Assistant​/Associate Professor - Psychiatrist

Overview

This is a full time transplant psychiatry position with primary function of supporting the efforts of solid organ transplant (heart, liver and kidney) and VAD implants.

The OHSU solid organ transplant groups (heart, liver and kidney) are separate but share many common work-flows, frequently have overlap (e.g., patients with one failing organ may have another and need to be considered for dual organ transplant), and have unique needs in evaluation for solid organ transplant listing.

In addition to many medical needs, patients in need of solid organ transplant frequently have behavioral and psychiatric health needs that can significantly impact a patient’s candidacy for transplant as well as long-term outcomes post-transplant. The candidate in this position will work closely with the transplant physicians, surgeons, social workers, dieticians, APPs and nurse coordinators to support the evaluation, listing, transplant and post-transplant care of patients needing solid organ transplant.

The primary responsibility of this position is to perform psychiatric evaluation of solid organ transplant candidates for transplant. The position is not designed for long-term management of psychiatric conditions in these patients, but recommendations for long-term management may be made. Decisions about listing patients for solid organ transplant are made in a group setting and by consensus, and are never solely based on the recommendations of any provider.

This position would be expected to participate in these group listing meetings ("selection conferences") which occur weekly.

The Organ Procurement Transplant Network (OPTN, governmental entity which oversees solid organ transplant in the U.S.) strongly advocates for a consistent psychiatric presence in transplant programs. Not every patient needs a psychiatric evaluation, but the need is quite common. Such evaluations would occur both in the inpatient and outpatient setting. The focus is on identifying psychiatric disorders that would impact transplant success, and if possible making recommendations that would positively modify psychiatric risk to make transplants successful.

Rarely the position may be called upon to help with management of acute psychiatric conditions that occur in the context of transplant, but this would be done in conjunction with the inpatient psychiatric team.

Lastly, the transplant groups are all multidisciplinary, highly collaborative efforts. Providers not only perform clinical care for the patients, but also participate in quality efforts, protocol management, research and education. The ideal candidate would enjoy working in a collaborative and multidisciplinary setting.

This individual will participate in the Department of Psychiatry call rotation, taking call 2-4 weeks per year. Call is comprised of in-person coverage of the inpatient C/L psychiatric services on weekend mornings (staffing with residents in-person) followed by after clinic hours call (supporting residents by phone) for the remainder of the week.

• Provide psychiatric evaluation of solid organ transplant candidates, on the transplant list, and post-transplant in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Long-term (continuity) psychiatric care is not part of this job description.
• Participate in group listing meetings (selection conferences) and contribute to decision-making by consensus.
• Identify psychiatric disorders that could impact transplant candidacy or outcomes and offer recommendations to modify psychiatric risk to support transplant success.
• Collaborate with transplant physicians, surgeons, social workers, dieticians, APPs and nurse coordinators to support evaluation, listing, transplant and post-transplant care.
• Contribute to inpatient and outpatient evaluations, with occasional involvement in acute psychiatric management in conjunction with the inpatient team.
• Engage in multidisciplinary quality efforts, protocol management, research and education within the transplant program.
• Participate in the Department of Psychiatry call rotation (2–4 weeks per year): in-person weekend coverage of inpatient C/L psychiatric services and after-hours call by…