At Houston Methodist, the Senior Pharmacy Clinical Specialist position is responsible for performing expert clinical pharmacist duties enabling the delivery of optimal pharmacotherapy to patients and facilitating safe, efficacious, and pharmacoeconomically rational use of medications in the population(s) served, which involves daily medication therapy regimen reviews of patients within designated area(s) of responsibility or targeted populations served. This position provides education to fellow pharmacists, nursing and medical staffs, and others inside and outside the department while conducting CQI evaluations, and basic research promoting the safe, effective use of medications. Additional duties for the Senior Pharmacy Clinical Specialist position include precepting pharmacy students and pharmacy residents on clinical patient care rotations within areas of responsibility and contributing to fulfilling the organization's mission to provide innovative, personalized, cost-effective pharmaceutical care in a culture dedicated to quality and safety.
PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic, team focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal department results. Collaborates with other health care professionals as needed for problem resolution and/or achievement of identified patient specific goals.
- Serves as a mentor for Clinical Specialists and pharmacy residents on research projects. Precepts ASHP-accredited residency program residents, and students from affiliated colleges of pharmacy.
- Develops educational materials and provides educational programs for the pharmacy staff and other hospital personnel.
SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Processes all orders/requests accurately and efficiently, verifying appropriateness of all drugs in reference to the patient's diagnosis, allergies, height and weight. Exercises good judgment in patient care decisions per performance standard and documents patient care activities and patient outcomes as impacted by pharmaceutical care and clinical interventions.
- Provides patient-specific and non-patient specific drug information support regularly.
- Serves as a pharmacy lead on policy and procedure reviews and responds timely to audit reports within areas of responsibility.
- Serves as a member on one or more Medical Staff committees and actively contributes to accomplishing the goals of the committee or subcommittee.
QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Participates in developing medication therapy/disease state management protocols and/or dosing guidelines within specialty area.
- Provides pharmaceutical care in designated practice area(s) to patients from an advanced to expert level. Activities include, but are not limited to, proactive drug therapy reviews and monitoring, patient counseling, transitions of care including medication acquisition process support, and management of pharmacist based dosing protocols.
- Leads internal HM quality management and research program(s). Develops, implements, evaluates, and drafts reports of quality assurance program outcomes and conducts pharmacy research in concert with the departmental goals and objectives.
- Serves as an on-call resource in assigned roles as determined by manager (e.g. ID Stewardship, Investigational drugs, or general clinical).
FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Contributes to the evaluation of medications for the HM Formulary, and provision of pharmacoeconomically sound medication in area(s) of responsibility and avoiding medication-related complications. Participates in HM committees and initiatives involving medication use for the optimization of pharmacoeconomic benefits.
- Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize tasks for self and for specialty area of focus.
GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Contributes regularly to intra-departmental, interdepartmental publications. Supports the Department's ACPE delivery mission by providing ACPE programs and when needed, mentoring residents' preparation of ACPE programs.
- Participates in research projects to advance the pharmacy department's goals and the pharmacy profession. Submits research and scholarly work for publication, platform presentations, and/or poster presentations. Gives presentations at local, state and national meetings, including in-services presentations to pharmacy, medical, nursing, and nutrition staff in area(s) of responsibility. Seeks opportunities to expand learning beyond baseline competencies with a focus on continual development as a Sr. Pharmacy Clinical Specialist.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.
EDUCATION
- Graduate of education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credential(s) indicated below in the Certifications, Licenses and Registrations section
WORK EXPERIENCE
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- Must have one of the following:
- ◊ Successful completion of ASHP-accredited post graduate year 1 (PGY-1) and year 2 (PGY-2) residency training programs or equivalent professional experience (i.e., three additional years of pharmacy experience per residency year; completion of a pharmacy fellowship program with a focus in an applicable field may be considered equivalent to a PGY2 residency)
- ◊ Six years of clinical practice experience
- ◊ Three years of experience as a HM Clinical Specialist
- Meets HM standards of an ASHP-Qualified Residency Preceptor
- Oncology experience highly preferred
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED
- PHRM - Pharmacist - State Licensure -- Texas Pharmacist license or eligible for Texas Pharmacist license within 90 days AND
- PPC- Pharmacist Preceptor Cert - State Licensure within 90 days AND
- BLS - Basic Life Support (AHA) within 90 days AND
- ACLS-P - ACLS Provider (AHA) -- for pharmacist regularly assigned to respond to code blue events within 90 days AND
- PALS - Pediatric Advanced Life Support (AHA) -- for pharmacist regularly assigned to respond to code blue events within 90 days AND
- NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation -- if applicable to primary work assignment within 90 days AND
- IV Certification - Intravenous certification (ACPE) -- if applicable to primary work assignment within 6 months
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - PREFERRED- Board of Pharmacy Specialist (BPS)
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES- Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
- Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
- Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
- Exhibits strong interpersonal, teamwork and leadership skills with all levels of the healthcare team and assures delivery of excellent customer service to all patients, visitors, physicians and co-workers; capable of assuming responsibility for coordinating the activities of a major pharmacy service area.
- Demonstrates professional and technical competence in the selection, evaluation, utilization, and distribution of drugs and drug information and applies these to all patient groups, neonate to geriatric
- Operates at a proficient level with regards to one's application of the principles of rational drug therapy including but not limited to: application of current evidence-based guidelines, novel and innovative clinical practices
- Knowledge of operational pharmacy practice and demonstrated record of experience providing fundamental clinical pharmacy services and demonstrated experience with direct patient care activities and interactions with nursing and medical staff members
- Research competence in an area related to the practice of pharmacy
- Competence in research in an area related to the practice of pharmacy and maintains active credentialing with HM Academic Institute as applicable to primary work assignment (refer to manager for details)
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
WORK ATTIRE
- Uniform No
- Scrubs Yes
- Business professional Yes
- Other (department approved) No
ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**
- May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
- May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes
Company Profile:
Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2025, will be Houston Methodist's ninth hospital and will incorporate the most advanced technology available from the day the doors open. With 100 beds (at our opening; licensed for 276) and a prime location in the heart of the rapidly growing U.S. 290 corridor, the hospital will be equipped with technologically advanced innovations implemented during COVID, many of them designed to make patient communication with physicians, staff and families the very best and most effective in any health care facility. Even though the hospital won't be fully operational until 2025, we have several services and specialties opening in 2024.
Houston Methodist is an equal opportunity employer inclusive of women, minorities, disabled persons and veterans.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Equal employment opportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston Methodist is firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with Houston Methodist on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law. VEVRAA Federal Contractor – priority referral Protected Veterans requested.