Psychiatrist (Inpatient/Outpatient Mental Health Services)

Location of services: Houston, TX

Facility: Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center

Position Overview

The Psychiatrist provides comprehensive mental health care services to patients within a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility. This role is responsible for evaluation, diagnosis, treatment planning, and ongoing management of psychiatric conditions, while ensuring compliance with VA clinical, regulatory, and documentation standards.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Psychiatry Services (Direct Patient Care ~95%)

• Perform psychiatric evaluations, diagnosis, and treatment planning for patients
• Provide care across:
  • Inpatient psychiatry units
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Emergency and consult services
• Manage full patient lifecycle:
  • Admission, treatment, and discharge/transfer
• Provide follow-up care and ensure patients are seen within required timelines (e.g., post-discharge follow-up within 30 days)
• Treat seriously mentally ill patients and conduct e-consults as needed

Clinic Operations & Patient Care Delivery

• Conduct daily clinics with an expected workload of:
  • ~6–6.5 patient care hours per day
  • ~6 patients/hour or ~12 patients/half-hour schedule mix
• Examine patients, interpret clinical findings, and coordinate care plans
• Collaborate with VA mental health staff and interdisciplinary teams
• Provide discharge education and care coordination for continuity of care

Medication & Treatment Management

• Prescribe and manage psychiatric medications in accordance with VA policies
• Adhere to all medication safety standards (no distribution of sample medications)
• Monitor treatment effectiveness and adjust care plans accordingly

Documentation & Medical Records Compliance

• Document all patient care in the VA electronic health record (EHR) system
• Ensure compliance with:
  • HIPAA, Privacy Act, FOIA, and VA confidentiality laws
• Maintain accurate, timely, and complete clinical documentation per VA standards
• Safeguard patient data and follow all VA release-of-information protocols

Quality, Safety & Peer Review

• Participate in:
  • Peer reviews, case reviews, and benefit appeals
  • Quality assurance and performance improvement activities
• Complete QA/QI documentation related to patient care and outcomes
• Adhere to patient safety standards and report incidents appropriately

Administrative & Operational Duties (~5%)

• Participate in:
  • Weekly staff meetings
  • Monthly town halls and program meetings
• Assist with scheduling and emergency mental health coverage planning
• Support communication of test results per VA directives

Qualifications

Required

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)
• Board Certified or Board Eligible in Psychiatry
• Current, full, and unrestricted medical license in any U.S. state
• Current BLS or ACLS certification
• Ability to obtain VA credentialing and privileging

Arrow ARC supports Veterans Health Administration facilities and offices across the U.S. with health care staffing and program support via the 10-year Integrated Critical Staffing Program (ICSP). We provide staffing solutions to address critical shortages in VHA medical facilities caused by turnover, recruitment issues, seasonal needs, surges or emergencies.

Arrow is a certified Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business joint venture between Artemis ARC and Aptive Resources, two award-winning companies that share an agile, mission-focused, results driven approach in the federal sector.​ Arrow provides management consulting services and specializes in working with federal government agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs and Office of Personnel Management.​

Aptive is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran status, age, disability, or any other protected class.

Veterans, members of the Reserve and National Guard, and transitioning active-duty service members are highly encouraged to apply.