Physician Assistant - Mental Health BHIP

Department of Veterans Affairs

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (HVAMC), under the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service Line (MHBS). This position is aligned with the BHIP/Outpatient Program and is located at the Western Branch VA Clinic.

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Duties include but are not limited to: Conduct initial psychiatric evaluations, including initial assessment interviews, history and physical exams; lab, imaging, medication and psychotherapy consultation orders, aftercare plans and follow up visits. Following the initial evaluation, the PA will provide appropriate follow up care including reassessments of diagnoses and conditions, medication adjustments, and any further tests or consults indicated. Provide mental health education /counseling and brief therapy of patients and their families. Primary responsibility for care of patients when the clinic medical director is absent. Conduct ongoing follow up appointments for stable patients, including regular refills of medications, required lab and other tests and documenting progress. Perform examinations and screening scales (such as AIMS, MoCA, HAM-D) and similar non-invasive examinations specific to the ongoing care of psychiatric patients. Ordering appropriate laboratory tests, imaging studies, EKGs (electrocardiograms), and similar noninvasive tests. Initiating and expediting consultation requests and scheduling special tests and studies. Drawing blood specimens for testing and obtaining other body fluid samples requiring comparably low levels of invasiveness. Making rounds for inpatients, holding scheduled appointments for outpatients to observe and record patients' medical progress, and notifying the collaborating physician of significant changes in patients' condition. Mixing and starting IV (intravenous) solutions and administering IV medications. Dispensing medications (including injections). Providing education and counseling of the patient and the patient's family in preventive care, medical conditions, and the use of prescribed treatments and medications. Performing preventive health activities (including intradermal testing). Ordering appropriate prosthetic devices and medical equipment. Recording notes on all procedures performed for which the PA is responsible. Initiating ECT or TMS work up and scheduling. Ordering diets. Case management. Evaluates outside consultations presenting to the mental health clinic and determines the appropriate disposition, routing, and urgency of those consults. Facilitates access to the mental health clinic medical director and other staff for other Health Care Providers. Participates in quality assurance program with a multi-disciplinary group developing criterion for administrative goals in the clinic. Participates in hospital, care line, or program work groups or committees for various professional, facility, or VA needs. Develops and implements in-service training for primary care providers regarding the specialty of psychiatry, and assists with training medical students, PA students, NP students, psychiatry residents and fellows. Participation in regional and national meetings for the advancement of psychiatry and continuing medical education requirements. Work Schedule: 8am-4:30pm (Monday thru Friday) Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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