Pharmacy Clinical Specialist

At Houston Methodist the Pharmacy Clinical Specialist position is responsible for performing advanced clinical pharmacy duties enabling the delivery of optimal pharmacotherapy to patients and facilitating safe efficacious and pharmacoeconomically rational use of medications in the population(s) served. This position involves daily reactive and targeted proactive medication regimen reviews for patients within the designated area(s) of responsibility or populations served. The Pharmacy Clinical Specialist position supports the delivery of pharmacy managed protocols formulary processes and medication reconciliation activities while providing education to fellow pharmacists nurses and medical staff. Additional duties for this position include precepting pharmacy students and pharmacy residents on clinical patient care rotations within areas of responsibility and contributing to fulfilling the organizations mission to provide innovative personalized costeffective pharmaceutical care in a culture dedicated to quality and safety.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental Scope of Service and Provision of Care plans as applicable for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional ethical physical and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth dignity and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET Managing Up Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees experiential journeys to ensure strong communication ease of access to information and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organizations vision fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic team focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal department results. Collaborates with other health care professionals as needed for problem resolution and/or achievement of identified patient specific goals.

• Serves as a rotation preceptor for students from affiliated colleges of pharmacy and PGY1 or PGY2 pharmacy residents as well as being a mentor for staff pharmacists supporting clinical skill advancement.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Processes all orders/requests accurately and efficiently verifying appropriateness of all in reference to the patients diagnosis allergies height and weight. Exercises good judgment in patient care decisions per performance standard and documents patient care activities and patient outcomes impacted by pharmaceutical care and clinical interventions.

• Provides patientspecific and nonpatient specific drug information support regularly.

• Serves as a member on one or more Medical Staff Committees and actively contributes to accomplishing the goals of the committee.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborates with other health care professionals to manage patients drug therapy for maximal effectiveness while minimizing side effects adverse drug reactions toxicities drug interactions and incompatibilities using established internal and external guidelines.

• Provides pharmaceutical care at the fundamental to advanced level for patients within the designated practice area(s). Activities include but are not limited to proactive drug therapy reviews and monitoring patient counseling transitions of care management including medication acquisition process support and management of pharmacistbased dosing protocols.

• Participates in quality management initiatives such as but not limited to: medication use evaluations adverse drug reaction and medication error reporting clinical interventions medication center reviews and inventory management documentation and reporting.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Contributes to the provision of pharmacoeconomically sound medication therapy by upholding HM Formulary standards in area(s) of responsibility and avoiding medicationrelated complications.

• Selfmotivated to independently manage time; effectively prioritizing tasks for self and for others within the specialty area of focus.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Presents inservices for pharmacy medical nursing and other staff members in area(s) of responsibility. Develops educational materials and provides educational programs for the pharmacy staff and other hospital personnel.

• Seeks opportunities to expand ones learning beyond fundamental competencies with a focus on continual development as a Pharmacy Clinical Specialist.

• Contributes to the design analysis and reporting of quality improvement program findings.

• Participates in research projects to advance organizational quality of care and the pharmacy profession. Submits research and scholarly work for publication platform presentations and/or poster presentations.

This job description is not intended to be allinclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Graduate of education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credential(s) indicated below in the Certifications Licenses and Registrations section

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Must have one of the following:
• Successful completion of an ASHPaccredited postgraduate year one (PGY1 residency training program or equivalent experience (i.e. three years of pharmacy experience per residency year); ASHPaccredited postgraduate year two (PGY2 or fellowship preferred
• Three years of clinical practice experience

• Meets HM standards of an ASHPQualified Residency Preceptor within one year of employment

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• PHRM Pharmacist State Licensure Texas Pharmacist License or eligible for Texas Pharmacist License within 90 days AND
• PPC Pharmacist Preceptor Cert State Licensure within 90 days AND
• ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support (AHA) For pharmacists regularly assigned to Code Blue events within 90 days AND
• PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support (AHA) For pharmacists regularly assigned to Code Blue events within 90 days AND
• NRP Neonatal Resuscitation If applicable to primary work assignment within 90 days AND
• IV Certification Intravenous certification (ACPE) If applicable to primary work assignment within 90 days AND
• BLS Basic Life Support (AHA) within 90 days

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS PREFERRED

• Board of Pharmacy Specialist (BPS)

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job determined through ongoing skills competency assessments and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking reading and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients physicians family members and coworkers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Exhibits strong interpersonal teamwork and leadership skills with all levels of the healthcare team and assures delivery of excellent customer service to all patients visitors physicians and coworkers; capable of assuming responsibility for coordinating the activities of a major pharmacy service area

• Demonstrates professional and technical competence in the selection evaluation utilization and distribution of and drug information and applies these to all patient groups neonate to geriatric

• Operates at a proficient level with regards to ones application of the principles of rational drug therapy including but not limited to: application of current evidencebased guidelines novel and innovative clinical practices

• Knowledge of operational pharmacy practice and demonstrated record of experience providing fundamental clinical pharmacy services and demonstrated experience with direct patient care activities and interactions with nursing and medical staff members

• Competence in research in an area related to the practice of pharmacy and maintains active credentialing with HM Academic Institute as applicable to primary work assignment (refer to manager for details)

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ONCALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be oncall during emergencies (ie. DIsaster Severe Weather Events etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital is the first specialty hospital in the Houston Methodist family. Located in the heart of the Katy community the facility provides a special menu of services for both inpatient and outpatient care by team members called to serve with excellence and compassion:

• Specialized inpatient care for those patients requiring a longer hospital stay
• Outpatient physical and speech therapy
• Stateoftheart diagnostic imaging such as Xray MRI CT
• Womens Center with advanced mammography