Benjamin Todd Thatcher, DO, CMRO
Vice President of Medical Services at Valley Behavioral Health- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Credentials
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Certified Medical Review Officer
MEDICAL REVIEW OFFICER CERTIFICATION COUNCILJan, 2020- Sep, 2024 -
Idaho Medical License
State of IdahoJan, 2019- Sep, 2024 -
Colorado Medical License
State of ColoradoMay, 2019- Sep, 2024 -
Diplomate in the specialty of Psychiatry
American Board of Psychiatry and NeurologyOct, 2010- Sep, 2024 -
Diplomate in the subspecialty of Forensic Psychiatry
American Board of Psychiatry and NeurologyJun, 2011- Sep, 2024 -
Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine
American Board of Addiction MedicineDec, 2012- Sep, 2024 -
Arizona Medical License
State of ArizonaJun, 2019- Sep, 2024 -
Utah Medical License
State of UtahJan, 2009- Sep, 2024
Experience
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Valley Behavioral Health
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United States
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Mental Health Care
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300 - 400 Employee
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Vice President of Medical Services
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Jun 2022 - Present
Title change with executive leadership reorganization. Still serving in the same general areas as described in my Chief Medical Officer description from 2013 to 2022.
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Forensic psychiatrist
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Jul 2009 - Present
Before becoming Chief Medical Officer, I was the medical director over our forensics programs for 4 years providing outpatient medical/psychiatric/addiction medicine care to patients involved with the criminal justice system. We have Forensics, C.O.R.E.(Co-Occurring Community Reentry), and JDOT (Jail Diversion Outpatient Treatment), and EPIC (Evidence-based Practices in Community treatment) programs. As Chief Medical Officer I continue the forensics medical director role and bring an expanded overall management view as an exective.These patients are typically severely mentally ill with violent criminal histories, have severe and complex substance abuse problems, and severe and complicated criminal justice system involvement. Many are homeless or have significant histories of homelessness. Many also have complicated primary care medical problems that are addressed and managed in our treatment facilities for the first time in a long time. We have 7 residential units that offer 6-month in-bed intensive treatment with housing placement upon graduation.We also have two programs specifically addressing the challenges that women face who have these behavioral health, substance abuse, and criminal problems. Our Valley Phoenix program is a 6-month residential program for women and their young children who live with them in the program through the entire treatment process. These women are challenged by the fact that failure of this program usually results in permanent loss of parental rights and revocation of their criminal probation arrangements and are sent to prison to serve their time. This program is designed to stop that downward spiral and restore the family structure.I also work special forensics cases both as the CMO of Valley with community partners, and as a private forensics psychiatrist. Typical cases include competency to stand trial evaluation and treatment recommendations, mitigating factors in trial, dangerousness and public safety, and malpractice. Show less
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Chief Medical Officer
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Nov 2013 - Jun 2022
Working with our Director of Nursing, I provide supervision and oversight of medical operations for over 70 medical staff members and medical issues in over 70 clinics and facilities in Utah, Boise Idaho, and Phoenix Arizona. Major medical initiatives include telehealth, integrated care, medication assisted treatment and substance abuse services, forensics services and seamless integration of jail/prison/mental health court & drug court/probation/parole services with behavioral health and substance abuse treatment, ValleyLab blood and urine drug testing, data analytics to drive better outcomes & computerized automation of standardized measurement tools, and Brainsway Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation clinic. In addition, I provide educational and teaching services and supervision for Valley Academy, our in-house teaching service to ensure that all our practitioners (medical, therapy, case management) are trained to provide state-of-the art and evidence-based behavioral health and substance abuse services. The primary text is a 400-page book we wrote called Foundations of Evidence-Based Behavioral Health Treatment, now in its 2nd edition. I serve as adjunct clinical faculty for the University of Utah Medical School, St. Mark's Family Practice Residency, and the APRN doctoral program at Weber State University. In those roles I mentor and train family practice resident physicians and family practice and psychiatric APRN's through both didactic lectures and clinical rotations. I am actively involved in recruiting medical staff from various universities in several states to ensure a constant supply of high quality providers. Previously, I have served as the executive in charge of telehealth development, Valley Lab, Highland Springs Specialty Clinics, Brainsway, Regulatory and Oversight, Utilization Management and Review, Medicaid Eligibility Services, case management services, and psychotherapy services. Show less
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Valley Lab
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United States
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Hospitals and Health Care
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Medical Review Officer
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Jan 2015 - Present
I provide clinical oversight for both the quality of lab testing and the interpretation of drug testing results. We own and operate a CLIA certified, high-complexity lab that performs both immunoassay and liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry testing. Working with our senior lab scientist we bridge the traditional gap between drug testing results and patient care in addiction medicine. Our lab mission statement is "Truth in Recovery." The first casualty of substance abuse is the truth as patients start to lie about and hide their drug use. High quality drug testing is the single most powerful source of truth in addiction recovery. Because I am qualified in both advanced laboratory data interpretation and clinical addiction medicine, I am able to help front line treatment staff interpret results and then effectively communicate those results to patients in a way that moves sobriety forward by placing the truth of high quality drug testing front and center in the recovery process. Using my board certification and experience as a forensic psychiatrist, I also oversee and defend the clinical integrity of the drug testing collections and results and subsequent patient treatment plans to the court system including judges, attorneys, probation, and supportive community partners. At times I have also been the executive in charge of the business operations of the lab including budgeting, staffing, contracting, and accounting. Show less
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Education
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2008 - 2009
University of Cincinnati
Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship -
2004 - 2008
University of Kansas Medical Center
Psychiatry Residency -
2000 - 2004
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine -
1995 - 1999
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Bachelor’s Degree, Psychology
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