Psychologist

Responsibilities

PRIMARY CARE PSYCHOLOGIST

Description: An initiative co-sponsored by the Behavioral Health Service Line (BHSL) and Medicine Service Line, WellStar Health System is pleased to announce an opening for a Primary Care Psychologist. The hiring of the Primary Care Psychologist is part of a broader initiative involving the integration of Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs) into primary care practices. The Primary Care Psychologist will function in a clinical role, with the potential to provide support to Masters-level BHCs in twoother primary care practices. The Psychologist is an extension of the WellStar Psychological Services practice, reporting to WellStar’s Primary Care Behavioral Health Integration Program Lead.

The aims of Wellstar’s integrated model are (1) to improve treatment access for patients whose quality of life is suffering due to problems of a behavioral or psychiatric nature, (2) to improve patient outcomes, and (3) to optimize office workflow and care coordination. In accomplishment of these objectives, BHCs will offer Behavioral Health services to patients with various medical and psychosocial problems, which can be mitigated via behavioral modifications and evidence-based psychological interventions. The BHC receives referrals via a “warm hand-off” model, offering rapid assessments, and stratifying patients by acuity. This is not a “traditional” mental health role. Rather, services encompass brief cognitive and behavioral interventions (typically 15-30 minutes in duration) for patients whose needs can be met effectively in a primary care setting. When treatment acuity necessitates more intensive interventions, BHCs assist by linking patients to community-based behavioral health providers who can more effectively manage their complex needs.

The Psychologist may provide clinical supervision for BHCs that are integrated within other WellStar primary care practices. In that capacity, the Psychologist is responsible for helping train BHCs in evidence-based practices, such as those described above. He/She will also work with a WellStar Primary Care leader in the ongoing development of an Integrated Medicine practice. Whereas 10%of the provider’s time is allocated to these administrative responsibilities, the provision of clinical care is of primary emphasis.

Compensation: Wellstar offers a highly competitive and tiered compensation package based on years of clinical experience. Total compensation is comprised of a base salary and annual quality bonus. Additional financial incentives are offered on attainment of board-certification in clinical health psychology.

Setting: WellStar Health System is a 9-hospital system, recognized as the 5^th most integrated health system in the United States, and one of the largest health systems in Georgia. WellStar is a member of the Mayo Clinic Network. The Psychologist opening is a new position that resides in an outpatient practice setting. The Psychologist will be assigned to one Primary Care office affiliated with the WellStar Medical Group.

Skills Needed: Primary Care is a fast-paced environment. As such, the Psychologist must be a flexible, effective consultant, who thrives when working with a multi-disciplinary team of physicians, mid-level providers, nurses, and care managers. He/She should possess strong crisis management skills to help prevent office bottlenecks that interfere with office workflow and possess understanding of a repertoire of behavioral health interventions, including motivational interviewing, relaxation and mindfulness techniques, and other cognitive-behavioral methods. Knowledge of psychotropic medications and general knowledge of various medical and health-related problems is important, as is fluency with medical nomenclature and the capacity to provide effective training to BHCs under his/her oversight. Finally, computer literacy is necessary, as the system utilizes EPIC, WellStar’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR). The psychologist will function as a member of Wellstar’s Clinical Health Psychology Forum (CHPF), a structure that supports the core foundational and functional competencies of Clinical Health Psychology in alignment with the American Board of Professional Psychology.

Qualifications

Required Minimum Education: (1) a doctorate degree (Ph.D./Psy.D.) in clinical or counseling psychology from a program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), (2) completion of an APA-accredited internship in a hospital/medical setting. (3) focused training in Clinical Health Psychology with focused rotations in integrated primary care psychology during internship/residency; and (4) licensure or license-eligibility in the State of Georgia.  Board-certification in Clinical Health Psychology (ABCHP) is preferred but not required at the time of hire. For those individuals without board-certification, the provider should obtain board certification within 24 months of the date of hire.

Application Process: Apply through www.careers.wellstar.org. Please also forward a copy of CV and cover letter to provider recruiter, Beth Guerin Beth.Guerin@wellstar.org.