This position is located within the Pharmacy Service at the Birmingham VA Health Care System to provide Medication Management as a midlevel provider. The primary responsibility of this Clinical Pharmacist Specialist (CPS) is coordination and provision of direct patient care via medication management, including Primary Care and/or Subspecialty Care areas for patients of the Birmingham VAHS and outlying clinics. This position's current assignment will focus on specializing in Neurology.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws FUNCTIONS/SCOPE OF DUTIES: A. Clinical--Direct Patient Care that requires a Scope of Practice 1) Responsible for providing direct patient-care medication management performed with the efficiency and depth of an experienced clinical pharmacist Specialist (CPS) in complex patients per approved scope of practice. 2) Designs, implements, monitors, and evaluates patient-specific pharmacotherapy plans to achieve defined outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas. Implements or recommends corrective actions to providers and documents in CPRS as appropriate for areas including but not limited to the following: a. Appropriate laboratory monitoring parameters. b. Drug-drug interactions and co morbidities. c. Duplication of therapy. d. Medication side effects. e. Appropriate dosing regimens. f. Absence of an essential medication. g. Drug allergies. h. Occurrence of adverse events. i. Risk mitigation (i.e., Pharmacogenomics). 3) Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy. 4) Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy, i.e., changes in medication therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements. 5) CPP will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPS scope of practice. 6) Demonstrates expertise in the principles of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and is knowledgeable and competent to make appropriate dose adjustments based on objective laboratory findings, as allowed by an approved scope of practice. 7) Provides advanced pharmacology and therapeutic consultation on formal and informal basis concerning drug information to physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team. B. Clinical-Indirect Patient Care Activities 1) Coordinates and/or performs medication reconciliation for patients with scheduled face-to-face or telehealth appointments as related to medication management and/or transitions of care where required. 2) Provides formulary management support through consult review and team collaboration. 3) Provides e-consult support to various services for medication recommendations. 4) Identifies patients via population management dashboards who may benefit from Comprehensive Medication Management based on clinical parameters or identified risk. 5) Monitors, reports, and assists with resolution of drug errors, adverse drug reactions, and medication allergies. 6) Identifies and analyzes medication errors and trends. Reviews ADE's for impact on patient care and recommends corrective actions and methods of prevention. 7) Promotes cost-effective medication use that is consistent with national, VISN, and local policy (e.g., formulary vs. nonformulary, prior authorization). 8) Provides written and/or verbal education on complex drug regimens as appropriate based on cognitive, physical, emotional, educational needs of the patient. C. Education & Research 1) The pharmacist serves as adjunct instructor to approved schools of pharmacy. Individually precepts Doctor of Pharmacy advanced practice students and pharmacy residents. 2) The pharmacist provides lectures and educational material to medical students and residents, nurses, physicians, and other related healthcare professionals and trainees. 3) The pharmacist serves as pharmacy liaison for drug research activities for the medical center and associated clinics. D. Drug Information 1) Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance, to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and students. Uses appropriate references to research drug information. 2) Has a good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic. 3) Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management. 4) Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers. E. Program Management 1) Serves on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested. 2) Produces committee reports as requested. 3) Completes Medication Use Evaluation reviews as requested. 4) Serves on Performance Improvement teams as requested. Preferred Experience: The highly qualified candidate will be residency trained with direct patient care experience in neurology. Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialists preferred. First consideration given to current employees of the Birmingham VA Health Care System. Work Schedule: 8-hour shift between the hours of 6AM to 6PM Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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: 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: Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f). 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 or Graduate of a foreign pharmacy degree program that meets the educational requirement and can 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. I have a 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. 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: In addition to the GS-13 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. To be creditable, experience must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (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. Additional Special Qualifications: Ability to communicate orally to individuals and groups of people in person while at conferences, via video-conferencing and during teleconferences Ability to communicate in writing for a variety of purposes including the preparation of reports and analysis, publications, and newsletters Ability to organize projects of broad scope and objective without the use of established methods and procedures Knowledge of VA National Center for Patient Safety reporting systems Knowledge of pharmacy automated dispensing devices and equipment Knowledge of, and ability to perform, aseptic technique Knowledge of basic inventory procedures Knowledge of pharmacy information systems. References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G-15 and FS 53229 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: Physical movements involve completion of routine pharmacy functions which include, but are not limited to: significant computer work/typing, prescription order entry and processing, contact of patients (both face to face and via phone). Certain tasks are repetitive in nature and require multiple steps performed in succession for success. The incumbent should be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds without significant difficulty. Incumbent must be able to stand or sit in one place for considerable time during completion of complex tasks. Complexity of mental processes involved is extensive, demanding, and challenging.

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 Birmingham VA Medical Center 700 South 19th Street Birmingham, AL 35233 US
• Name: James Brinson
• Email: [email protected]