Telemedicine Staff Psychiatrist

Texas Health & Human Services Commission•Waco, TX

5d•$20,971 - $23,121•Hybrid

About The Position

The Telemedicine Staff Psychiatrist performs highly advanced psychiatric assessment, treatment, and oversight for patients at a state hospital. Reporting directly to the State Hospital Medical Director, the psychiatrist assesses and treats patients, monitors care trends and system data, and ensures individualized recovery plans are developed and implemented in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. The role includes providing consultation and training to direct care staff, leading discussions and improvement initiatives, and participating in governing-body committees and other clinically related committees. The psychiatrist works with extensive latitude and independent judgment and may plan, assign, guide, or supervise others depending on the hospital’s organizational structure. The position provides psychiatric services through direct face-to-face contact or agency-approved telemedicine video conferencing. The psychiatrist establishes contact with newly admitted patients immediately, reviews records and laboratory work, prescribes and reviews medications, documents care in the electronic health record, and coordinates with families, guardians, legally authorized representatives, and medical specialists as appropriate. The role also involves managing acute psychiatric care, including authorizing emergency restraints and medication orders, serving as a delegating physician for APRNs, and supporting quality, compliance, and performance-improvement activities. The position is based at Waco Center for Youth, a psychiatric residential treatment facility serving adolescents ages 13 through 17. It is full-time and eligible for telework, subject to state and agency policies, supervisor discretion, and business needs. Travel may be up to 15%. Flexibility in work hours may be required, including overtime, extended hours, alternate shifts, or alternate locations for disaster response or continuity-of-operations needs. The role requires compliance with applicable HHSC policies, state and federal regulations, Joint Commission standards, and CMS requirements.

Requirements

Must hold an M.D. or D.O.
Must hold or be able to obtain a Texas medical license, or a license in a state with reciprocity with Texas, and be board certified or board eligible in Psychiatry.
Must hold or be able to obtain an unrestricted Drug Enforcement Agency registration certificate.
Must hold or be able to obtain a National Provider Identifier (NPI).
Must have a valid Texas driver’s license or obtain one within 90 days after hire to drive a state vehicle; applicants with an out-of-state license must provide an original certified driving record. An eligible driving record is required under HHSC Fleet Management policy, and the employee must be able to drive state vehicles and golf carts.
Knowledge of general medicine, general psychiatry, psychiatric treatment, person-centered care and recovery planning, state formulary maximum-dose guidelines, and psychiatric services in an inpatient hospital setting.
Knowledge and skill in using electronic healthcare systems, Microsoft Office products, and medical and psychiatric diagnostic and treatment tools and equipment.
Skill in caring for and treating patients and conducting psychiatric research when necessary.
Ability to assess, diagnose, prescribe or supervise treatment, examine and treat mental disorders, interpret psychological diagnoses and analyses, and direct psychiatric activities in compliance with applicable policy and law.
Ability to develop policies and procedures and prepare or supervise psychiatric histories and medical records.
Ability to address medically difficult issues using consultant opinions, appropriate literature, and accepted guidelines.
Ability to collaborate with recovery teams, involve patients in care, support continuous quality improvement, and follow improvement plans and state initiatives.
Ability to manage polypharmacy and justify and document the use of multiple psychotropic medications when necessary.
Ability to plan, assign, guide, and/or supervise the work of others and work independently using sound judgment and advanced time-management skills.
Ability to participate in required annual and other training, including training related to CPR and safe restraint use.
Ability to organize and present information effectively in writing and orally.
Must pass applicable fingerprint criminal background, pre-employment drug, and registry checks.
Must be at least 18 years old for employment at a state-operated facility; applicants for Waco Center for Youth must be at least 21 years old.
Must comply with HHSC immunization policy and State Hospital operating procedures related to immunizations.
Males ages 18–25 must be registered with the Selective Service.

Nice To Haves

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry training.
At least three years of experience working as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.
Experience working with people with psychiatric disorders.
Experience delivering psychiatric care via telemedicine.
Experience leading a multidisciplinary inpatient team.
Experience working with a recovery team.
Experience identifying maximum doses of several antipsychotic medications.

Responsibilities

Conduct psychiatric assessments using a multidisciplinary approach and administer psychiatric treatments and medications in accordance with State Hospital policies and procedures.
Complete required performance-improvement reviews, medication reviews, audits, meetings, and committee participation.
Establish physician-patient relationships through face-to-face contact or agency-approved telemedicine, including immediate contact with newly admitted individuals.
Review laboratory work, modify recovery plans, and document deliberations and recommendations accurately and promptly in the electronic health record.
Develop and implement person-centered psychiatric recovery plans that reflect individuals’ needs, strengths, preferences, risks, treatment history, and interventions from other disciplines.
Organize implementation timeframes and guide recovery teams and direct care staff in accordance with applicable policies, standards, and regulations.
Review medical records, lead staff discussions, participate in clinical conference calls, communicate with families and legally authorized representatives when requested, and obtain medication consents in a timely manner.
Coordinate psychiatric care with other medical specialists and maintain communication with the Medical Director, Superintendent, and staff to support continuity of services.
Participate in medical staff committees and subcommittees, including utilization management, infection control, and pharmacy and therapeutics.
Collaborate with psychiatrists, medical staff, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and others to develop interventions, identify environmental factors affecting care, and support restraint reduction.
Manage acute psychiatric care, including authorizing emergency restraints and writing orders for emergency medication use.
Serve as the delegating physician for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.
Depending on hospital structure, provide staff feedback, conduct performance evaluations, and take corrective action when necessary.
Monitor system data and trends related to psychiatric care, address identified issues, recommend recovery-plan changes, and lead implementation of performance-improvement plans.
Participate in desk and onsite audits by reviewing records and applying audit tools.
Complete mandatory training and follow HHSC policies, HIPAA requirements, applicable laws and regulations, Joint Commission standards, and CMS conditions of participation.
Develop, implement, organize, and provide leadership in Psychiatric Services.
Participate in agency disaster response, recovery, or continuity-of-operations activities as assigned, which may require a different shift pattern or work location.
Perform other duties as assigned.