Outpatient Infusion Pharmacy

Outpatient Infusion Pharmacy

The Outpatient Infusion Pharmacist provides comprehensive clinical and distributive pharmaceutical services. Under indirect, or direct supervision and based on the understanding of patient variables such as age, sex, and other physical characteristics: provides complex pharmaceutical products; develops and executes plans to manage the medication therapy of patients; performs clinical assessment and monitoring of patients at home and other facilities of patient of patient care; confers with and assists medical personnel in the care and treatment of these patients; performs medication reconciliation tasks; provides medication information and pharmacokinetic dosing advice; adjusts doses, orders laboratory tests per protocol, monitors medication distribution; dispenses, compounds, and distributes pharmacy products; provides patient and caregiver education. Performs other duties as required.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Upholds Kaiser Permanente's Policies and Procedures, Principles of Responsibilities and applicable regulations, standards, state, federal and local laws.
• Performs sterile and non-sterile compounding, pharmaceutical calculations, and age/disease specific pharmacokinetic dosing.
• Reviews and monitors IV medication therapy for patients in the home care, long term care, hospice and other outpatient settings.
• Communicates and collaborates with patients, caregivers, and members of the health care team to optimize patient care.
• Reviews all medication orders for appropriateness based on interpretation of data, assessments and evaluations of patient outcomes and for adherence to the formulary; clarifies orders and intervenes when necessary.
• Follows approved protocols to manage medication therapy (e.g. adjust doses, order laboratory tests, etc.).
• Interviews patients to obtain information regarding drug use, drug allergies and any other pertinent clinical information.
• Documents the information appropriately in the patients medical record and other computer systems according to policies and procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Advises patients and designated family members or other designated care givers regarding medication directions for use, storage requirements, medication coordination with diet, importance of medication adherence, and precautions and warnings for medication therapy.
• Advises the patient and designated family member or other designated care givers on the use of medication related devices, proper IV line care, and the safe disposal of medications. Participates in quality assurance activities, identifies potential medication safety issues and works proactively to prevent and report medication errors and adverse drug reactions.
• Functions independently in day to day clinical and administrative duties
• Participates in problem identification and resolution.
• Competency will be demonstrated by successful completion of annual outpatient infusion pharmacy competency exams.
• Develops and tests requirements and specifications for protocols, computer programs, pharmacokinetic dosing and other pharmaceutical care applications.
• Participates in assigned knowledge and skills-based training.
• Develops and maintains teaching curriculum and conducts educational programs for pharmacy, other medical personnel, and patients.
• Participates in committees, utilization review and quality management programs.
• Supports a collaborative Labor-Management Partnership environment.

Basic Qualifications:

• Possesses a minimum of 1500 hours of acute care or infusion pharmacy experience within the last 3 years (e.g., intern pharmacist, pharmacist) or successful completion of an ASHP accredited clinical pharmacy practice residency within the last 5 years prior to start date.

Education

• Degree in Pharmacy meeting minimum education requirements for licensure.

License, Certification, Registration

• Pharmacist License (California) required at hire
• Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System Registration required at hire
• National Provider Identifier required at hire
• Basic Life Support within 3 months of hire

Additional Requirements:

• Demonstrates knowledge of patient variables such as age, sex, and other physical characteristics/presentation and disease states as they relate to medication therapy.
• Possess comprehensive knowledge of current pharmacological/biopharmaceutical principles, medical terminology, pathologies and disease states, and the ability to relate this information to the patients medical management plan.
• Demonstrated work experience doing aseptic technique and the ability to prepare sterile IV products and hazardous agents.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of Federal and State laws and regulations regarding the provision of pharmaceutical services.
• Demonstrated ability to extract pertinent information from the patient, or other sources, and relate it to the patients medical management plan.
• Experience operating pharmacy computer system(s) and other equipment.
• Comprehensive knowledge of acute care medications.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in collecting patient-specific information needed by the pharmacist to determine suitability of patients for infusion services.
• Experience in determining appropriate route of administration, vascular access and infusion medication devices/supplies in order to make appropriate decisions on medication regimens for infusion patients.
• Experience in establishing and evaluating monitoring parameters to determine safety and efficacy of infusion therapy.
• Experience managing and optimizing infusion therapy including but not limited to: antibiotic therapy, parenteral nutrition and PCA pain management.
• Demonstrated ability to perform within an interdisciplinary team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate, coordinate and educate healthcare providers, patients and caregivers on infusion medications and services.
• ASHP accredited clinical pharmacy practice residency.
• Doctorate of Pharmacy, Pharm.D.