Staff

Joining a Department in Strategic Transition

The Consultation-Liaison service at Cape Fear Valley is currently in a period of strategic rebuilding, creating a unique opportunity for you to help shape the future of psychiatric consultation within the medical center. The department is transitioning from a model with significant variability in provider schedules to a more structured approach with dedicated full-time consultation psychiatrists.

This transition period means you'll be joining at an exciting time of service redevelopment, allowing you to influence the consultation model while benefiting from the established infrastructure of a comprehensive behavioral health department.

Current Staffing Structure and Transitions

The CL service currently includes three psychiatrists, with one continuing until August and two transitioning due to personal needs:

• One continuing psychiatrist will maintain involvement with the service
• Plans to recruit two full-time CL psychiatrists to complete the team
• Future integration of an advanced practice provider to enhance service capacity
• Psychiatric residents rotating through the service under attending supervision
• Support from inpatient psychiatrists during transition as needed

This staffing transition creates the opportunity to build a cohesive team of psychiatrists dedicated to consultation services, rather than inheriting rigid structures or entrenched practices.

Experienced Department Leadership

The Behavioral Health Department is led by Dr. Kenneth Fleischman, Medical Director of Behavioral Health Services, and John Bigger, Corporate Director of Behavioral Health. Their combined leadership brings:

• Clear vision for developing a robust, sustainable consultation service
• Recognition of the essential role of CL psychiatry within the medical center
• Commitment to appropriate staffing and infrastructure support
• Understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in consultation psychiatry
• Flexibility in structuring the service to meet both patient and provider needs

This supportive leadership creates an environment where consultation psychiatrists are valued as essential team members rather than peripheral service providers.

Integration with the Broader Psychiatric Department

As a member of the CL service, you'll be fully integrated into Cape Fear Valley's comprehensive Behavioral Health Department, which includes:

• Outpatient psychiatric services for adults and children
• 32-bed inpatient adult psychiatric unit
• 16-bed inpatient adolescent psychiatric unit
• 9-bed psychiatric emergency department
• Residency training program with approximately 30–32 residents
• Child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship

This departmental integration ensures you practice as part of a complete psychiatric service line with ready access to colleagues across various psychiatric settings.

Medical Center Colleagues and Culture

Your daily practice will involve interaction with medical colleagues across numerous specialties, creating a professionally stimulating environment:

• Medical and surgical attending physicians from diverse specialties
• Hospital medicine team managing many of the medically hospitalized patients
• Specialty services including cardiology, neurology, oncology, and critical care
• Nursing leadership on medical units with varying levels of psychiatric experience
• Medical residents and students rotating through various services

The medical center culture is increasingly recognizing the importance of psychiatric care, creating a receptive environment for your consultation expertise.

Support Staff and Infrastructure

Your clinical effectiveness will be enhanced by dedicated support infrastructure:

• Administrative support for scheduling and documentation
• Medical center administration committed to psychiatric consultation services
• Epic electronic medical record system throughout the health system
• Office space dedicated to the consultation service
• Access to the full resources of the behavioral health department

This infrastructure means you can focus on clinical consultation rather than administrative concerns, enhancing both efficiency and professional satisfaction.

Resident Integration with Clinical Services

The psychiatry residency program creates a valuable educational dimension to the consultation service:

• PGY-3 residents rotating through the CL service
• Balance of education and service appropriate for a community hospital setting
• Residents conducting initial evaluations under attending supervision
• Teaching opportunities that enhance your own expertise and satisfaction
• Evolution toward a team-based approach to consultation coverage

This educational component creates intellectual stimulation without the publication pressures or administrative burdens often found in university settings.

Path Forward for Service Development

The department leadership has articulated a clear vision for CL service development that includes:

• Recruitment of dedicated consultation psychiatrists with compatible practice preferences
• Standardization of consultation protocols across medical services
• Development of specialized consultation approaches for specific patient populations
• Potential expansion to include outpatient consultation for complex cases
• Future integration with telepsychiatry services to satellite facilities

This development path offers professional growth and service enhancement aligned with your career interests.

Cultural Emphasis on Work-Life Balance

Cape Fear Valley's psychiatric department maintains a strong commitment to physician wellbeing and sustainability:

• Reasonable clinical expectations that acknowledge consultation complexity
• Flexible scheduling options to accommodate different preferences
• Protection from excessive call demands through appropriate coverage systems
• Recognition of the emotional demands of consultation work
• Supportive culture that values both clinical excellence and personal wellbeing

This emphasis on balance helps prevent burnout and supports long-term career satisfaction.

Collegial Relationships Across Departments

One of the most satisfying aspects of consultation work at Cape Fear Valley is the opportunity to build meaningful collegial relationships across the medical center:

• Collaborative partnerships with medical specialists who value psychiatric input
• Mutual respect between psychiatric and medical services
• Recognition of the essential role of psychiatric expertise in medical settings
• Educational opportunities that flow in both directions between specialties
• Professional connections that enhance both patient care and career satisfaction

By joining Cape Fear Valley's Consultation-Liaison service, you'll become part of a department in strategic transition, with the opportunity to help shape a modern, effective consultation model. The combination of institutional support, collaborative culture, and development opportunities creates an ideal environment for a consultation psychiatrist seeking both clinical excellence and career satisfaction.