The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) will be assigned to Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) in the primary care clinics. Teams are located in the main hospital and associated community based outlying clinics. The CPS will be consulted by their team(s) for comprehensive medication management of complex patients with chronic diseases commonly seen in the primary care setting. Services provided by the PACT CPS are conducted via multiple modalities, including virtual and in-person care.

Duties

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: The PACT CPS functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their individual scope of practice to directly care for patients. A PACT CPS functions as a member of their assigned team(s) and serves as an advanced practice provider 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. SCOPE OF PRACTICE: The individual SOP will be dependent upon the PACT CPS provider's education, training, and experience required to perform the functions of the position. All PACT CPS providers will participate in professional practice evaluations. Major Duties and Responsibilities: Clinical Functions: Executing therapeutic plans utilizing the safest and most cost-effective medication treatments Performing the physical measurements and objective assessments necessary to ensure the patient's appropriate clinical responses to therapy. Ordering, subsequent review, and action on appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor, support, and modify the patient's drug therapy. Ordering and prescribing medications, vaccines, devices, and supplies to include: initiation, continuation, discontinuation, monitoring, and altering therapy. Conducts virtual and in-person (when appropriate) encounters with patients for CMM in the PACT practice area. Achieves minimum productivity expectations as set forth by Associate Chief of Pharmacy for Clinical Services based on Clinical Pharmacy Practice Office (CPPO) guidance. Follows-up with patients in a timely manner and monitors for drug therapy response, potential adverse drug reactions, allergies, compliance, laboratory results, and other monitoring measures as appropriate; treatment plan adjustments are made accordingly based on assessed measures Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, pharmacokinetic impact, and therapeutic outcomes as required; information is communicated with team members and appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans are provided. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT/ADMINISTRATIVE: Collaborates in the development and maintenance of policies and procedures defining operational requirements for the clinical pharmacy program. Completes administrative projects and reports in a timely manner. Serves on VISN and/or facility level committees as requested. Adheres to and ensures the pharmacy service is compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements, as well as PACT related policies and procedures EDUCATION AND RESEARCH: Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, pharmacy residents and other staff as assigned. Serves as a preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents in accordance with established policies. Attends and actively participates in pharmacy related training, in-services, staff development, and relevant conferences. Serves as an advocate for the pharmacy profession and educates team members on PACT and CPS provider processes. Assists in the training of new PACT CPS, competency assessments, and mentoring as requested Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Functional Statement #: 537-01567-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Requirements

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: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) 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: (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.) 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.) OR, (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. Grade Determinations: 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. AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the requirements above, Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. 2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. 3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. 4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. 5. 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/PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency preferred. References: June 7, 2012 VA HANDBOOK 5005/55 PART II APPENDIX G15 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: There may be some walking, standing, sitting, bending, and carrying of light items.

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 Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 820 South Damen Avenue Chicago, IL 60612 US
• Name: Yasmin Scott
• Phone: 910-488-2120 X1499
• Email: [email protected]