Clinical Pharmacist Float, UofL Hospital

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist provides specialized pharmaceutical services to improve drug usage and therapeutic outcomes for patients. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist actively participates in multidisciplinary patient care rounds, medication order evaluation and verification, drug distribution, technician supervision, and clinical services including medication histories, pharmacokinetic dosing, drug information requests, and patient counseling to ensure the best medication therapy outcomes. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist will participate in development of new programs, services, practices, and facilitate scholarly and professional development activities in their area of expertise.

Major job responsibilities include: medication order evaluation (to include but not limited to appropriateness and effectiveness) and verification, drug distribution support, technician supervision, clinical intervention, formulary management, and resource for nursing and physician medication related inquiries. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist will participate in the design, implementation, and monitoring associated with the provision of safe, effective and economical pharmacotherapy for all patients. They will serve as a subject matter expert collaborating with pharmacy leadership in the development and implementation of clinical pharmacy services and ensure compliance with policies and procedures at UofL Health.

Essential Functions:

• Works collaboratively with other clinicians and health-care providers to implement and maintain innovative disease management programs and clinical pharmacy services
• Actively participates in multidisciplinary patient care rounds
• Reviews medication orders for accuracy, appropriateness and efficacy
• Documents all pharmacy interventions in patient electronic medical record and integrated clinical decision support system
• Monitors drug therapy to evaluate appropriateness of use, dose, dosage form, regimen, route, therapeutic duplication, and drug interactions
• Provides pharmacokinetic consultations and other dosing recommendations as required
• Prevents, detects, monitors, documents, and reports adverse drug reactions and medications errors
• Participates in the drug therapy management of medical emergencies (code blue, code stroke, etc.)
• Performs both admission history and discharge medication review and/or counseling in order to facilitate the admission/discharge/transfer of patients
• Provides operational support to Clinical Staff Pharmacists as determined by departmental need
• Responds to drug information requests and optimize pharmacotherapy regimens utilizing current evidence-based literature

Promotes and demonstrates rational, cost-effective drug therapy:

• Participates in formulary management by implementing therapeutic interchanges and enforcing the non-formulary ordering process
• Assists in the procurement of medication when necessary, including verification of home medication supply, when applicable
• Facilitates the implementation of clinical and operational initiatives
• Documents clinical consultations and cost avoidance as part of the departmental clinical documentation program
• Prepares formulary review and drug use evaluations of medications used in the area of clinical expertise for presentation to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee
• Assists pharmacy leadership in the determination, communication, and education of alternative therapies during medication shortages

Other Functions:

• Provides guidance and supervision to certified pharmacy technicians
• Precepts pharmacy students during IPPE and APPE rotations as necessary
• Precepts PGY1 residents and
• Precepts PGY2 residents, as qualified by ASHP standards
• Participates in staff development (preceptor development/continuing education) for all pharmacy learners within area of expertise
• Participates in departmental research efforts
• Actively participates in local, regional, or national organizations in area of expertise
• Collaborates with pharmacy leadership in developing education, training, and competency programs

Executes hospital and pharmacy policies and procedures:

• Collaborates with pharmacy leadership in development and review of departmental policies and procedures
• Functions as a role model and as an educational resource for pharmacy staff
• Assists with recruitment and orientation of new staff members
• Performs quality assurance activities as defined by pharmacy leadership, including, but not limited to, medication history audits and control audits
• Investigates and resolves pharmacy management software-related issues
• Covers assigned shifts as determined by departmental need
• Facilitates investigational drug studies with assistance of Investigation Drug Service Manager and/or other personnel involved in the drug study

Demonstrates effective communication skills:

• Utilizes advanced communication skills to convey and demonstrate clinical pharmacist expertise
• Forms collaborative relationships with pharmacy team members and other members of the healthcare team
• Maintains involvement in pharmacy department or hospital committees
• Achieves and maintains satisfactory working relationships with pharmacy leadership, pharmacy staff and other departments throughout the system, including committees and administration
• Attends departmental staff meetings

Exhibits Initiative and Judgment:

• Participates collegially in the development of new programs, services and practices, and in the education activities of the department
• Maintains awareness of contemporary trends in the profession through professional literature
• Maintains compliance with all company policies, procedures and standards of conduct
• Complies with HIPAA privacy and security requirements to maintain confidentiality at all times
• Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Job Description:

• Education: Graduated from an ACPE accredited College of Pharmacy (required)
• Experience (required): Post-Graduate Year 2 (PGY-2) Specialty Residency plus three (3) years of experience in specialty area OR Post-Graduate Year 1 (PGY-1) Pharmacy Residency plus five (5) years of experience in specialty area OR Ten (10) years of experience in specialty area
• Licensure: Licensed or license eligible as a pharmacist in the Commonwealth of Kentucky (required)
• Certification: Current board certification by Board of Pharmacy Specialties within area of expertise if available, otherwise general board certification required (required) Current certification in Basic Life Support or must obtain within 90 days from date of hire (required) Current certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or must obtain within 90 days from date of hire (required)