Addiction Medicine- Western Zone

Requisition ID: 153778

Opportunity Type: Permanent

Estimated Annual Salary: 200,000 - 250,000

Type of Remuneration: APP- Alternative Payment Plan

Site Visit & Reallocation Allowance Programs: Site Visit Program; Relocation Program

**About This Opportunity**:
The Mental Health and Addictions Program (MHAP) is seeking up to three (3) part-time Addiction Medicine Consultant(s), interested in working as part of a new MHAP Addiction Medicine Consult Service. The available positions in the Western Zone (WZ) are 0.1 FTE at the Lunenburg Recovery Support Centre, 0.2 FTE at the Middleton Recovery Support Centre and 0.5 FTE at the Yarmouth Recovery Support Centre, which could be combined to create a 0.8 FTE for one physician willing to travel between the three sites in the WZ or can be shared among more than one physician. The physician would practice within a collaborative inter-professional clinical team, providing evidence-informed withdrawal management and related mental health and addiction care in an outpatient withdrawal management setting. The Consultant would provide telephone consultative support to primary care physicians and nurse practitioners, emergency department physicians, community pharmacists and acute care inpatient physicians in recognizing and managing substance use disorders. Workhours will be Monday - Friday onsite between the hours of 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. There may be an opportunity to provide virtual care, which can be explored with further discussion with Dr. Martell. Learn more about the Nova Scotia Health Recovery Support Centres.

**Responsibilities**:
The Addiction Medicine Consultant (s) works collaboratively to:

- Provide Evidence-Informed clinical advice and guidance in response to consultation requests from targeted clinicians providing addictions care in Nova Scotia
- Support knowledge translation to improve clinicians' ability to address patient's needs related to substance use
- Assess and manage substance use disorder(s)
- Work with the clinical team to initiate and monitor withdrawal management protocols
- Assess and manage other medical and psychiatric disorders as indicated
- Conduct risk assessments and interventions for suicide, self/harm or harm to others
- Develop and implement care and discharge plans in collaboration with the client, clinical team, and family
- Support the facilitation transitions of care across a variety of settings
- Provide trauma-informed and culturally safe care
- Provide brief interventions related to substance use and concurrent disorders
- Maintain timely, clear, and accurate health records in adherence to Nova Scotia Health documentation policies
- Complete administrative documentation related to the service
- Participate in development, planning and quality improvement activities for the addiction medicine consult service
- Accountable to the NSHA Mental Health and Addictions Physician Lead: Addiction Medicine

**Expected Hours**:
The MHAP Addition Medicine Consult Service will operate Monday to Friday from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. The rotation between the Western Zone Recovery Support Center sites would be discussed with Dr David Martell.

**Qualifications**:

- Current medical license issued by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (CPSNS)
- Must have current certification in the addiction medicine through one of the following professional organizations:

- the College of Family Physicians Canada’s (CFPC) Certificate of Added Competence (CAC) for Addiction Medicine (AM)
- American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) certification
- International Society of Addiction Medicine (iSAM) certification
- Must hold, or be willing to obtain, active staff privileges with NSHA
- Must maintain liability insurance through the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA)
- Available to participate in the development, planning and implementation of quality improvement activities for the Addiction Medicine Consult Service
- Maintains eligibility for addiction medicine certification relevant to the Addiction Medicine Consultant role and a demonstrated commitment to lifelong learning

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
- Experience in practicing addictions medicine in a variety of clinical settings is an asset, but not a requirement
- Experience in clinical leadership is an asset
- Experience working in a medical withdrawal management service is an asset
- Experience working within or collaboratively with a complex system environment is an asset
- If no clinical experience in medical withdrawal management, training and mentoring opportunities are available for those with limited or no clinical experience in this setting

**Community Details**:
Yarmouth, Lunenburg and Middleton are all located within the Western Zone of Nova Scotia.
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