The incumbent practices a majority of the time in the Outpatient Mental Health practice setting. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist is responsible for a major area of interest and practice within Outpatient Mental Health Services as an integral member of a multidisciplinary team. The incumbent is responsible to provide pharmaceutical care to patients in the outpatient mental health program and to optimize patient care outcomes.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Responsible for a focused area of practice in mental health which may encompass but is not limited to the clozapine program, injection clinic, mental health intensive case management, behavioral health interdisciplinary program (BHIP), and pharmacy services related to urgent care mental health, formulary management, quality assurance/utilization review, and drug information, etc. Clinical: Spends at least 95% of the time in the outpatient mental health practice setting with at least 80% of the time in direct patient care. Serves as a liaison between Pharmacy Services and other healthcare providers. Provides evidence-based psychopharmacotherapy management (including identification of patient specific medication issues such as drug interactions, adverse effects, allergies, lack of effectiveness, appropriateness, and compliance problems), and provision of drug information service to the outpatient mental health clinics and to other areas within mental health as requested. Uses expertise in psychiatric disorders symptom management and psychopharmacology to optimize patient care. Serves as a pharmacotherapeutic consultant for mental health related issues. Interacts closely with providers, including physicians, PAs, ARNPs, psychologists, nursing, and LICSWs in the design of the Veteran's mental health regimen to achieve optimization of rational and cost-effective drug therapy. Provides pharmaceutical services to focus on therapeutic drug monitoring. Evaluates the risk-benefit ratio of therapeutic alternatives. Develops and analyzes medication regimens to ensure the most effective, least toxic, and most cost effective treatment plan. Works independently under a scope of practice to manage medication therapy and disease state outcomes for mental health patients in collaboration with mental health providers to include: Interviews the Veteran to ascertain significant past medical history and medication history. Monitors and assesses therapeutic and adverse effects of medication therapy through selection and evaluation of physical and laboratory parameters. Performs basic physical assessments to obtain objective information needed to assess the Veteran's response to medication therapy and/or safety and efficacy of medication regimen. Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests, other diagnostic studies, and registries necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy. Completes follow-up with patients on lab or test results and discusses the plan of therapy, changes in therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements. Designs, implements, and documents patient specific pharmaceutical care plans based on information obtained by the aforementioned. Initiates, modifies, and discontinues medications as appropriate to achieve patient specific therapeutic outcomes. Communicates significant findings with other health care providers to ensure continuity of care. Performs an in depth, patient-specific medication reconciliation to maximize safe and effective treatment, to reduce polypharmacy, and to improve Veteran adherence. Provides Veterans with an updated medication list. Participates in the Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting program and reports medication errors to ensure Veteran safety. Recognizes adverse drug reactions to psychiatric medications, and makes appropriate changes in therapy. Provides timely and in-depth reviews of Prior Authorization Drug Requests (PADR). Works with providers and pharmacy staff to enhance and maintain adherence to formulary. Communicates, adjudicates, and completes formulary changes, drug safety alerts, drug shortages, and drug conversions plans made by the National Pharmacy Benefits management group, Pharmacy, Nutrition, and Therapeutics Committee, and Formulary manager. Provides dosing recommendations including pharmacokinetic dosing, based on age, renal or hepatic dosing; usual recommended starting doses, titrations, and maximum dosing. Understands pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences in various patient populations. Verifies mental health clinic prescription orders for timely preparation, administration, and dispensing. Documents clinical pharmacy interventions and recommendations in the computerized medical record via an electronic progress note, pharmacy profile, or consult section and completes encounters to ensure workload capture. Helps develop outcome monitoring parameters to assess the impact of clinical pharmacy services and for quality improvement. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8AM - 4:30PM Telework: Ad Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 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 Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate 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 a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency (ideally a PGY2 Pharmacy Residency), advanced training (e.g. certification, fellowship, etc.), or experience in PGx. Experience working direct patient care with a scope of practice ideally as a mental health clinical pharmacy specialist or hematology/ oncology clinical pharmacy specialist or cardiology clinical pharmacy specialist. Experience providing academic detailing and/or educational outreach to improve prescribing of targeted drugs. Flexible, adaptable, and versatile team player. Excellent virtual care and communication skills. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/55 PART II APPENDIX G15 II-G15-1 [APPENDIX G15. LICENSED PHARMACIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-660 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: Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Use of fingers; Working closely with others

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US
• Name: Delilah Black
• Phone: 215-823-5800 X6491
• Email: [email protected]