This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

Current permanent VA employees and Federal employees from other federal agencies should apply under CBST-12621009-25-JA. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) has prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's Scope of Practice. The Domiciliary (DOM) CPS delivers evidenced-based comprehensive medication management (CMM) through direct patient care and as part of the interdisciplinary team. 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; implementing risk mitigation strategies and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy. The CPS has full time responsibility for providing expert pharmacotherapy services for patients and professional staff to optimize patient response and resource utilization. Within the basic framework the CPS assumes the following duties and responsibilities: Be directly involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas. Be actively involved in reviewing patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed. Be able to apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care and recognizes significant abnormalities. Has expertise in the principles of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and is knowledgeable and able to make dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings. Reviews and implements pharmacotherapy and treatment guidelines, during direct patient care or via recommendations to other providers. Documents clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate. Collaborates with clinical staff to provide pharmaceutical care to selected patients as outlined by best evidence, VHA and MEDVAMC clinical practice guidelines. Clinical activities include histories, evaluations, outlining and executing, and monitoring pharmacotherapeutic treatment plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic, and most economical medication treatments. Completes medication reconciliation including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non-VA medications. This may include adding non-VA medications or discontinuing duplicate medications or those the patient is not taking. Performs drug use evaluations on behalf of national, VISN and local medical center initiatives as needed. Provides Pass medication review and counseling in accordance with the VHA Handbook 11620 and local facility SMM policy. Manages out-of-stock situations by substituting alternate dosage strengths and instructions of the same medication equal to the prescribed dose and schedule as approved by the Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee, including patient education as necessary. Implementing VA medical facility policies including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions. Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable. Work Schedule: Variable (all tours possible and all days possible) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

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: (a) 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.) (b) 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). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Clinical Pharmacy Specialist GS-13: Experience. In addition to the GS-12 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 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: 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 13. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, may require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center 2002 Holcombe Boulevard Houston, TX 77030 US
• Name: Joshua Adams
• Phone: 720-495-7667
• Email: [email protected]