extent of mental disorder and formulates treatment program.

• Uses the EHR system for recommendations for treatment and/or referrals within 48 hours of consulting with a BH Provider or PCP, so that they can be easily shared with PCPs and other treating providers.

• Prescribes controlled substances and other high-risk medications in alignment with current guidelines and HICHC policies.

• Works with BH team and PCP to track and oversee their patients’ panel and clinical outcomes using EHR.

• Discusses patients who need referrals for additional specialty mental health care and advises on treatment plans until patients are engaged in such care.

• Conducts group support and therapy sessions.

• Meets with BH providers and PCP’s to discuss ongoing collaboration.

• Provides broad range of patient care services including taking health histories, performing assessments, implementing management plans, prescribing appropriate medications, and conducting health education and counseling.

• Participates as a member of an integrated patient-centered health care team.

• Acts as a role model and demonstrates accountable and sophisticated clinical practice in work with patients and in collaboration with other health professionals.

• Gives phone advice according to established guidelines. Returns patient calls in a timely fashion, preferably by the end of business day.

• Utilizes nationally established guidelines/protocol for clinical decision making and management.

• Serves as patient advocate in identifying health care needs and actions.

• Maintains patient confidentiality and abides by all HIPAA rules and regulations.

• Develops and implements health care education and health maintenance protocols in accordance with published standards, in collaboration with the other Providers and members of the health care team.

• Communicates with other members of health care team regarding special needs of patients. Refers patients when necessary for in house or external assistance.

• Actively participates in the quality assessment and improvement processes, generation ideas, conducting assessments, peer review, developing improvement plans and implementing and evaluation plans, in collaboration with the Quality & Performance Administrator, other Providers, the Medical Director and the Chief Executive Officer.

• Receives incoming calls from patients, hospitals, laboratories, doctors’ offices, and other facilities. Takes messages and follows up appropriately according to clinic protocols. Accurately communicates these telephone reports to the appropriate health care team member and documents the information and follow up actions in the patient’s chart, all in a timely manner.

• Providers do not do inpatient hospital coverage, do not have admitting privileges or do deliveries, but may need to correspond with the hospital physician about patients.

• Provides individual/group instruction to patients, parents, guardians, family members, as appropriate.

• Completes patient progress notes and other necessary documents in the EHR system within 48 hours, preferably by the end of each day.

• Complies with and keeps abreast of current clinic policies and procedures.

• Keeps abreast of latest advances in medicine. Keeps up with current standards of practice and recent literature.

• Participates in Health Disparities Collaborative as needed.

• Complies with all regulations set for by HICHC grants, ex., Family Planning, BCCCP.

• Keeps informed of and complies with occupational safety guidelines. Takes all reasonable precautions to prevent accidental injury on the job. Participates in all mandatory annual trainings.

• Keeps informed of Clinic Safety, Fire, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Plans. Assists patients and co-workers in case of emergency.

• Performs other tasks as assigned.

Other Duties

• Participates in monthly staff meetings, including but not limited to, All Staff Meeting, Leadership Team Meeting and Provider Meeting.

• Participates in Quality Improvement and Quality Assurance meetings as requested, and any other ongoing Quality Improvement activity, including Peer Review and Case Reviews.

• Maintains all licensure, board certification, and continuing education credits.

• Establishes and maintains high standards of practice among clinic staff. Serves as a team player and role model to other employees in the organization.

• Assists staff in working to fulfill the mission, vision, goals and objectives of HICHC.

• Ensures compliance with human resources policies and procedures.

• Represents the Health Center, as requested by Medical Director and/or Chief Executive Officer, on community agency committees when commensurate with the Health Center’s mission.

• Participates in customer service-related issues.

• Performs other duties to support the goals and objectives of the Health Center as deemed by the Medical Director, Chief Executive Officer or BH Director.

III. POSITION SPECIFICATIONS

Requirements of Position

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and Experience

• Current Hawaiʻi State Medical License or APRN License with Prescriptive Authority; Degree in Psychiatry or Mental Health from an accredited school.

• Must meet credentialing requirements in Hawaiʻi.

• Board Certification in Psychiatry preferred.

• Previous experience in a community health center environment and/or low-income, culturally diverse populations desirable.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent analytical and abstract reasoning skills.

• Excellent organization skills.

• Ability to work with others in a non-judgmental and confidential manner.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and EHR systems.

• Ability to communicate with diverse groups of people to include staff, providers and patients.

• Ability to communicate effectively with patients and their families to make their visit a pleasant experience.

• Sensitivity to the multicultural nature of the service area population and may be required to communicate in another language.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for extensive periods of time.

• Manual and finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination to operate office equipment.

• Ability to lift and/or move over 30 pounds.

• Ability to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.

• Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

• Ability of hearing within normal range to observe and communicate with patients and professional staff.

Personal Characteristics

Personal characteristics include: being a team player, self-starter working well with minimal supervision,

high integrity, good personal habits, regular work attendance, courteous and friendly, able to work well with diverse groups of people, organization of multiple tasks and projects, and gain and maintain respect of others, both inside and outside HICHC and the communities it serves.

Confidential and Sensitive Information

Because the employee has access to personal and professional data regarding individual employees and their families, personal data regarding individual patients and the families, and/or sensitive company

financial data, an essential job result is the maintenance of a high level of confidentiality of the information processed by the employee. Violation of this confidence may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment.

IV. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS/WORKING CONDITIONS

General Remarks: The work environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential tasks and functions.

Environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. There are no known environmental hazards on the premises. Work environment is often stressful. Work is mostly inside, and normal office worker safety precautions and practices are required. Incumbent will be exposed to patients' conditions and some-unpleasant sights, smells and contagious diseases including virus, disease and infection from patients and specimens in working environment. All employees are offered the opportunity to receive the Hepatitis B vaccination series.

OSHA: This position performs tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues; normal medical safety precautions and practices are required

Work Hours: Eight- or Ten-hour work days. Overtime may be required. This position is exempt under the provisions of the Fair labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is not subject to the policies and procedures pertaining to overtime hours and premium pay. The foregoing position description is not all-inclusive of the duties that may be assigned to the employee. In order to ensure maximum flexibility and efficiency and to encourage cross training, employees will be assigned additional duties as deemed necessary or desirable by HICHC.

Mental Demands: Duties require attention to detail, alertness, problem solving, tolerance to stress and exercising sound judgment. Duties require high tolerance and adequate coping skills for dealing with loss, grief and bereavement. Good stress reduction and management skills are essential.