Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Advanced Primary Care Geriatrics

Job Summary

Coordinates educational programs and activities designed to enhance clinical drug knowledge of staff pharmacists, physicians, nurses, other care providers. Works with staff pharmacist to increase their participation in drug monitoring, pharmacokinetics and cost containment activities. Provides pharmaceutical care to patients in assigned area of practice, implement cost containment programs, provide drug information, education and clinical services which enhance the effectiveness of drug therapy and minimize patient risk. Works with multiple medication automation systems.

Essential Functions

• Evaluates patients and orders, and takes a lead role in the ordering and interpretation of drug serum levels, using pharmacokinetic principles. Provides physicians with dosage regimen recommendations to enhance therapeutic outcomes, reduce patient's risk, and reduce the cost of drug therapy.
• Provides drug information and educational services to hospital health care professionals, patients and families and assists staff pharmacists in responding to drug information requests. Serves as an information resource and clinical practice role model for staff pharmacists.
• Coordinates and implements departmental drug utilization review efforts and other process improvement activities as assigned.
• Ensures that processes and services are continuously monitored for quality, cost effectiveness, and efficiency. Engages in process and quality improvement activities. Makes and implements recommendations to improve operational efficiency and to implement new services for areas of responsibility.
• Facilitates applicable Pharmacy Committee activities in area of specialty and participates on other committees / task forces as member, consultant and/or chair as assigned.
• Engages in continuous study of the entire professional field to maintain the professional competence, knowledge, and skills necessary for satisfactory performance of all assigned responsibilities. Completes required continuous training and education, including department and Spectrum Health specific requirements on a timely basis.
• Coordinates the development, editing, and dissemination of departmental publications for physicians and hospital staff.
• Precepts pharmacy residents and students as assigned.

Primary/Essential Position Functions:

• This is a Geriatric clinic caring for a high-risk patient population, where the pharmacist will:
  • Be involved in direct patient care through chronic disease management for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, COPD/Asthma, hyperlipidemia, depression, anxiety, pain, anticoagulation, and more where the pharmacist adjusts medications through prescribing, de-prescribing, dose adjustments, and ordering lab monitoring under collaborative practice agreements with primary care providers
  • Complete comprehensive medication reviews with an emphasis on goals of de-prescribing and working with providers on lowering/eliminating high risk and high-cost medications, in addition to addressing any barriers to care to help improve compliance.
  • Be available for any pharmacy/medication related questions routed to the pharmacist in basket and communicate with patients or the team to address questions.
  • Actively participate in daily care team huddles with inter-disciplinary team and provide recommendations to construct a care plan for patients.
  • Review population health data and lead weekly care huddles on diabetes and hypertension to highlight specific patients that are above metric goals (i.e A1c > 9%, BP > 140/90) with other allied health team members and providers.
  • Be available for questions from providers on patient's seen in clinic or actively participate provider's visit if needed/requested.
  • Collect data on pharmacy related metrics to present to the leadership team that highlights pharmacist value.
  • Provide education to the inter-disciplinary team on pharmacy related topics, updates on guidelines, or current events on new medications/ indications as requested.
  • Precept pharmacy students and pharmacy residents on site.

Qualifications