Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Pain & Palliative Care, First Shift, Inpatient Pharmacy

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

UC Health is hiring a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist for the Inpatient Pharmacy Department at the University of Cincinnati's Medical Center. We are offering a $20,000 sign-on Bonus. Clinical staff pharmacists fill orders for medications, monitor patient medication therapies, provide drug information, and supervise and direct support personnel. In the absence of the pharmacy manager, a clinical staff pharmacist may be required to assume the essential responsibilities and perform the duties of the pharmacy manager.

Under the supervision of Pharmacy leadership, the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) provides specialized clinical pharmacy services to patients receiving care under the medical direction of a general or specialty department, division, or service, regardless of the physical location of the patient within the health system. The CPS coordinates these clinical services with other health care practitioners and patients through direct and indirect patient care activities, education, and project management/research within the specialty area. The CPS also collaborates with other members of pharmacy and interprofessional teams to resolve problems related to drug distribution. The CPS works to achieve desired patient-centered outcomes through supporting the provision of safe, cost-effective, evidence-based medication therapy.

This position is an expansion with efforts to provide outpatient and inpatient pain and palliative care needs to patients across the UCMC campus.

As part of the Clifton Campus of UC Health, Greater Cincinnati's academic health system, University of Cincinnati Medical Center has served Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for nearly 200 years. Hundreds of thousands of patients receive care from our world-renowned clinicians and care team each year. Our experts utilize the most advanced medical knowledge and technology available, providing a level of specialty and subspecialty medical care that is not available anywhere else in Greater Cincinnati.

Unit details include:

• Learning environment allows for constant development.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Employee Paid Short- and Long-Term Disability
• 401K
• Tuition Reimbursement Opportunities
• Community Discounts

Responsibilities

Drug Therapy:

Evaluate drug therapy for appropriateness, effectiveness, safety, adherence, and affordability. Clarify pharmacotherapy plans and orders with the prescriber, document any changes in patient and pharmacy records, and inform others of medication order changes.

Monitor and adjust drug therapy for covered patients to achieve optimal patient outcomes through patient assessment, including identifying and prioritizing patient problems and medication-related needs. Assessment includes considerations for age, weight, laboratory and other objective data, physical exam information, medical procedures, financial barriers and other individual factors. The specialist communicates this analysis with other clinicians and practitioners responsible for patient care.

Develop/initiate therapeutic plans and address medication-related problems through written and/or verbal consultation with the interdisciplinary team and/or through collaborative practice agreements/consults, where appropriate. Areas of expertise include, but are not limited to, clinical pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics/therapeutic drug monitoring, evidence-based selection and/or continuance of drug therapy, determination of therapeutic end points, and core measure/regulatory performance.

Patient Care:

The specialist, when functioning in a patient care area, takes responsibility for the continuity of care for a specific patient or team while patient is under care of referring/ordering provider. The practitioner ensures that pharmaceutical care is provided when unavailable through on-call responsibilities, policy and procedures, and development of order sets, protocols, guidelines, or clinical pathways, as appropriate for their clinical area. The practitioner is responsible for reviewing pharmaceutical care provided during their absence and providing feedback to caregivers when necessary.

Provide education and counseling to patients and/or caregivers regarding their medication(s), when appropriate.

Participate on rapid response and medical emergency response teams as appropriate for their clinical area

Participate in drug distribution activities during periods of staffing shortages or as scheduled to maintain continuity of departmental services.

Demonstrate thorough familiarity with and appropriate adherence to the hospital's formulary and all pharmacy department policies and procedures.

Demonstrate sound verbal and nonverbal communication skills with patients and other healthcare practitioners

Indirect Patient Care:

Demonstrate and apply in-depth knowledge of pharmacology, pharmacotherapy, pathophysiology, and the clinical signs, symptoms, and natural history of diseases and/or disorders in specialty practice area.

Possess, maintain, and enhance the pharmacotherapy knowledge and experience commensurate with certification in one or more Board of Pharmacotherapy Specialties (BPS) areas. Residency program directors should have achieved certification in the BPS area for their program, if available.

Locate, evaluate, interpret, and assimilate scientific/clinical evidence and other relevant information from the biomedical, clinical, epidemiological, and social-behavioral literature.

Participate in multidisciplinary teams to develop order sets, protocols, guidelines, or clinical pathways to promote best practices, continuous quality improvement, and clinical effectiveness in area(s) of expertise.

Participate in medication usage evaluations (MUE) and continuous quality improvement activities, including, but not limited to, reporting medication-related incidents and adverse drug events/reactions.

Document clinical pharmacy activities, interventions, and outcomes to validate services and support clinical and departmental dashboards.

Exhibit leadership in the participation and development of new clinical services that improve the quality and cost of patient care provided.

Resolve problems related to drug distribution as identified and/or referred from pharmacy management, nurses, decentralized support personnel, and quarterly nursing unit reviews.

Participate in the evaluation of drugs and associated ordersets, protocols, guidelines, or clinical pathways for the Drug Policy Development Committee.

Supervise and mentor pharmacists, pharmacy students, and pharmacy residents assigned to patient care areas.

Recognition locally, regionally, or nationally through practice excellence, publications, presentations, and/or active involvement in professional service activities (e.g., professional organization committee/working group leadership; peer-review/editorial board).

Initiate and contribute to effective patient safety initiatives, transitions-of-care improvements, and cost reduction strategies throughout the health system.

Demonstrate commitment to the pharmacy team through attendance at pharmacy staff meetings, participation in departmental initiatives, assisting in coverage of central and decentralized pharmacists for involvement in educational activities, and providing education to the pharmacy department.

The specialist should have an extensive network of relationships with external colleagues and local physicians, nursing staff, and other allied health professionals.

Participates in Educational Activities:

Provide education to pharmacy personnel, including clinical staff pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy residents.

Participate in and provide the education of non-pharmacy personnel including physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers.

Participate in the experiential and didactic education of pharmacy students at associated colleges of pharmacy. The specialist shall develop a formal APPE rotation description and primarily precept a predetermined number of learners each academic year as determined by their Manager or Supervisor, unless otherwise arranged.

Represent the department by contributing to department communications (e.g., newsletters; emails; memoranda), establishing and maintaining effective interpersonal relationships, and active involvement in department and interdisciplinary committees.

Participates in Process/Quality Improvement Projects and Research Activities:

Demonstrate active and sustained participation in process/quality improvement initiatives and/or research protocol development, execution, and analysis in their related specialty area(s).

Support collaborative research activities through research protocol review, clinical/operational consultations from investigators or UC Health research support services (i.e., IDS) within specialty area(s).

Assist with MUEs and pharmacoeconomic study activities of the Drug Policy-Development Committee.

Serve as a project preceptor and mentor for pharmacy residents and students

Patient Population:

Engages in population appropriate communication.

Has knowledge of growth and development milestones and tasks.

Gives clear instructions to patients/family regarding treatment.

Involves family/guardian in the assessment, initial treatment and continuing care of the patient.

Identifies any physical limitations of the patient and deploys intervention when necessary.

Recognizes and responds appropriately to patients/families with behavioral health problems.

Interprets population related data and plans care appropriately.

Identifies and responds appropriately to different needs resulting from, unique psychological needs or those associated with religious / cultural norms. Performs treatments, administers medication or operates equipment safely.

Recognizes and responds to signs/symptoms of abuse or neglect.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

Represent the area of pharmacy specialization and the health system through membership