RECOVERY ALBERTA: Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist - [Eating Disorder] - [FMC]

This position is part of Recovery Alberta, supporting our ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare services across the province.

The Calgary Eating Disorder Program (CEDP) is a large multi-disciplinary program providing eating disorder treatment for patients of all ages with moderate to severe illness across three sites.  As one of the largest eating disorder programs in North America, it provides a broad range of services across a continuum of care ranging from consultation, outpatient, day treatment and inpatient settings.   The outpatient multidisciplinary team consists of 15 masters level trained therapists, one clinical supervisor, 3 adolescent medicine physicians, 3 family physicians, 4 dieticians, one dietary tech, one OT, and 3 administrative support staff.  There are three child and adolescent psychiatrists working 0.6 and 0.5 respectively, and one part-time adult psychiatrist.

The CEDP provides care to approximately 300 individuals with an average care course of 24 months.   Most patients are cared for as outpatients and participate in individual treatment and group programming.  The intensive day treatment program serves 12 people between the ages of 14-24, in a care model that provides 11 hour/day treatment 5 days/week, for 8 weeks (during non-COVID circumstances); with the core interventions including group therapy, meal support therapy and family therapy.

The Calgary Eating Disorder Program is developing a new specialized Eating Disorder Inpatient Unit at Foothills Medical Centre (FMC). This unit will provide care for patients aged 14 years and older and currently has 10 inpatient beds, including four semi-private rooms and two private rooms. The service is expected to expand in both capacity and scope, with future growth supporting additional youth-focused inpatient services.

The role of inpatient psychiatrist with subspecialty training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is at 0.5 FTE.

•              Psychiatry is the MRP on this unit.  Currently the anticipated psychiatry staff group consist of 4 psychiatrists with minimally one who has received subspecialty training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

•              Perform duties related to patient care (e.g. attend multidisciplinary case management rounds as required, support care of patients in psychiatric distress/crisis,  complete new assessments and follow up with patients and their families in ongoing care as part of the broader team approach, engage in regular discussions with team members as needed for patient care).

•              Be available to respond to team concerns in a timely manner, and in collaboration with other psychiatric and medical staff.

•              Be able to safely advise on questions of psychiatric management of comorbidities, in addition to providing support reinforcing effective team based approaches/interventions to eating disorder treatment.

•              Actively participate in creating a harmonious and effective milieu within the multi-D team.  This involves appreciating navigating hierarchies in care while respecting the duties and responsibilities of the interdisciplinary team members.

•              Be capable and willing to provide care to patients from age 14 and up, recognizing the unique circumstances of the unit composition which will include adolescents and adults in varying proportions as demand dictates.

•              Work with the CEDP team to support recovery and aid in transition to outpatient program components and to community when appropriate.

•              Providing call coverage approximately once per month

We’re passionate about what we do. Our team of skilled and dedicated health care professionals, support staff, and physicians promote wellness and provide health care every day, across the Calgary Zone.  We are an equal opportunity employer. Recovery Alberta values the diversity of the people and communities we serve and is committed to attracting, engaging, and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce.