Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Summary The Pharmacy Department at the Atlanta VA Health Care System a is actively recruiting for Clinical Pharmacy Specialists (CPS) or Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) in primary care as clinical experts in chronic disease state medication management for the Atlanta VA Healthcare system with positions located at the Atlanta VA Medical Center and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA PolicyEducation: TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED (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.) degreeVerification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education - 20 North Clark Street - Suite 2500 - Chicago - Illinois 60602-5109phone: (312) 664-3575 - or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/(NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree programToday the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) (2) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the 2 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) Licensure: YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF CURRENT LICENSE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGEFull - current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State - Territory - Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. - Puerto Rico) - or the District of ColumbiaThe pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full - current - and unrestricted licensureA 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 16English Language ProficiencyPharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 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)Grade Determinations: GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements - must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade levelAssignments: Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed belowFor all assignments above the full performance level - the higher level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the timeThe clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice - works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patientsA CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate - modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management servicesThis includes - but is not limited to - the following: designing - implementing - assessing - monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective - least toxic and most economical medication treatmentshelping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients - providers - and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areasperforming physical assessmentsand ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapyPharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: aAbility to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisionsbExpert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program areacAbility to solve problems - coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertisedExpert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacyeAdvanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies - including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parametersThe selectee will be appointed at the GS-13 above the full performance grade levelReference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting - 45 pounds and over - Heavy carrying - 45 pounds and over - Straight pulling (2-3 hours) - Reaching above shoulder - Use of fingers - both hands required - Walking (2-3 hours) - Standing (2-3 hours) - Kneeling (1 hours) - Repeated bending (Intermittent hours) - Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously - Near vision correctable at 13"" to 16"" to Jaeger 1 to 4 - Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other - Both eyes required - Ability to distinguish basic colors - Hearing (aid permitted) - Mental/emotional stability. Duties The clinical pharmacist shall routinely maintain an outstanding and up-to-date clinical knowledge base with regard to medication therapy - contemporary journal articles - and contemporary pharmacy practiceThe clinical pharmacist will routinely provide and support leadership and management oversight as it relates to the clinical programs and clinical activities of assigned personnelScanning the internal and external environments to determine opportunities to enhance pharmacy services to support patient education - patient adherence - clinical outcomes - and team member growth and developmentMonitoring drug utilization (formulary - non-formulary - restricted) and intervene to ensure formulary adherence and optimal evidence-based clinical outcomesMeet with new patients entering our system to reconcile medications - review formulary availability and options for conversion - and educate regarding VA policiesMonitor the educational needs of providers - pharmacists - and patients - and make recommendations to address any deficienciesActively participate in supporting any defined educational programs and activitiesRoutinely benchmark with national contemporary programs and make recommendations for clinical pharmacy service and program changesAnalyze and interpret the published literature - and appropriately apply one's findingsIn addition - demonstrate a willingness to maintain a current understanding in terms of the breadth and depth of the literature in appropriate clinical areasParticipate in the development of quality and performance monitoring programs to support the optimal use of our personnel and medication resourcesActively demonstrate a willingness to generate cost containment ideas and then to implement and enforce departmental and/or institutional programs to support the wise use of available resourcesRoutinely demonstrate the willingness to identify and address the routine and the most salient needs of our stakeholders (patients - providers - and colleagues)Act as a liaison between service line leadership - pharmacy management - medical staff - and healthcare personnel - and assigned pharmacy team membersRoutine emphasis should be on clinical - operational - and environmental-scanning communication updatesActively support the development - implementation - management and monitoring of clinical and operational guidelines - national - VISN and localActively support through personal and team mentoring the professional growth of assigned personnelActively support the service line team-based management of the pharmacy serviceDemonstrate a willingness to support the actions and decisions of the management teamActively support the department's medication and fiscal management activities and programsDemonstrate the ability - willingness - knowledge - and wisdom to know with whom to communicate and when to resolve clinical and operational concernsThe clinical pharmacy specialist shall routinely provide and support pharmacoeconomic and clinical pharmacy staff activities and is directly responsible for monitoring and managing medication therapy for assigned patientsClinical pharmacy and pharmacoeconomic activities shall be performed in accordance with the individual's approved scope of practiceThe clinical pharmacy specialist shall be responsible for providing medication information and drug literature analysis as requestedAs a secondary function to support patient care - the incumbent will develop and maintain a working knowledge of our Pharmacy VISTA/CPRS software packagesThe clinical pharmacy specialist shall be responsible for participating in the educational services and activities of the pharmacy departmentThe clinical pharmacy specialist shall help coordinate and participate in the conceptualization - development and implementation of all pharmacy-based medication and service-related studies and research projects as requestedWork Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm (Subject to change based on agency need.) Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized