Clinical Pharmacist-Population Health

JOB SUMMARY:

The population health clinical pharmacist manager will provide innovative pharmacy services to patients served by MAHEC’s value-based care arrangements. Specifically, the clinical pharmacist will assist interdisciplinary teams in improving quality metrics, preventing inpatient admissions or readmissions, and decreasing unnecessary utilization costs. The clinical pharmacist shall serve as a resource for healthcare providers and staff. The population health clinical pharmacist manager will supervise team of population health technicians and their organizational workflows. A clinical practice may be maintained at an outpatient clinic. The position may precepting pharmacy students and pharmacy residents.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participates in clinic and care management activities to provide clinical pharmacy services and oversight for safe use of medication. This may include prescribing and monitoring of medications within the scope of practice designed collaboratively with physician colleagues. This may include, but is not limited to:
  • Completes/Reviews medication reconciliation.
  • Provides medication counseling.
  • Prescribes and adjusts medications as permitted through collaborative practice agreement.
  • Screens for drug interactions, therapeutic duplications, omissions, etc.
  • Monitors patients for therapeutic and/or adverse response to medication
  • Coordinates patient care with other outpatient or inpatient teams.
  • Ensures continuity of care and access with all medications.
  • Documents the care provided in patients’ records.
  • Participates in multidisciplinary reviews of patients’ progress, when applicable.
  • Serves as resource to population health division, care managers, and other healthcare professionals to provide medication reviews and to assist in accurate completion of medication reconciliation activities.
  • Refers patients to patient assistance programs, or other resources to navigate medication access issues, as needed.
  • Proactively assesses and encourages appropriate medication adherence.
  • May provide discharge counseling and education for select high-risk patients, either face-to-face or telephonically.
  • Provides both direct patient care and virtual services to patients as determined based on oversight from applicable clinic, PHMO, and/or pharmacy leadership
• Provides oversight of cost-effective use of medications and treatments. This includes risk reduction and correct utilization of resources to optimize care.
• Participates in developing guidelines, algorithms, and care pathways to improve the care and safety of patients.
• Oversight of the refill program and pharmacy technician team, including the Medication Assistance Program (MAP).
• Participates in MAHEC committees and initiatives related to population health, transitions of care, and/or pharmacy practice.
• Identifies problems and confers with the Administrative Director concerning unusual situations or staff performance issues.
• Teaches in MAHEC programs including residency didactics, student and resident seminars, and continuing education programs.
• Instruct, supervise and evaluate pharmacy residents and students during inpatient medicine experiences.
• Participates in MAHEC committees and teams as required.
• Participates in appropriate national, state, and local professional organizations.
• Participates in scholarly activities such as poster presentations, student and resident projects, and publishing.
• Serves as a resource for health care providers, lay groups, and learners in Western North Carolina on pharmacotherapy issues.

This role description is a general description of the essential job functions.  It is not intended to describe all the duties the Population Health Clinical Pharmacist may perform.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Communication Skills

Effectively and respectably communicate with other individuals, whether it be a colleague, patient, or patient’s family member and appropriately enumerate information in a manner easily understood by all parties. We do this to foster a culture of understanding between all parties, especially in complex and difficult situations, to ultimately provide the best care possible to our patients and their families.

• Decision Making

Ability to make the most appropriate decision in a given situation and then taking the next steps to ensure appropriate and timely completion. This requires conflict resolution skills, critical thinking skills, confidence in your ability to make the right decision in most situations. This also includes ability to prioritize your workday appropriately to ensure the most important tasks are completed on time.

• HealthCare Knowledge

Having the drive to keep yourself abreast and up to date on the new breakthroughs in your area of expertise and communicating them to the rest of the team, as appropriate.  This also includes keeping up with your licensure and yearly training requirements within your area expertise along with MAHEC’s organizational training. Finally, the ability to apply the depth of knowledge maintained and gained through this process in real life scenarios as appropriate.

• Interpersonal Skills

Showing the ability to meet difficult situations with grace, professionalism, and understanding. Within your area of expertise, showing respect and showing empathy where appropriate with your colleagues, patients, and their family at all times, even when its most difficult to do so. This is done, in part, by effective listening, being your authentic self, showing responsibility and dependability, and being patient with others.

• Organizational Values

Adherence to MAHEC’s founding principles and incorporating them every day. This includes, among others, having integrity and accountability, reverence for other cultures and equitable practices, ability to manage change, and displaying a clear understanding of organizational dynamics. Doing these things creates a culture where people want to do the best for each other and gives personal ownership towards the goal of helping people in their time of need.

• Problem Solving

Having an analytical mind and ability to work autonomously to solve complex problems that may arise. The wherewithal to think logically through a difficult problem and come to an appropriate resolution for a given issue. This helps to drive continuous improvement by thinking through where we can improve in a novel way. Measures success by understanding where we are currently and where we want to go and then applying those new ideas to affect positive change.

SPECIFIED SKILLS

• COMPUTER
  • Excellent skills in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and database applications required.
• FOREIGN LANGUAGE
  • Spanish speaking skills preferred.
• OTHER
  • Ability to effectively present information in didactic sessions, small group sessions, and clinical teaching sessions and respond to questions appropriately.
  • Ability to develop routine reports and to write business correspondence.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Light - Moderate energy level: Lift and carry 25 - 35 lbs, Push/Pull 50 - 100 lbs (empty bed, stretcher, etc.)
• Occasional (0 - 33% of Workday)

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Not applicable.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Graduate of an accredited School of Pharmacy with advanced training (Pharm.D.). 
  • One year of clinical and administrative practice experience and experience teaching and working collaboratively with other health care professionals and pharmacy students.
  • Completion of an ASHP-accredited residency.
• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • ASHP in Geriatrics or ambulatory care.

REQUIRED LICENSES

• Registered Pharmacist with an active and unencumbered license to practice in North Carolina or meets eligibility requirements for endorsement by the Board of Pharmacy.
• Eligibility to apply for Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner status.
• Eligibility for clinical faculty appointment with the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and UNC School of Medicine.
• Board Certification (BCPS, BCACP, BCGP, BCADM) is required within one year of hire.
• Valid North Carolina driver’s license.   

SCHEDULE:

Regular attendance on-site is an essential function of this position. Typical business hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (or flexed to best meet the needs of the clients and/or the Division); 40 hours per workweek; weekend, holiday, or evening coverage is occasionally required. Work hours will need to be flexible in order to respond to special work assignments, or evening activities, as requested by the team leader.