Attending Psychiatrist

1. POLICY: To evaluate and treat psychiatric patients in the hospital or clinic setting; to supervise the multidisciplinary team treatment of patients on the psychiatry service as applicable; to provide psychiatric consultations to medical and surgical patients and to conduct Emergency Room evaluations, treatment and referrals as assigned.

1. REPORTS TO: Director of Psychiatry

• RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Diagnostic evaluations of assigned patients.
2. Validation of admission history and physical examination by countersignature.
3. Requisition of appropriate consultations, and overall medical management of assigned inpatients.
4. Supervision of multidisciplinary treatment planning and treatment efforts.
5. Timely submission of complete orders for medication, level of observation, requisitions for laboratory investigations, diet, passes, discharges, and other orders, as required.
6. Timely submission of progress notes. For the first 5-days of a patient’s admission the progress notes must be daily, thereafter the notes are written and submitted 3x/week.
7. Timely renewal of orders.
8. Provision of individual psychotherapy, using appropriate techniques, frequency, and duration, as indicated, to assigned patients.
9. In conjunction with the Social Worker, the psychiatrist will review all discharge referrals in order to ensure that all referrals for outpatient treatment is appropriate.
10. Complete and timely documentation of care, according to the guidelines of the Departments of Psychiatry and Medical records.
11. Psychiatric evaluation, recommendations for psychiatric treatment or referral and follow-up of assigned medical and surgical patients.
12. Provision of supervision of on-call psychiatrists, as required in rotation.
13. Emergency Room evaluation, treatment and disposition, in rotation, as required.
14. Committee work, as assigned by the Director.

III.   QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Education Required:
2. Doctor of Medicine (MD) from an ACGME approved medical school; completion of approved internship and residency in Psychiatry, meeting the educational pre-requisites for certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology; OR
3. Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) from an AOA approved medical school; completion of approved internship and residency in Psychiatry, meeting the educational pre-requisites for certification by the American Osteopathic Board of Neurology & Psychiatry

1. Knowledge & Skills:
2. Knowledge of DSM IV/5
3. Knowledge of a variety of theoretical models for the treatment of patients with psychiatric illness & the ability to apply them.

• Expertise in the differential diagnosis, somatic and psychological treatment of psychiatric disorders.

1. Good clinical judgment, personal integrity, professional responsibility, tact.
2. Ability to establish and maintain rapport with emotionally disturbed patients.
3. Knowledge of the OMH/Joint Commission regulations & how they are applied to psychiatry departments.

• Knowledge of charting requirements.
• Knowledge of supervisory approaches & the ability to critique and supervise, residents and interns.

1. Ability to integrate the efforts of a variety of disciplines, including psychiatry social work, nursing, psychology and activities therapy.
2. Must have admitting privileges granted by the Medical Board of St. Barnabas, and maintain these privileges

1. c. License(s) Required:

N.Y. State License to practice Medicine and Surgery; Drug Enforcement Agency License; and either Board Certification in Psychiatry & Neurology, or Board Eligible.

1. Working Conditions:

Unexceptional:  Adult Psychiatric inpatient units, with adult voluntary and involuntary severely and persistently mentally ill patients; Emergency Department, General Hospital medical patients and Nursing Home patients.

1. Job Hazards:

The possibility of being assaulted by agitated, confused, or paranoid patients, and exposure to communicable diseases.

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