Psychiatrist

Under general supervision of the Chief of Mental Health, the Psychiatrist provides specialty care for behavioral, mental, and emotional disorders of the brain and nervous system to eligible beneficiaries of the Indian Health Service, while serving as a Medical Staff member of the Winslow Indian Health Care Center (WIHCC). Provides patient services at the main site in Winslow, the Dilkon Medical Center (DMC), and at the Leupp field clinic; and provides consultative and after-hours on-call services at DMC, WIHCC and at Little Colorado Medical Center (LCMC) in shared rotation with other Mental Health staff.

This list of duties and responsibilities is illustrative only of the tasks performed by this position and is not all-inclusive.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Interviews, examines, diagnoses, and treats patients with psychiatric disorders.
• Reviews past medical history, and requests and/or performs, and/or interprets diagnostic tests and examinations necessary to obtain all possible information for each case.
• Responsible for specialty medical management of adults and children with psychiatric disorders.
• Orders and/or interprets laboratory and imaging studies as indicated, and consistent with WIHCC medical priorities specified by the Purchased and Referred Care program.
• Serves as consultant for WIHCC medical staff, as well as consultant to other federal IHS and Tribal 638 programs upon request.
• Maintains privileges to provide consultant services for WIHCC patients referred to Little Colorado Medical Center (LCMC).
• Participates in reasonable and equitably shared on-call rotation with other members of the Mental Health Program to provide emergency services after-hours and on weekends and holidays.  
• Refers patients for admission to appropriate psychiatric and/or medical inpatient settings when care cannot be adequately provided as out-patient at WIHCC.
• Coordinates and integrates information on all such referrals and assures provision of timely follow-up care as required.
• Makes appropriate entries of all care provided in patient medical records in accordance with Winslow Indian Health Care Center policies and procedures, as well as regulatory requirements, requirements of accreditation bodies and third party payers.
• Provides clinical supervision as necessary to departmental staff, which may consist of: psychiatric nurse practitioners; psychologists; clinical social workers and licensed counselors; licensed substance abuse counselors; case managers; certified medical assistants; and clerical support staff.
• Participates in appropriate quality assurance and peer review processes in the program.
• Provides liaison to Navajo Nation Regional Behavioral Health Authority and to their Department of Behavioral Health Services; as well as to other regional organizations providing services to patients with behavioral health issues, including Community Bridges Incorporated (CBI); and Change Point.
• Adheres to all standards regarding medical professional and ethical behavior to the fullest extent; complies with HIPAA regulations and maintains patient privacy and confidentiality of all privileged information.  
• Interacts in an honest, trustworthy and dependable manner with patients, employees and vendors.
• Possesses cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Maintains regular attendance and punctuality, and is dependable in attendance and job performance.

Minimum Qualifications:

Degree in Medicine from an accredited medical school required; Possess an unrestricted license to practice medicine in any state, commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States; Completion of accredited residency training in Psychiatry; and Board eligibility or certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology; requires a knowledge of, and sensitivity to, cultural and language differences.  Bilingual skills in English and Navajo language preferred.  Must maintain a valid unrestricted and insurable driver’s license.  Must successfully pass a background investigation and maintain suitable requirements for a Child Care position. This position is considered as a Child Care position, which requires a satisfactory background check investigation and is subject to the requirements of the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act, as amended (henceforth referred as the ICPFVP Act).

Knowledge, Skills, Ability

• Must have excellent interpersonal skills in handling interactions with hospital staff, other agencies, groups, patients and families. 
• Must be able to work as a team member and develop productive and cooperative working relationships with health care providers within the facility as well as healthcare providers in hospitals and nursing homes, as well as private practitioners and law enforcement agencies throughout the community.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly is required to walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee frequently is required to taste or smell.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. 

Work Environment:

Work is performed both in an office setting with a moderate noise level.  Work environment may involve exposure to physical risks, such as agitated patients; blood borne pathogens; and staff/contractors operating dangerous equipment or working with chemicals.  Evening and/or weekend work may be required.  Extended hours and irregular shifts may be required.

As required by P.L. 93-638, absolute preference will be given to qualified Navajo applicants.  If there is no qualified Navajo applicant, preference will be given to qualified American Indian applicants.