PHYSICIAN - PSYCHIATRIST

SEARHC is a non-profit health consortium which serves the health interests of the residents of Southeast Alaska. We see our employees as our strongest assets. It is our priority to further their development and our organization by aiding in their professional advancement.

Working at SEARHC is more than a job, it’s a fulfilling career. We offer generous benefits, including retirement, paid time off, paid parental leave, health, dental, and vision benefits, life insurance and long and short-term disability, and more.

The position functions within the Mental Health Outpatient Department to provide clinical psychiatric care for SEARHC patients, focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.  Treatment is primarily outpatient, but may include consultation-liaison and emergency services in some locations.  The Psychiatrist collaborates with other SEARHC providers, and works as a member of an interdisciplinary behavioral health team. 

The Psychiatrist provides crucial behavioral health services that require a high level of expertise and knowledge.  The psychiatrist treats the most complex and seriously ill patients while providing education, consultation and support for patients, their families, and other behavioral health and medical providers.  The psychiatrist works under stressful conditions, with patients who may be disoriented, adversarial, and/or at risk of harm to self or others.  The psychiatrist provides differential diagnosis, determines level of care, and coordinates treatment with medical providers and other systems of care.  These clinical decisions are reached independently or in consultation with peers. 

This position requires knowledge of treatment modalities for a wide variety of conditions, ranging from short-term interventions to long-term needs for patients with chronic or disabling issues.  The psychiatrist may be called upon to review patient management issues, quality of care, and risk management issues and outcomes. The psychiatrist may specialize in a particular area, such as child psychiatry or geriatrics, to provide specific treatments for these populations.  A responsible, respectful, and caring approach is essential to promote the most effective therapeutic relationship with patients, and positive collaboration with other health care professionals.  The psychiatrist demonstrates a culturally competence in communication with patients, families, and community members.

The psychiatrist is expected to attend to emergencies within their area of responsibility regardless of external commitments in their lives. This means there are times a psychiatrist will work late or relinquish an outside commitment in order to attend to their patients’ urgent needs.

The SEARHC psychiatrist lives in a small community. Privacy is not an easy commodity for she or he. Psychiatrists outside activities are easily monitored by their community. They are therefore often held to a higher standard, and at the least should not engage in negative role modeling.

• Provide clinical psychiatric care to SEARHC patients to include psychiatric evaluations, psychotherapy, psychopharmacologic therapy, psychiatric emergency triage, and other appropriate treatments in outpatient or inpatient settings. Gathers and ensures confidential maintenance of patient information and records, including social and medical history obtained from patient, relatives, and other professionals. Examines or conducts laboratory or diagnostic tests on patient to provide information on general physical condition and mental disorder. Analyzes and evaluates patient data and test or examination findings to diagnose nature and extent of mental disorder.  Advises and informs guardians, relatives, and significant others of patient's condition and treatment. In some locations, the psychiatrist may participate in an on-call rotation.
• Clinical systems development in the areas of policy, procedure, protocols, reviews, program development and focused and quality assurance reviews, to meet standard of care. Reviews and evaluates treatment procedures and outcomes of other psychiatrists and medical professionals. Provides clinical oversight for program development, designing and implementing policies, procedures, and protocols for service delivery.  Provides              timely effective, multidisciplinary care to clients supporting the preeminent role of the direct service providers in the communities. 
• Case coordination, collaboration and management to include patient and family case conferences, peer review, behavioral health staff meetings,                                   
• Provides staff education and consultation. Provide consultative community psychiatric liaison to SEARHC medical providers, village health care providers, referral agencies and physicians throughout the SEARHC service area.
• Depending on which community one serves, may provide back-up crisis intervention in ER during daytime hours and after hours emergency care as of the  mental health on-call system. Assume the secondary responsibilities with primary MH Staff for on call services, consultation liaison services, and emergency coverage.  This includes daytime, nighttime, weekend, and holiday coverage as requested.

Education:

• MD or DO degree. Satisfactory Completion of AMA approved psychiatric residency program. Certification by the American Board of Psychiatry is preferred but not required.
• Completion of psychiatric residency fulfills required work experience. 

License/Certifications:

• Alaska MD license, DEA license
• BLS Certification is required
• Board Certification in Psychiatry preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge of clinical psychiatric techniques as it applies to patient assessment diagnosis and/or treatment of mentally, emotionally and developmentally disordered patients including medications.
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of current theories, literature, recent developments, and best practices in the field of mental health In order to maintain good standards of care in keeping with practice.
• Demonstrated knowledge of medical staff bylaws, clinical services policies/procedures, ethical standards.
• Proficient in oral and written communication skills, such as documentation in progress notes, narrative summaries, and reports; and effective communication with diverse patient populations.
• Clinical analytical judgment skills to assess complex situations, including emergencies with high risk patients, integrate various sources of information, and make appropriate diagnoses, clinical decisions, and plans of care.
• Skill in developing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with patients and other health care professionals.
• Ability to empathetic understanding and respect towards staff and patients in order to create a positive working relationship.
• Ability to Scientific, personal, and professional integrity in order to apply ethical principles and guidelines to interactions with patients and staff, and manifest high moral character during the course of your work.
• Emotional stability in order to be accessible to staff, share ideas, demonstrate professional bearing under pressure and during conflicts.