Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - PACT

Veterans Health Administration•Albert Lea, MN

About The Position

Serves as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) on an interdisciplinary healthcare team in Primary Care as a member of the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). The CPS provides evidence-based pharmaceutical care to support positive, patient-centered outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams. The CPS is a licensed pharmacist, preferably with a Pharm.D. or equivalent experience, and provides and documents pharmaceutical care for assigned veterans in PACT programs, with coverage for unassigned veterans as needed. The CPS functions as an advanced practice provider within an individual Scope of Practice (SOP), independently initiating, modifying, monitoring, or discontinuing medication therapy and consulting on intensive medication therapy management. The CPS designs, implements, assesses, monitors, and documents therapeutic plans using effective, safe, and economical treatments; performs physical assessments; and orders laboratory and other tests to evaluate medication efficacy and toxicity. The scope of assigned duties depends on the provider’s education, training, and experience. CPS providers participate in professional practice evaluations. The role also includes outpatient pharmacy program management, such as supporting timely and accurate pharmacy services and documentation, potentially overseeing technical and nonprofessional staff, assisting with prior authorization requests, and participating in quality improvement, pharmacoeconomic initiatives, committees, and workgroups. The CPS contributes to Clinical Pharmacy Service quality assurance, research, and evaluation of process and outcome measures as assigned.

Requirements

Graduate of an ACPE-accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a BS Pharmacy and/or Pharm.D.; foreign pharmacy graduates must provide FPGEC certification, including required examinations.
Full, current, and unrestricted pharmacist license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; above GS-11, licensure is required.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
For GS-13, one year of experience equivalent to GS-12, in addition to the GS-12 requirements.
Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice and laws, regulations, and accreditation standards governing drug distribution, controlled and non-scheduled drugs, and pharmacy security.
Ability to communicate orally and in writing with patients and healthcare staff; ability to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
Skill in monitoring and assessing drug therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for the program area.
Ability to solve problems, coordinate, and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in the program or clinical specialty area.
Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice and advanced skill in monitoring and assessing drug therapy outcomes.
Must be a U.S. citizen, except where non-citizen appointment is permitted under VA policy.
Selected applicants must meet applicable pre-employment conditions, including background/security investigation, drug screening when applicable, pre-employment physical examination, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
Must complete the application requirements and serve a one- or two-year trial period if appointed.

Nice To Haves

Recent direct patient care and comprehensive medication management experience, including residency training.
Advanced pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.).
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency.
PGY2 specialty residency or equivalent experience in the specialty applicable to the position.
Applicable board certification.

Responsibilities

Provide and document pharmaceutical care for assigned veterans in PACT programs and cover care for unassigned veterans as needed.
Initiate, modify, monitor, and discontinue medication therapy within the individual's Scope of Practice.
Promote and manage drug therapy in accordance with current clinical knowledge and applicable national, VISN, and local policies.
Design, implement, assess, monitor, and document therapeutic plans using safe, effective, and cost-effective medication treatments.
Perform objective assessments, including physical assessments, to evaluate patient response to therapy.
Order, review, and act on laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to monitor, support, and modify drug therapy.
Order and prescribe medications, vaccines, devices, and supplies, including initiating, continuing, discontinuing, monitoring, and altering therapy.
Prescribe or administer controlled substances only when authorized by the DEA and state licensing board, and comply with applicable limitations and restrictions.
Order consults and referrals as appropriate to optimize drug therapy outcomes.
Maintain outpatient pharmacy workflows that support timely delivery of ambulatory care pharmacy services and accurate, timely encounter and follow-up documentation.
May oversee technical and nonprofessional staff.
Provide guidance on processing prior authorization drug consult requests using national VA PBM and local criteria, documenting decisions and suggesting preferred alternatives when appropriate.
Participate in quality improvement activities, pharmacoeconomic initiatives, committees, and workgroups supporting the outpatient pharmacy service strategic plan.
Contribute to Clinical Pharmacy Service quality assurance, research as assigned, and evaluation of process and outcome measures as requested.