Specialty Pharmacist

FLSA Status

Exempt

Job Role Summary

The Specialty Pharmacist serves as an essential resource in the delivery of high-quality, evidence- based pharmacotherapy for patients receiving specialty medications through a centralized pharmacy model. The pharmacist leverages strong clinical knowledge across multiple specialty disease states to educate patients, promote adherence, and collaborate effectively with prescribers, Clinical Pharmacy Specialists, Pharmacy Care Coordination Technicians, and Medication Access Specialists. 

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

•    Clinical Management and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
o    Optimizes medication regimens for assigned patients by collecting necessary information needed to evaluate medication therapy and develop patient-specific pharmacotherapy plans, considerate of therapeutic duplication, potential drug interactions or contraindications, therapeutic goals, safety, efficacy, and financial stewardship
o    Develops and helps implement appropriate therapeutic regimens and monitoring plans for patients; carries out therapeutic drug monitoring, drug therapy protocols, and required chart documentation according to departmental or health-system standards
o    Performs and/or supervises transitions of care activities including medication reconciliation, medication education, coordinating follow-up care, and ensuring access to medications
o    Promotes a culture of safety by identifying, mitigating, preventing, and reporting potential or actual medication incidents and adverse drug reactions
o    Communicates issues regarding social determinants of health to the appropriate entity 
o    Consistently and accurately enters information/documentation into the electronic health record to facilitate optimal care and to ensure compliance with requirements of accrediting agencies and payers
o    Works collaboratively with interdisciplinary team members to provide patient-centered care
•    Customer Service Excellence
o    Provides outstanding customer service to people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds by following PRIDE standards using the AIDET process
o    Anticipates service needs and proactively resolves issues
o    Communicates with providers, payors, co-workers, and patients to resolve complex insurance issues
o    Assists with the resolution of shipment/delivery issues
o    Resolves crisis situations in a calm, constructive, and professional manner and can assist others in obtaining positive crisis resolution outcomes
o    Performs service recovery, as necessary
•    Process Improvement 
o    Drives compliance and continuous quality improvement in the delivery of clinical pharmacy patient care and services by studying, evaluating, and re-designing processes; monitoring and analyzing results; and implementing changes
o    Assists with training and orientation of staff to new procedures
o    Understands departmental workflows; offers and implements suggestions to improve quality and efficiency; understands and consistently utilizes all information systems
•    Maintains a clean, neat, and professional work area
•    Performs the following supervisory skills: supervises students and residents; provides feedback on performance to area manager; analyzes and adapts to changes in volume; ensures efficient use of downtime; works with a sense of urgency to assist customers and encourages the same sense of urgency in others; resolves crisis situations in a calm, constructive, and professional manner
•    Consistently maintains compliance with all hospital and departmental policies and procedures; completes all required educational activities and competencies in a timely manner; remains up to date on departmental processes by attending staff meetings, reviewing meeting minutes, and reading email communications
 

Job Requirements

•    Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree required, or Bachelor of Science (BS) in Pharmacy with equivalent experience
•    Licensure in the State of Indiana or licensure eligible (if licensure eligible, attainment of license within 90 days of hire) 
•    Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Residency or a minimum of three years full-time experience in health-system or outpatient pharmacy.
•    Obtain and maintain Basic Life Support certification
•    Knowledge of relevant federal and state laws pertaining to all aspects of pharmacy practice including hazardous materials and drugs, and accepts legal responsibility for pharmacy operations and technician activities performed under their supervision
•    Participation in continuing education activities to meet licensure and certification requirements
•    Certification through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (e.g., BCPS, BCACP) and/or specialty credential (i.e., CSP) preferred
 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

•    Knowledge of medication classes, pharmaceutical terminology, abbreviations, symbols; knowledge of manufacturing, packaging and labeling of drug products, use of pharmaceutical instruments and equipment; knowledge of metric system/mathematical calculations; knowledge of regulatory standards related to sterile and non-sterile compounding and hazardous drugs 
•    Knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of patients served; must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of human growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data/interpret appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to age specific needs; age-appropriate cognitive abilities, skills, techniques and communications are detailed in the department/area/unit job specific/age specific competencies
•    Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills through completion of daily activities; effectively interacts with interdisciplinary members of the healthcare team to work toward optimal patient experience and outcomes; communicates effectively in writing and verbally with pharmacy staff members, other departments, patients, and family members; anticipates service needs and proactively resolves issues
•    Ability to effectively work and communicate with members of the health-care team and patients or their representatives
•    Must maintain age-specific and job-specific competencies and licensure as described according to departmental competencies
•    Maintains knowledge of relevant federal and state laws pertaining to all aspects of pharmacy practice, and knowledge of professional practice standards and regulations from healthcare stakeholders, including The Joint Commission, URAC, CMS, and ASHP