Behavioral Health Pharmacist Specialist - Sharp Grossmont Hospital - Variable Shift - Full Time

Shift Start Time: 8 AM
Shift End Time: 4:30 PM
AWS Hours Requirement: 8/40 - 8 Hour Shift
Weekend Requirements: No Weekends
On-Call Required: No

Pay

The stated pay scale reflects the range that Sharp reasonably expects to pay for this position. The actual pay rate and pay grade will be dependent on factors including years of experience, unique skills and abilities, education, alignment with similar internal candidates, marketplace factors, and employer business practices.

• Hourly Pay Range: $77.910 - $100.530 - $112.590

Responsibilities

• Provide professional, clinical, and technical pharmaceutical care supporting the mission, values, and philosophy of Pharmacy Services and Sharp HealthCare.
• Clinical advisory services:
  • Proactively participate in advisory service activities (e.g., Renal Target Monitoring, Antibiotic Surveillance Team, Medication Usage Evaluations).
  • Engage in clinical intervention programs through issue identification, evidence-based recommendations, and follow-through with prescribers.
  • Complete and submit electronic intervention forms consistently with departmental averages.
  • Respond to and document drug information requests promptly and professionally.
  • Participate in ongoing data collection for Medication Use Evaluations (MUE).
  • Review patient medication profiles for appropriateness, therapeutic duplications, allergies, dosing guidelines, drug interactions, and other factors.
  • Identify, resolve, and document prescribing, formulary, and therapeutic issues using patient variables and clinical judgment.
  • Communicate with nurses and physicians about therapeutic issues or problems in a timely manner.
  • Follow up on formulary compliance issues and escalate to management as needed.
  • Participate in Code-Blue emergencies, prepare medications, and ensure proper billing and restocking.
  • Support cost-saving measures (e.g., IV to PO conversions, formulary adherence).
  • Assist in managing medication shortages in Behavioral Health (BH).
• Clinical Consult services:
  • Demonstrate competency in formal clinical consults and patient monitoring (e.g., Pharmacokinetics, Heparin, Pain Management).
  • Meet certification/recertification requirements for consult services.
  • Document actions, recommendations, and patient outcomes concisely and professionally in patient charts.
  • Complete assigned clinical workload during shifts in a timely manner.
• Behavioral Health Pharmaceutical Care:
  • Provide comprehensive pharmaceutical care to Behavioral Health patients, including reviewing medication orders for accuracy and appropriateness.
  • Verify utilization, dosing, scheduling, and administration of high-cost agents, including long-acting injectable antipsychotics.
  • Provide therapeutic drug monitoring and support prescribers in dose adjustments.
  • Monitor and intervene in psychotropic medication regimes associated with polypharmacy or tardive dyskinesia.
  • Clarify medication orders with psychiatrists or prescribers and communicate changes.
  • Oversee medication schedules and delivery in the Outpatient Long-Acting Injection clinic.
  • Document adherence to long-acting injectable inpatient hospital free trial programs.
  • Monitor drug therapy for appropriateness, therapeutic duplication, and drug interactions.
  • Provide pharmacokinetic consultations and other dosing services as required.
  • Collaborate with clinicians to implement disease management programs and clinical pharmacy services.
  • Participate in developing medication use management programs, including clinical guidelines and drug use programs.
• Operational Support:
  • Resolve drug distribution and Pyxis-related issues in the Behavioral Health Department and Central Pharmacy.
  • Facilitate proper information transfer for patients converted to Inpatient registry from Behavioral Health.
  • Promote formulary use by converting non-formulary orders when possible and coordinating procurement of non-formulary drugs.
  • Promote cost-effective drug therapy and monitor the use of expensive medications.
• Medication reconciliation and patient education:
  • Reconcile patient home medications, pharmacy, and nursing records.
  • Facilitate discharge/admission/transfer processes for patients.
  • Provide patient-specific medication education for discharge medications.
• Multidisciplinary communication:
  • Communicate goals and instructions clearly to staff, including shift handoffs.
  • Participate in staff orientation and training programs.
  • Intercept and troubleshoot problems effectively, prioritizing issues based on impact.
  • Apply appropriate policies and procedures in complex situations.
  • Evaluate workflow issues and direct daily workload for efficiency.
  • Attend and participate in staff meetings and review communications.
  • Read work-related emails on assigned workdays.
  • Answer phones in a timely, friendly manner and foster positive customer relationships.
• Quality Improvement initiatives:
  • Guide the development of evidence-based treatment protocols and clinical pathways aligned with national guidelines.
  • Assist in developing, implementing, and assessing technologies used in the BH medication-use process (e.g., EHR).
  • Maintain compliance with accrediting bodies such as The Joint Commission and CDPH.
  • Assist in surveillance and reporting of adverse drug reactions.
• Pharmacy operations and distribution:
  • Provide daily work direction and supervision of technical and ancillary staff.
  • Ensure medications are prepared and dispensed accurately and timely in accordance with standards and regulations.
  • Counsel patients on medication use consistent with professional standards and OBRA-90 regulations.
  • Ensure accurate dispensing of controlled substances and maintain record-keeping integrity.
  • Assist with narcotic inventories as required.
  • Dispense investigational medications according to policies and procedures.
  • Enter data correctly into computerized patient medication profiles and verify technician orders.
  • Demonstrate proficiency with automation and technology (e.g., EHR, Pyxis Profile, Dose Edge, repackaging robotics).
  • Demonstrate knowledge of age-specific medication delivery systems (e.g., NICU admixtures, pediatric oral syringes).
  • Demonstrate competency in IV admixture/aseptic technique, including USP standards.
  • Participate in cost management initiatives (e.g., reducing waste, managing inventory levels).
• Regulatory compliance:
  • Ensure compliance with regulatory agency requirements (e.g., State Board of Pharmacy, CMS, TJC, DHS, FDA, DEA).
  • Complete monthly nursing unit/drug storage area inspections on time and document discrepancies.
  • Bring critical issues to the attention of management.
  • Participate in attaining compliance with National Patient Safety Goals (e.g., no VO/TO orders, prohibited abbreviations).
  • Assist in collecting med tracer audits or individual elements from the tracer tool.
  • Ensure security of medication storage and compliance with Medication Management standards (e.g., labeling, no expired meds).

Requirements

• Education pursuant to licensure requirements.
• 1 year of postdoctoral experience in a hospital pharmacy environment.
• AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professional (AHA BLS Healthcare) certification.
• California Pharmacist License (CA State Board of Pharmacy).
• BPS Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist (BCPP) certification.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD).
• Completion of a PGY-1 Acute Care Residency.
• Completion of a PGY-2 Psychiatric Care Residency.
• Mental Health First Aid Certification.