Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner- Outpatient Mental Health

Veterans Health Administration • Phoenix, AZ

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner in Outpatient Mental Health functions at the highest level of clinical practice and works independently within the scope of practice established by the medical center to provide direct patient care. The practitioner serves as a mid-level provider, initiating, modifying, or discontinuing medication therapy, and provides consultation for intensive medication therapy management services. The role also has a defined part in budgetary execution.

The position monitors drug utilization, including formulary, non-formulary, and restricted medications, and intervenes to support formulary adherence and evidence-based outcomes. It evaluates clinical drug literature to support clinical decisions and patient and provider education, and participates in assigned clinical and pharmacoeconomic studies and evaluations. The practitioner supports pharmacy residency and university-affiliated student training programs, and provides medication-related education and in-service programs for providers, pharmacists, patients, residents, interns, students, nursing staff, and medical staff.

The practitioner serves as a liaison among service-line leadership, pharmacy management, medical staff, healthcare personnel, and pharmacy team members. The role includes identifying educational needs, supporting educational programs, communicating clinical, operational, and environmental updates, and developing and implementing cost-containment ideas and resource-use programs.

This is a full-time position, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. If selected, applicants should be prepared to onboard within 30 days of the announcement closing, subject to required pre-employment steps.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for appointment when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Graduation from an ACPE-accredited pharmacy college or school with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); transcript required when relying on education for qualification.
• Foreign pharmacy graduates must provide FPGEC certification, including passing the FPGEE and TOEFL iBT.
• Full, current, unrestricted pharmacist license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; maintain current registration if required for licensure.
• At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12), demonstrating relevant pharmacy knowledge, communication skills, knowledge of applicable laws and standards for drug distribution and control, and skill in monitoring drug therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic parameters.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for the program area.
• Ability to solve problems and coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in the program area or clinical specialty.
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or pharmacy specialty.
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing drug therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
• Meet pre-employment screening and onboarding requirements, including background/security investigation, drug testing for testing-designated positions, pre-employment physical examination, and required identification and application documentation.
• Participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program is required.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.

Responsibilities

• Monitor utilization of formulary, non-formulary, and restricted drugs and intervene to support formulary adherence and optimal evidence-based clinical outcomes.
• Monitor educational needs of providers, pharmacists, and patients, and recommend ways to address deficiencies.
• Support defined educational programs and activities.
• Develop cost-containment ideas and implement and enforce departmental or institutional programs for responsible resource use.
• Act as a liaison among service-line leadership, pharmacy management, medical staff, healthcare personnel, and assigned pharmacy team members, sharing clinical, operational, and environmental updates.
• Support medication-related education for medical and non-medical residents, interns, and students as assigned.
• Participate in the design, implementation, and reporting of assigned clinical and pharmacoeconomic studies and evaluations.
• Evaluate and synthesize primary and secondary clinical drug literature to support clinical decisions and patient and provider education.
• Support pharmacy residencies and university-affiliated student training programs.
• Provide requested in-service programs for nursing, pharmacy, and medical staff on medication therapy management and pharmacoeconomic issues.
• Provide direct patient care and initiate, modify, or discontinue medication therapy within the medical center's defined scope of practice.
• Serve as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services and contribute to budgetary execution.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package is available; specific benefits depend on position eligibility and are not detailed in the posting.
• Prior federal or military service may be credited toward annual leave accrual if requested and approved before appointment; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree