Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Outpatient Services

Department of Veterans Affairs•Grants Pass, OR

43d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws FUNCTIONS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: a. Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice. Provide evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through both direct and indirect interaction with patients and providers in practice areas identified in their individual scope of practice. Practice sites may include but are not limited to: Anticoagulation Management Clinics Primary Care/PACT Clinics Specialty Care Clinics Mental Health Functions as a mid-level provider to initiate, modify, or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy. Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy, i.e. changes in medication therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements. CPS will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPS scope of practice. b. Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities Identify patients who may benefit from comprehensive Medication management through population management reports and during team huddles. Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed. Monitor and report drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures. Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings. Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable. Assists Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee with medication use evaluations and other safety initiatives. Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies. Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives. c. Education and Research Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, and other staff on assigned teams. Is skilled at using both written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others. Serves as preceptor or professional mentor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents on rotation in practice setting. Assists in new employee orientation, competency assessments, and mentoring as required. Complete all required TMS in a timely manner. d. Drug Information Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance, to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and students. Uses appropriate references to research drug information. Has a good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic. Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management. Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers. e. Program Management Responsible for coordination and supervision of all pharmacotherapy management activities of assigned patients of the CPS's assigned clinic(s). This includes management of a clinical practice within area of expertise including scheduling, reviewing consults, providing patient care, and assuring coverage of clinical services. Serves as an active member of assigned committees. Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives. Serves on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested. Adheres to all medical center and department policies and regulations. Manages information security within areas of responsibility to assure that computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information is maintained, and that employee access to sensitive information is limited only to that which the employee requires to perform their duties. Acts as necessary to report and address violations of information security.

Responsibilities

Provide evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through both direct and indirect interaction with patients and providers in practice areas identified in their individual scope of practice.
Functions as a mid-level provider to initiate, modify, or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services.
Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy, i.e. changes in medication therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements.
CPS will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPS scope of practice.
Identify patients who may benefit from comprehensive Medication management through population management reports and during team huddles.
Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required.
Monitor and report drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures.
Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings.
Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable.
Assists Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee with medication use evaluations and other safety initiatives.
Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, and other staff on assigned teams.
Serves as preceptor or professional mentor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents on rotation in practice setting.
Assists in new employee orientation, competency assessments, and mentoring as required.
Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance, to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and students.
Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers.
Responsible for coordination and supervision of all pharmacotherapy management activities of assigned patients of the CPS's assigned clinic(s).
Serves as an active member of assigned committees.
Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
Serves on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested.
Adheres to all medical center and department policies and regulations.
Manages information security within areas of responsibility to assure that computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information is maintained, and that employee access to sensitive information is limited only to that which the employee requires to perform their duties.