Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI)
What you'd do
The Primary Care Mental Health Clinical Pharmacy Specialist will provide consultative/referral services for intensive medication therapy management and disease state management. The incumbent will be an integral member of the Primary Care team and will direct patient mental health and substance use treatment medication therapy by initiating, modifying, and discontinuing medication therapy, and by assisting other team members in the management of high-risk patients in the ambulatory setting.
Major duties
Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Mental Health Program Services: The Primary Care Mental Health Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) will provide clinical pharmacy services, support pharmacoeconomic activities, and is directly responsible for assessing, monitoring, managing, and documenting intensive medication therapy for assigned patients. Activities include: Responsible for Mental Health pharmacy activities involving highly innovative methods of health care delivery including inpatient, clinic, group, telephone, or telehealth modalities. Participates in a patient-focused, team based multidisciplinary model of patient centered care to promote positive patient outcomes through direct and indirect interaction with patients and providers. Serves as a mid-level provider by directing therapy, ordering lab tests, performing physical assessments; and initiating, modifying, and discontinuing medications as defined with the Clinical Pharmacy Specialists scope of practice. Performs comprehensive medication management for Mental Health and non-Mental Health conditions to include, but not limited to: identifying target symptoms and treatment response of MH disorders; utilize quantitative MH instruments for psychotic, mood, cognitive, and other MH disorders to monitor medication effectiveness; perform targeted lab monitoring (e.g., clozapine, lithium, metabolic abnormalities, urine drug screens); assist with neuropsychiatric referral issues to programs such as Substance Abuse programs, PTSD, Neurology, Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM), and Residential Rehabilitation Treatment programs; provide medication management for medications such as clozapine, buprenorphine, and long-acting injectable antipsychotics. Conducts intensive medication therapy management for mental health patients to include, but not limited to metabolic monitoring, renal and hepatic dosing, pharmacokinetics, pain management, smoking cessation, and substance abuse. Provides drug information, observations on patient response to therapy, and develops appropriate treatment plans regarding treatment alternatives or additional interventions to maximize patient care outcomes taking into consideration choice of therapy, safety, efficacy, and Pharmacoeconomics. Evaluates appropriateness of pharmacologic therapy weighing the risk/benefit ratio of various therapeutic alternatives and utilizing pharmacokinetic principles to develop individualized dosing regimens that result in the most efficacious, least toxic, and most economical treatment. Develops appropriate therapeutic monitoring plans and documents the activities in the medical record. Provides medication reconciliation and patient medication counseling, verifying and documenting patient understanding of the medication, proper medication use, and expected outcomes. Obtains medication histories from patients when appropriate, assessing history for potential drug interactions, therapeutic duplications, efficacy of current medication regimens, compliance patterns and/or drug reactions. Reports actual and/or potential medication errors or adverse events and participates in quality improvement initiatives that promote patient safety. Actively participates in the VA Adverse Drug Reaction (VA ADR) reporting program. Plays a role in budget execution by working with and educating providers to ensure adherence to the formulary process so that patients receive the most cost-effective drug therapy. Adjudicates non-formulary/restricted/prior authorization drug requests utilizing national, VISN and Local criteria for use and documenting reasons for approval or denial. Ambulatory Care and Inpatient Pharmacy Program Services: The Mental Health CPS will work in conjunction with Clinical Pharmacists, other CPS's, and other health care professionals to form an organized team approach to the delivery of pharmaceutical care. Activities include: Maintains workflow patterns that ensure timely delivery of ambulatory care and inpatient pharmacy services, ensures accurate dispensing and record keeping documentation, and oversees technical and nonprofessional staff in the outpatient pharmacy setting. Effectively organizes workload, solves problems, and achieves established goals. Participates in quality improvement activities, pharmacoeconomic initiatives (e.g. drug conversions), committees, and workgroups in support of the pharmacy service strategic plan. Provides patient care using an in-depth knowledge of mental health specialized areas of pharmacy practice. Assists in ensuring that the Mental Health Pharmacy Program is compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Education: 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. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60602-5109; phone: (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 program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) 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). 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. NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification. 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: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, GS-13: Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. GS-12 level experience includes the following Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. 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: Completion of an accredited PGY1 Pharmacy and PGY2 Psychiatry Residency or equivalent clinical practice experience in Mental health. 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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
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