Job Description Summary
The Clinical Specialists provides distributive and clinical pharmacy services to the inpatients and outpatients of the Medical University Hospitals and clinics. This position would be providing coverage for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infectious Diseases clinical services.

Entity
Medical University Hospital Authority (MUHA)

Worker Type
Employee

Worker Sub-Type
Regular

Cost Center
CC000603 CHS - Pharmacy - Admin Quality and Safety Services (Main)

Pay Rate Type
Salary

Pay Grade
Health-34

Scheduled Weekly Hours
40

Work Shift

Job Description

Clinical Pharmacy Services

• Participates as an integral member of the patient care team. Assists with therapeutic decisions such as drug product selection, drug dosing, and therapeutic drug monitoring.
• Develops patient care plans in concert with the medical team.
• Recommends therapy or alternative approaches based on interpretation of relevant medical literature and clinical experience.
• Makes verbal or written recommendations in a clear, succinct, and appropriate manner.
• Considers age, weight, and organ function (i.e. renal, hepatic, etc.) when evaluating patients and patient's therapies and when making recommendations.
• Interviews patients and conducts physical assessments to determine medical history, previous medication use, present medical condition, and response to therapy. Does so in a tactful, appropriate manner.
• Interprets laboratory and other patient-specific data to develop treatment plans and to monitor response to therapy.
• Applies pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic principles in order to achieve efficacious, safe, and economical pharmacotherapeutic regimens.
• Responds to therapeutic queries posed by physicians and other health care providers.
• Identifies drug-related problems such as complications resulting from drug therapy (ineffective therapy, allergic reactions, drug interactions, and adverse drug reactions). Initiates the necessary actions.
• Provides patient specific medication review to detect significant drug-drug, drug-laboratory, drug-food, and drug-disease interactions. Makes recommendations to avoid such interactions.
• Ensures a continuum of care by cooperating with other health professionals and outside health organizations.
• Counsels patients and/or care giver as to the proper administration, potential adverse reactions, storage of medications, etc.
• Cooperates with the program assistant and other financial support personnel to acquire medications for indigent patients-
• Administers medication in accordance with legal regulations and Medical Center policies as applicable.
• Cover other clinical specialists pagers and ensure responsibilities of the team are covered when they are not available to ensure continuity of care for all patients.
• Ensures completion of and performs medication histories when appropriate for patients
• Work closely with clinical pharmacists to alleviate medication related issues for clinic or service
• Act as a role model and mentor to clinical pharmacists for clinical initiatives
• If an on-call program exists in your area of practice, participate in the on-call program on a rotational basis as scheduled.
• Bill for pharmacotherapy services when appropriate
• Competently and willingly performs the functions of a clinical pharmacist
• Documents interventions, including therapeutic recommendations and patient education, in the medical record.
• In collaboration with the medical team, participates in and assists with discharge planning, as applicable.

Distributive Pharmacy Services

• Coordinates the timely, accurate delivery and administration of medication to patients in conjunction with pharmacy and nursing team members.
• Facilitates referrals for prior authorizations and patient assistance in a timely manner when needed.
• Identifies and resolves daily operational and / or clinical problems which arise in his/her area of practice working with staff from other departments as necessary
• Prepares and dispenses medications when necessary to provide patient care in a timely manner.
• Enters and verifies medications orders in necessary situations after evaluating all necessary information (eg, therapeutic need, formulary status, accurate dosing information, etc)
• Ensures appropriateness of medications orders prior to order entry
• Performs checking and review functions
• Performs supervisory functions

Drug info/scholarly activity

• Retrieves, analyzes, evaluates, and interprets the scientific literature as a means of providing patient-and-population-specific drug information to health care professionals and patients.
• Reads literature and attends journal clubs and continuing education sessions to stay current, expand knowledge, and maintain clinical acumen.
• Participates in scholarly activity and keeps department informed.
• Assists and supports Drug Information in formulary reviews of drugs or drug therapy classes to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee in the area of his/her expertise

Staff Development, Education and Training

• Provides in-service education to physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals (minimum of one in-service per month.)
• Serves as a preceptor for baccalaureate and Pharm.D. students, residents, and staff.
• Attends hospital, medical, and pharmacy department conferences.
• Actively participates as a presenter in departmental staff development programs.
• Orients and trains all new personnel in assigned areas.
• Support our residency programs by submitting ideas for residency projects and MUEs
• Act as an advisor for student Grand Rounds and Resident Seminars
• Participate in annual performance evaluations of peers and other staff members to enhance continued staff development.
• Mentors and provides immediate feedback to clinical pharmacists for clinical initiatives and coordination of pharmacists' activities in their area of practice.
• Handle difficult, tense, or complex situations amongst staff members to ensure appropriate development amongst all team members.

Systems of Care

• Develops, implements and complies with drug-use programs and policies such as critical pathways, treatment algorithms, targeted-drug programs, treatment guidelines, order sets, and protocols.
• Works with other health care providers and relevant policy-making committees to establish policy or implement improvements that improve drug therapy outcomes (efficacy, safety, cost effectiveness) and overall quality of patient care.
• Identifies therapeutic categories or individual therapeutic agents warranting medication use evaluations. In conjunction with drug information staff, physicians, and other health professionals, assumes primary responsibility for the conduct of medication
• Establishes processes to evaluate the cost effectiveness and quality of service-related outcomes.
• Evaluates and documents the impact of clinical pharmacy services upon patient care outcomes (clinical outcomes, quality of life outcomes, and cost outcomes).
• Participates in departmental programs such as clinical documentation, process improvement, monitored drug program, medication occurrence reporting, PSI reporting, good catch documentation and ADR reporting.
• Develop collaborative drug therapy management protocols, treatment protocols, prescribing templates, and order forms.
• Develops pharmacy programs and systems for providing optimal clinical pharmacy care.

Additional Job Description

Required Licensure, Certifications, Registrations:Licensed as a Registered Pharmacist by the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy. Current Basic Life Support (BLS) required, either a certification from an American Heart Association (AHA) BLS for Healthcare Providers (or AHA recognized equivalent) or an American Red Cross CPR/AED for Professional Rescuer and Healthcare Provider.

If you like working with energetic enthusiastic individuals, you will enjoy your career with us!

The Medical University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. MUSC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, age, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, family or parental status, or any other status protected by state laws and/or federal regulations. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment based upon applicable qualifications, merit and business need.

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