Behavioral Health Consultant- Bariatrics

Job Details

Job Description

Job Summary: We are seeking a dedicated and highly qualified Social Worker or Licensed Mental Health Professional to join our multidisciplinary bariatric care team. This role involves providing comprehensive psychological support for patients undergoing bariatric surgery, covering the entire preoperative and postoperative journey. The candidate will play a pivotal role in assessing and enhancing patients' mental health, addressing a broad spectrum of challenges, and ensuring psychological readiness for the procedure. Additionally, this team member will collaborate with the care team to promote patient success and well-being in the context of life-changing medical interventions.

Key Responsibilities:

* Preoperative Psychological Evaluations:

o Conduct thorough psychological assessments to determine the appropriateness of candidates for bariatric surgery, in adherence to ASBMS (American Society for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery) guidelines.

o Utilize structured interviews and questionnaires to evaluate eating habits, rule out disordered eating behaviors, and assess mood symptoms that could affect emotional well-being and functioning.

o Gather comprehensive psychosocial histories, including information on stressors, prior counseling or psychiatric medication use, housing stability, support systems, educational background, legal history, and other relevant factors.

o Collaborate with patients to ensure they are emotionally prepared for the significant lifestyle changes associated with bariatric surgery.

o Promote informed consent by educating and setting realistic expectations for outcomes.

* Postoperative Psychological Support:

o Provide individualized care to address common postoperative challenges such as body dysmorphia, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, addiction, divorce, and other mental health concerns.

o Monitor patients' progress through follow-up appointments and providing tailored therapeutic interventions to promote emotional resilience and successful postoperative outcomes.

o Educate patients on coping mechanisms and strategies for managing lifestyle changes, including maintaining long-term behavioral and dietary modifications.

* Reporting and Documentation:

o Prepare detailed evaluation reports for the bariatric surgeon and medical team, clearly documenting psychological clearance decisions (e.g., clearance, hold, or stop) based on established guidelines.

o Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records, ensuring documentation complies with ethical and legal standards.

o Share insights and feedback with the care team to facilitate coordinated and effective treatment planning.

* Collaboration with Multidisciplinary Team:

o Actively participate in regular consultations with schedulers, nutritionists, and other medical professionals to ensure seamless coordination of patient care.

o Offer recommendations for treatment modifications based on evolving patient needs or circumstances.

o Collaborate with interpreters and utilize interpretation services as needed to ensure language barriers do not impede patient evaluations and care.

* Patient Advocacy and Education:

o Provide patients and their families with mental health resources, educational materials, and referrals to community support services.

o Act as an advocate for patients' psychological well-being, ensuring their concerns and needs are addressed compassionately.

o Foster a supportive and empathetic environment that encourages patient engagement and trust.

Work Shift

Worker Sub Type

Primary Location Address

Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region, Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospitals campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.

Jefferson is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, veteran status, handicap or disability or any other protected group or status.

Benefits

At Jefferson, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package designed to support the health and well-being of our colleagues and their families. It includes a wide range of benefits including competitive pay, health and retirement benefits, life and disability insurance, paid time off, educational benefits, financial and mental health resources and much more. Our diverse benefits offerings ensure you have the coverage and access to services you need to thrive both personally and professionally.