Contracted Psychiatrist

Description

Alium Health is seeking an experienced, Arizona-licensed psychiatrist to provide clinical consultation, and court-ordered treatment (COT) renewal evaluations. The Contract Psychiatrist serves as a senior clinical resource supporting the psychiatric team. The psychiatrist will conduct timely, clinically appropriate evaluations for the renewal or continuation of court-ordered treatment and complete all required clinical documentation and supporting materials.

This is an independent contractor position. The psychiatrist will exercise independent professional judgment while coordinating with Alium Health leadership, psychiatric providers, therapists, case managers, rehabilitation specialists, and other members of the integrated care team.

Court-Ordered Treatment Renewal Evaluations

•   Conduct psychiatric evaluations for patients who may require renewal, continuation, amendment, or review of court-ordered treatment.
•   Review relevant medical records, psychiatric history, prior court documents, treatment plans, medication history, hospitalization records, collateral information, and current clinical documentation.
•   Evaluate the patient’s current mental status, diagnosis, symptoms, level of functioning, treatment participation, medication adherence, risk factors, insight, judgment, and continued treatment needs.
•   Determine whether the available clinical information supports a recommendation regarding continued court-ordered treatment.
•   Complete all required affidavits, evaluations, certifications, reports, or supporting documentation accurately and within required deadlines.
•   Clearly document the clinical basis for all findings and recommendations.
•   Coordinate with the patient’s treatment team, case manager, legal representative, court liaison, county personnel, hospital, crisis provider, or other involved entities as permitted and necessary.
•   Provide testimony, respond to subpoenas, participate in hearings, or offer clarification regarding completed evaluations when separately authorized and compensated under the contractor agreement.
•   Notify the designated Alium Health representative promptly when records are incomplete, the patient cannot be located, an evaluation cannot be completed, or a deadline may not be met.
•   Maintain neutrality and independent clinical judgment when conducting forensic or court-related evaluations.

Clinical Documentation and Compliance

•   Complete documentation within Alium Health’s required timeframe and before any applicable court, payer, or regulatory deadline.
•   Ensure documentation is complete, accurate, medically necessary, legible, and consistent with professional standards.
•   Enter or securely submit documentation through Alium Health’s designated electronic health record or approved workflow.
•   Protect patient confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2 when applicable, Arizona confidentiality requirements, and Alium Health privacy and security policies.
•   Document consultations and recommendations when the communication affects patient care.
•   Participate in documentation correction or clarification requests when reasonably necessary.
•   Cooperate with internal audits, payer reviews, credentialing reviews, quality assurance activities, and legally authorized record requests.
•   Report patient safety, abuse, neglect, exploitation, threats, boundary concerns, or other mandatory-reporting matters as required by law and organizational policy.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

•   Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from an accredited medical school.
•   Successful completion of an accredited psychiatry residency program.
•   Current, unrestricted license to practice medicine in Arizona.
•   Board certification or board eligibility in psychiatry.
•   Current federal DEA registration when prescribing controlled substances is included in the contracted services.
•   Current Arizona controlled-substance registration when required.
•   Current professional liability insurance in the amount required by Alium Health’s contractor agreement.
•   Ability to satisfy Alium Health’s credentialing, privileging, background-screening, exclusion-screening, and payer-enrollment requirements.
•   Demonstrated experience evaluating and treating adults with serious mental illness and complex psychiatric conditions.
•   Knowledge of psychiatric risk assessment, psychopharmacology, clinical documentation, patient rights, and coordinated behavioral health services.
•   Ability to complete timely, objective, and defensible psychiatric evaluations and reports.
•   Ability to use electronic health records, secure email, telehealth platforms, and electronic documentation systems.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

•   Current board certification through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology or another recognized certifying body.
•   Experience serving as a psychiatric medical director or supervising psychiatric clinical programs.
•   Experience conducting court-ordered treatment evaluations, renewal evaluations, independent psychiatric examinations, or forensic psychiatric assessments.
•   Familiarity with Arizona’s behavioral health, serious mental illness, court-ordered treatment, Medicaid, and Regional Behavioral Health Authority systems.
•   Experience working in an integrated primary care and behavioral health setting.
•   Experience collaborating with psychiatric nurse practitioners and interdisciplinary treatment teams.
•   Knowledge of AHCCCS and managed-care documentation and medical-necessity requirements.
•   Experience with NextGen Enterprise EHR or a comparable electronic health record.