Pharmacy Specialist - Ambulatory Care

University of Arkansas System•Little Rock, AR

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) for Ambulatory Care provides comprehensive pharmacotherapy support in ambulatory care and serves as a consultative resource to providers on evidence-based therapeutic alternatives, medication optimization, and drug information. The specialist collaborates daily with the interdisciplinary care team to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care to a broad ambulatory population, including direct patient care under approved collaborative practice agreements. The role includes reviewing and interpreting medication orders, laboratory data, and medication profiles to ensure safe, effective, and appropriate drug therapy and to identify and mitigate drug interactions and medication-related problems. The specialist contributes to clinical protocol development and quality initiatives and precepts pharmacy students and residents. Credentialing as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist through the UAMS Medical Board Credentialing Committee is expected within six months of employment. The role leads assigned patient service lines, clinical areas, and therapeutic programs; facilitates pharmaceutical care services and medication utilization systems; and supports stewardship, restricted medication, quality improvement, and practice advancement efforts. It delivers direct patient care and clinical pharmacy services, participates in pharmacy operations and medication dispensing as appropriate to the assignment, and collaborates with providers across decentralized patient care areas. The specialist also facilitates experiential education, develops training opportunities, and implements improvements to medication-use systems. This is a regular, day-shift position in the PTSL Ambulatory Pharmacy (Central) department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Benefits-eligible staff may receive medical, dental, and vision plans; holiday, vacation, and sick leave; education discounts; retirement contributions matched up to 10%; basic life insurance up to $50,000; career training and educational opportunities; merchant discounts; and concierge prescription delivery on the main campus when using UAMS pharmacy. Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Requirements

Graduate of an ACPE-accredited College of Pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy or BS Pharmacy degree.
PGY1 residency training or 3 years of applicable experience.
Arkansas Pharmacist license or eligibility for Arkansas licensure.
Obtain credentialing as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist through the UAMS Medical Board Credentialing Committee within six months of employment.
Board of Pharmacy Specialties certification is required within 3 years of hiring.

Nice To Haves

Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY2 residency in Ambulatory Care or 5 years of experience working as a clinical pharmacy specialist in an Ambulatory Care setting.
Board of Pharmacy Specialties certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead assigned patient service lines, clinical areas, and therapeutic programs.
Facilitate pharmaceutical care services, direct patient care programs, and medication utilization systems in assigned services and care areas, aligning drug utilization activities with patient care needs, evidence-based best practices, and regulatory standards.
Design and implement stewardship activities and restriction or surveillance programs.
Track and evaluate pharmacy programs for operational, quality, and financial efficiency, and benchmark against local and national best practices.
Identify practice-related issues requiring evaluation and facilitate clinical research, quality improvement initiatives, or healthcare provider education.
Support integration of pharmacy into the healthcare delivery system and enhancement and expansion of pharmacy services and programs.
Deliver direct patient care and clinical pharmacy practice, including decentralized and service-based programs.
Maintain proficiency in decentralized pharmacy services and clinical pharmacy programs.
Collaborate as an active member of a multidisciplinary team to provide patient-centered care.
Identify high-risk patients and implement interventions to improve quality and safety.
Make evidence-based, patient-centered medication recommendations.
Participate in the management of medical emergencies.
Provide discharge medication review, reconciliation, and counseling as appropriate.
Provide pharmaceutical services throughout the medical center.
Maintain proficiency in hospital computer systems and medication ordering systems.
Provide accurate, safe, timely, and appropriate medication therapy based on patient age and needs.
Monitor patients and review profiles and charts to identify, prevent, or mitigate medication-related problems, including inappropriate drug or dose selection, dosing issues, adverse reactions, interactions, untreated indications, and treatment failures.
Communicate effectively with healthcare providers and caregivers and support continuity of pharmaceutical care between shifts and staff.
Participate in stewardship activities and restricted medication programs.
Participate in pharmacy operations and medication dispensing.
Maintain proficiency in operational programs, central and satellite dispensing pharmacies, and specialty pharmacy areas as appropriate to the assignment.
Facilitate specialty medication procurement, ordering, and dispensing procedures, including chemotherapy, parenteral nutrition, and controlled substances, as appropriate to the assignment.
Facilitate experiential education and practice advancement.
Maintain proficiency in preceptor roles and demonstrate education and mentorship skills.
Develop student, resident, and staff training experiences and competencies, and create teaching and training opportunities.
Identify, design, and implement medication-use system improvements to advance patient safety, maximize therapeutic outcomes, or control costs.
Participate in department, hospital, and campus committees upon request and help develop and implement Clinical Pharmacy Services in assigned areas.
Perform other duties as assigned.