Job opening: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Mental Health)
Salary: $136 119 - 176 952 per year
Published at: Sep 21 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Mental Health) position is for South Texas Veterans Health Care System within Pharmacy Service.
The incumbent will be assigned to one of the following location(s) below:
Behavioral Health Integration Program (BHIP) at North Central Federal Clinic (NCFC) in San Antonio, Texas
Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) at Shavano Park VA Clinic in San Antonio, Texas
Duties
VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws
Serves as a provider with prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's practice area-based scope of practice for the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) in Mental Health to provide comprehensive medication therapy management (MTM). The primary responsibility of the CPS is the provision of evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through direct care with patients and consultation with other providers on their team. This CPS promotes and manages drug therapy based on current clinical knowledge that is consistent with policies established at the national, VISN, and local levels. The CPS functions as part of the Mental Health team and is most effective when assigned a panel of patients requiring MTM services, to support continuity of care and ensure the best use of pharmaceuticals. Clinical Pharmacy Specialists will follow patients in direct care setting to achieve therapeutic goal. Clinical Pharmacy Specialists are employees of their medical center's Pharmacy Service, to ensure they receive all professional guidance, policy and communications, along with department missions and goals, especially regarding the VA National Formulary, VISN and local medical center Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee objectives for formulary management activities and patient safety updates (i.e. notices, bulletins). The Mental Health CPS will perform their duties in one of the following clinical areas: primary care mental health integration (PCMHI), behavioral health interdisciplinary program (BHIP), specialty mental health, inpatient/residential mental health. The MH CPS may work remotely using telehealth technologies to include VA Video Connect (VVC) when the team requirements do not necessitate a full time Mental Health CPS be physically present. The CPS will be given appropriate resources and physical space (i.e., treatment room) for the direct care of their patients. The CPS will follow patients until they achieve the pharmaceutical therapeutic goals set by the provider, Chief of Staff or designee.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00a.m. to 4:30p.m.
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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 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.)
(2) 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.
Grandfathering Provision. 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).
Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
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.
Assignments. Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. For 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 time.
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. The 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 patients. A 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 services. This 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 treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:
a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
Preferred Experience:
-PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
-PGY2 Pharmacy Residency in Mental Health or PGY1 + 3 years > 50% clinical experience in Mental Health
-Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist (BCPP)
-Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Mental Health) - direct patient care with scope of practice
-Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) license or experience prescribing/managing controlled substances
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/55 PART II APPENDIX G15 LICENSED PHARMACIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-660 Veterans Health Administration dated June 7, 2012
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.
Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (8 hours); Standing (8 hours); Kneeling (1 hour); Repeated bending (4 hours); Both legs required; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Specific visual requirement (DVA Correctable to 20/40); Both eyes required; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted)
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: If your school was accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the ACPE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. 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: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
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 Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital
7400 Merton Minter Boulevard
San Antonio, TX 78229
US
- Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
- Email: [email protected]