Physician - State Agency Medical Consultant

Brief Job Description:

Texas Disability Determination Services is in search of a licensed physician (medical or osteopathic doctor) in the State of Texas to work in a non-clinical capacity. This position is responsible for making accurate and timely physical and/or mental disability determinations on SSA disability claims based on SSA disability regulations.

As a full-time state employee, this position will also have access to the great state benefit packages including health insurance, retirement benefits, 401k, and Discount Purchase Programs.

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications:

• Must be licensed as a physician (medical or osteopathic doctor) by the State of Texas

Essential Job Functions (EJFs):

• Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.
• Performs a full professional evaluation of the case, including the assessment of residual functioning capacity and, assess other specific medical issues, signing assessments and determinations as appropriate for all claim types/levels as assigned by the DDS.
• Assists Disability Specialists, as necessary, in determining whether proposed development seems likely to provide sufficient detail about the applicant’s impairment to complete the case to the extent necessary for a disability determination and evaluates the sufficiency of the evidence and need for further testing.
• Establish standards for customer-focused communication and coordination within areas of responsibility and with all internal and external associates and customers.
• Determines severity, whether the claimant meets or equals a listing, or for a Title XVI child whether the claimant’s impairment functionality equals the listings.
• Acts as a liaison between the DDS and the medical community making physician-to-physician contacts to obtain or clarify medical evidence, as needed.
• Participates in training and staff development for new and current adjudicative staff and serves as a Subject Matter Expert when called upon to do so.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

• Knowledge of the provisions of the Social Security Act.
• Knowledge of legal principles as they apply to the SSA disability program.
• Skill in applying SSA medical regulations, policies, and procedures relating to disability adjudication.
• Skill in evaluating physical and mental impairments as prescribed by Social Security.
• Skill in reading and analyzing documents, reports, and correspondence, and relating the information to the requirements for disability determinations within the framework of the SSA disability program.
• Skill in communicating both written and verbally, for understanding, to both medical professionals and lay-persons.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships and rapport with managers, co-workers, supervisors, medical community, claimants, attorneys, the general public and other DDS, HHS, and SSA partners.
• Skill in adapting to program changes and fluctuating workloads.
• Ability to interpret rules, regulations, policies, procedures and diagnostic evaluations and assessments.
• Ability to use Social Security Administration software system or a comparable system.
• Ability to protect and safeguard confidential and sensitive personal, medical, and vocational information in accordance with federal and state mandates.
• Ability to manage time, work under pressure, organize job related responsibilities, and meet deadlines.

If interested, please click Apply Now to see the full job description and apply on the HHSC Hiring Center.