Consulting Medical Director

Zia Recovery Center•Las Cruces, NM

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Consulting Medical Director is a part-time, hourly consulting physician who partners with Zia Recovery Center’s Medical Director to support safe, high-quality, evidence-based medical care. The role brings an additional physician perspective to medical practices, policies, protocols, and complex care decisions, and supports compliance with CARF accreditation standards, New Mexico Health Care Authority licensing requirements, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2. The Consulting Medical Director and Medical Director form a collaborative clinical leadership partnership. The Consulting Medical Director provides scheduled consultation, reviews and approves medical and nursing policies and protocols jointly with the Medical Director, and maintains written records of partnership meetings and case reviews. The role carries full physician accountability for approved medical and nursing policies and protocols. The position also contributes to clinical meetings and case review, admissions-process improvements, development of a new admissions provider role, and the creation of medical department job descriptions. The work begins with approximately four hours of engagement per month and an initial on-site presence of a few hours at least every couple of weeks. The arrangement may change from hourly to a daily or half-day arrangement once monthly hours are established. The job description is intended to be refined collaboratively by the Consulting Medical Director, CEO, and COO after the person joins.

Requirements

Physician (MD or DO) with a current, active, unrestricted license to practice in New Mexico.
Active DEA registration.
Demonstrated commitment to person-centered, trauma-informed, and dignity-centered care.
Ability to travel locally between sites.
Ability to maintain extended concentration during policy and case review.

Responsibilities

Hold regular, scheduled clinical consultation meetings with the Medical Director at a mutually agreed frequency.
Identify what support is most valuable to the Medical Director and shape the partnership around those needs while meeting accreditation requirements.
Document each partnership meeting, including the date, duration, topics, and agreed follow-up, and maintain records for CARF.
Review and approve, in partnership with the Medical Director, policies and protocols related to medical and nursing care, including withdrawal management policies.
Hold full physician accountability for medical and nursing policies and protocols.
Collaboratively recommend policy and protocol updates with the Medical Director and leadership.
Participate in the annual review of medical policies with the Medical Director.
Serve as the named consulting physician on Zia’s insurance contracts and credentialing documents.
Attend the monthly clinical meeting for all clinicians, held on the first Tuesday of the month.
Attend the monthly staffing meeting.
Participate in case reviews with the Medical Director and medical team, keeping written records on file.
Provide input on changes to the admissions process.
Help define and recruit for a new admissions provider role, taking into account the Medical Director’s preferences about when clients transfer to her care.
Coordinate admissions provider role development with Zia’s incoming Admissions Director, targeting Q1 2027.
Help create and refine job descriptions for other medical department positions as Zia grows.
Begin with a review of medical policies and procedures and introductions to the Medical Director, Clinical Director, and nursing team.
Build toward deeper organizational integration and a regular on-site presence, starting at approximately four hours of engagement per month and being on site at least every couple of weeks for a few hours during the initial phase.
Work on an hourly basis initially; potentially transition to a daily or half-day arrangement once monthly hours are clear.
Apply Connection-First principles by balancing compassion with accountability, building trust before seeking change, strengthening existing work, practicing partnership over hierarchy, and using person-first language.