Physician III Opportunity @ Denton SSLC

The Physician III at the State Supported Living Center (SSLC) performs highly advanced medical work, ensures and oversees the delivery of high quality, integrated medical services to individuals with intellectual disabilities served by HHSC State Supported Living Centers (SSLCs). Diagnoses and treats individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who also have complex medical, psychiatric and/or behavioral health needs. Provides and monitors medical services for assigned caseload. Develops health care plans with measurable goals, objectives and interventions and oversees and monitors their implementation. Participates in treatment team process, advocates for the medical needs of individuals served, and collaborates with the individuals’ families, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), Physician Assistant(s) and with consultants and community medical providers in other medical specialty areas. Provides direction and guidance to the treatment team to solve complex medical issues impacting individuals’ health and wellbeing. Completes required reports and medical documentation. Identifies and communicates trends or issues and recommends solutions. Provides treatment to HHSC employees injured in course and scope of employment. Participates with other members of the medical services department in initiatives to obtain full compliance with the terms of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Settlement Agreement. Shares on-call duty with other qualified medical staff. Works under the limited supervision of the Medical Director of the SSLC and with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.  

• Attends work on a regular basis and may be required to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift and/or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.
• May serve in an on-call status on a rotating schedule as required to meet operational needs of the facility.
• Delivers, and monitors the delivery by others of, high quality medical services to individuals with intellectual disabilities served by SSLCs in accordance with current accepted medical practices.
• Diagnoses and treats individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who also have complex medical, psychiatric and/or behavioral health needs. Provides direction and guidance to the treatment team in medical issues and ensures health care plans are properly implemented. Monitors the health care trends of individuals and updates treatment strategies and plans as indicated.
• Ensures medical treatment is properly integrated.
• Oversees and monitors the long-term health status of individuals.
• Provides chronic care to individuals, which includes a quarterly assessment for individuals with identified chronic health care diagnosis, a review of appropriate treatment specific to the disease process and update or change of medical treatment as warranted and monitoring of the chronic condition. Writes prescriptions and performs medication reviews, within the scope of his/her licensing credentials and training expertise.
• Reports any significant trends or issues which occur to the supervisor and provides suggestions for action based upon their expertise. Performs or refers out specialized medical treatments and procedures.
• Coordinates with specialty clinics and oversees the treatment provided, ensuring integration.
• Oversees and ensures the daily health and wellbeing of individuals. Provides acute care to individuals, including daily assessment for acute health problems or injury in the clinic and/or infirmary and oversees the provision of medical services by other staff such as APRNs, PAs, RNs, and LVNs.
• Performs daily routine sick call clinics for assigned units to include evaluation of illness, injury, and abuse/neglect. Provides direction to nurses providing treatments during sick call as necessary.
• Performs required treatment and prescribes medication when indicated.
• Participates in interdisciplinary planning conferences and personal support team meetings for individuals that reside at the State Supported Living Center and provides medical information to parents/guardians as appropriate.
• Provides medical diagnosis and the review of the treatment plan at the Individual Service Plan (ISP).
• Evaluates the efficacy and progress of a patient's treatment plan and makes changes as indicated. Provides direction and guidance to the treatment team to solve complex medical issues impacting individuals’ health and wellbeing.
• Develops accurate and timely documentation, which includes annual summaries and pre-procedural histories and physicals, documentation of specialty medical consultation, physical and chemical restrains and all acute and chronic patient care.
• Prepares annual medical reports for the residents with complete assessment and yearly objectives and laboratory analysis.
• Monitors medical trends for individual patients and for the SSLC as a whole and provides leadership to correct deficiencies. Refers and consults with the admitting physician at the local hospital when necessary.
• Reviews documentation for individuals returning from the hospital to ensure continuity of care.
• Follows up on any treatment or medication changes made while at the hospital. Works collaboratively with other members of the medical services department to obtain full compliance with the terms of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Settlement Agreement.
• Assists in identifying trends and issues. Provides input into improvement plans for SSLC medical services, including improvements to policy and procedures, new forms of treatment and the need for new/advanced equipment.
• Provides treatment to HHS employees injured in course and scope of employment when needed.
• Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.  

• Knowledge of methods and procedures in the field of general medicine and of the principle of the development, implementation, and documentation of individualized care and treatment plans.
• Knowledge of medical jurisprudence.
• Knowledge of, or ability to learn, ICF-IID standards, certification requirements for the Council on Quality and Leadership, HHSC policies and procedures, and
  the Department of Justice Settlement Agreement.
• Skill in the care and treatment of patients and in the use of medical diagnostic and treatment tools and equipment.
• Experience in medical work - practicing medicine.
• Skill to maintain maximum well-being of individuals on campus and in general when hospitalized.
• Ability to respond to campus medical emergencies as needed and when on-call.
• Ability to communicate with nurses, direct care staff and interdisciplinary team members.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, and to work in harmony with individuals, employees, peers, family members, and medical/non-medical professions in the community.
• Ability to evaluate patients and implement an effective course of treatment in coordination with other interdisciplinary personnel.
• Ability to maintain required continuing medical education hours

• Must be licensed as a medical doctor by the State of Texas.
• Must have current registration certificates from the Drug Enforcement Agency
• (DEA) .
• Must possess a National Provider Identifier (NPI#) as defined by Medicare Part B and enroll as a Medicaid and Medicare Part B provider. 

Initial Selection Criteria:

• Graduation from an accredited college of medicine/Osteopathic medicine
  program with a degree as a medical doctor/osteopathic physician.
• Experience leading, supervising and/or managing the work of others,preferred.
• Clinical experience.
• Residency trained 

You’ve decided to make caring your career. Come to the place where you can do that and make a real difference in the lives of Texans with mental health needs.

HHSC’s Health and Specialty Care System has nine state psychiatric hospitals (with more expansion planned) and a residential unit dedicated to adolescents. The State Supported Living Centers have 13 long-term care campuses across the state.  These centers are home to many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Join us and you’ll have the opportunity to work in partnership with academic institutions, community providers, and partners within our agency as we increase work efficiency and provide patient-centered care to more than 12,000 people a year. You can also help us incorporate cutting edge technology into treatment plans.

If you want to be on the forefront of revolutionizing forensic and community psychiatric care or ensure and oversee the delivery of high quality, integrated medical services to individuals with intellectual disabilities, the HHSC Health and Specialty Care System is looking for bright people with new ideas to help us. With a growing demand for our services and a State Legislature that’s investing in the entire mental health continuum of care, Texas is positioned to be a leader and put itself in on the cutting edge of mental health for the 21st Century. Come be a part of it.