Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Full Job Description

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application.

Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Citizen of the United States.

(Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) English Language Proficiency.

Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

LICENSURE: Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia.

The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure.

A pharmacist who has, or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16.

EDUCATION: (1) Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree.

(2) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL IBT).

GRADE DETERMINATION: Experience-Clinical Pharmacy Specialist GS-13. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated KSAs.

The KSAs shown below apply to all assignments at this grade level. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.

Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.

Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.

Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.

Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience: Experience working within integrated primary care and mental health settings, particularly within the PCMHI framework.

Ability to provide brief, consultation-based behavioral health services in a primary care setting. Proven ability to handle a high-volume patient load, consulting with 8-10 patients per day.

Strong interprofessional collaboration skills, with experience functioning as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Competence in managing and treating a broad range of uncomplicated and complex mental health conditions.

Experience initiating and managing pharmacological treatments in collaboration with primary care providers.

Ability to provide education and counseling to both Veterans and their families on preventive care and prescribed treatments.

Experience serving as a liaison between primary care and mental health providers.

Familiarity with the four essential elements of collaborative care: team-driven, population-focused, measurement-guided, and evidence-based approaches.

Proficiency in attending and contributing to primary care clinic meetings and huddles.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position.

May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.

May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that require normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Major Duties:

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The Pharmacist will serve as the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) responsibility for providing expert clinical pharmacy services for the assigned mental health unit and/or clinic to optimize patient response and resource utilization.

Provides highly innovative and progressive clinical pharmacy services and developing and directing clinical pharmacy programs in Mental Health.

Clinical pharmacy duties are also performed in other areas of the Medical Center as necessity requires and time permits.

Routinely functions within a scope of practice with minimal supervision, participating in such activities to enhance the role of pharmacy as an active member of the Mental Health team.

Responsibility for operating the clinical pharmacy program in the assigned areas.

Duties include but are not limited to: Implements VA medical facility policies and VISN initiatives including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions.

Reviews and evaluates prior authorization drug requests for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable and recommends alternatives when indicated and completes consultations within established timeframes.

Assist the pharmacy staff in the management of drug-related problems. Participates in team meetings and initiatives. Participates in Health Promotion Disease Prevention Initiatives.

Develop and expand Mental Health pharmacy services in assigned areas. Coordinates the Medical Center adverse drug reaction reporting program in Mental Health.

Provides therapeutic and adverse drug reaction monitoring on a continuing basis.

Interviews selected patients to determine medication history for potential drug interactions, therapeutic duplications, efficacy of current medication regimens, compliance patterns and/or drug reactions and acts to resolve any problems.

These findings are documented in the medical record and reported to the primary provider.

Evaluates and ensures optimal medication regimens for patients through analysis of medication profiles, laboratory data, other medical and social data, and direct patient observation.

Completing medication reconciliation including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non-VA medications.

This may include adding non-VA medications or discontinuing duplicate medications or those the patient is not taking.

Identify drug related problems such as allergies, toxicities, improper dosage regimens, etc., which may require individualized treatment, adjustment of dose, or change of drug, and communicate this information to the provider.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm (subject to change based on facility needs) Telework: Ad-Hoc available based on the needs of the Service Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #:580-01170-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required