Clinical Pharmacist Coordinator, Controlled Substances

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Clinical Coordinator, Controlled Substances is responsible for controlled substances management across the hospital and affiliated clinics. The Clinical Coordinator will ensure our policies and procedures meet all federal and state regulatory requirements. This position will align daily practice with our policies and procedures. The Coordinator will serve as the secretary of the Diversion Prevention Committee. This position will supervise our controlled substances auditing technicians and utilize our diversion prevention software to ensure the safe use of controlled substances. The Coordinator will perform routine employee audits to monitor for and protect against diversion. Lastly, collaboration with stakeholders across Pharmacy, Nursing, and Anesthesiology will be a critical aspect of the role.

Position: Clinical Coordinator, Controlled Substances        

Department: Inpatient Pharmacy

Schedule: Full Time

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Administrative Duties

• Recruits and hires new team members
• Coordinates training and on-boarding for all direct reports
• Provides coaching and development to all direct reports
• Ensures compliance with the Pharmacy Department’s policies and procedures, BMC’s mission, vision, and values, and any federal or state regulations pertaining to or governing pharmacy practice
• Delivers annual performance evaluations to each direct report
• Develops annual performance goals for each direct report that are in alignment with BMC’s and the Department of Pharmacy’s operational and strategic goals
• Writes the schedule where appropriate and completes weekly payroll
• Collects and reports data that demonstrate the value of pharmacy services and patient outcomes in the Clinical Coordinator’s area of oversight
• Communicates effectively with direct reports, other teams within the department, and other providers across the organization

Quality improvement and patient safety

• Leads projects that optimize existing services and develop new pharmacy services that are in alignment with BMC’s and the Department of Pharmacy’s goals
• Identifies opportunities for improvement in patient care or the medication use process
• Supervises all projects conducted by direct reports
• Reviews medication-related event reports, develops solutions to mitigate future risk, and responsible for executing the action plan

Education and training

• Coordinates the model of practice for the Clinical Coordinator’s area of oversight
• Oversees and coordinates department education conferences or other activities related to staff development
• Precepts pharmacy residents and students
• Provides timely and accurate drug information, education, and training to patients and health care providers
• Responsible for providing oversight, guidance and support to other pharmacists and preceptors, and for working to continually develop and improve BMC’s pharmacy residency programs.

Direct patient care

• Staffs shifts in the Clinical Coordinator’s area of oversight
• Maximizes patient outcomes by optimizing pharmacotherapy within the scope and context of their staffing role
• Provides effective transition of care needs within the scope and context of their staffing role including, but not limited to, medication reconciliation, discharge counseling, facilitating medication to bedside, completing post-discharge telephone calls, and facilitation of the patient-supplied medication process.
• Prevents patient harm by promoting safe use of medications
• Identifies, reports, and implements solutions to prevent medication-related events
• Serves as a pharmacy liaison by ensuring connectivity between clinical and distributive services
• Documents all patient care activities

Formulary management

• Responsible for participating in formulary management activities (e.g. monograph preparation, medication use evaluations, etc.)
• Develops and implements drug shortage action plans where appropriate
• Follows departmental policies and procedures that promote cost-effective medication use
• Develops relationships with key physician and nursing stakeholders to create, promote and maintain guidelines for safe, appropriate, and cost-effective medication use

Operational Duties

• Ensures medications are handled in the manner established by the P&T Committee, applicable accreditation standards, state and federal regulations, and the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy.
• Reviews and verifies medication orders, reviews patient charts, evaluates applicable laboratory data to identify or prevent drug-related problems or toxicity. The pharmacist evaluates each medication order for appropriateness including but not limited to dose, route and frequency for clinical indication and organ function, screening for drug interactions, therapeutic duplication, allergy history, and recommending use of formulary drugs or alternative cost-effective therapy when possible.
• Works closely with the central pharmacists and technicians to ensure accurate and timely acquisition, distribution and control of all medications, including investigational drugs.  Collaborates with the Pharmacy Purchasing team on special medication needs.
• Provides oversight of the implementation, use, maintenance, and training of automation systems.
• Monitors quality assurance metrics and develops and implements corrective action plans. Develops and maintains SOPs to maintain compliance with quality assurance metrics.
• Adheres to all protocols and policies related to controlled substances.
• Supervises the activities of supportive personnel including student interns and technicians.
• Uses designated pharmacy automation and/or barcoding systems to document checking of any medications or sterile products prior to dispensing. 

Other skills

• Participates in and may lead hospital multidisciplinary committees
• Maintains active involvement in local, regional, or national professional organizations
• Maintains own professional and specialized competency through continued education as set forth by the Department of Pharmacy and the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy
• Conforms to Boston Medical Center’s standards of conduct so that the best possible customer service and patient care experience is provided
• Conducts interpersonal relationships with patients, visitors, physicians and fellow employees in a courteous and customer friendly manner
• Takes corrective action to improve performance on problem areas
• Maintains all designated hospital information confidential at all times
• Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures
• Utilizes hospital’s behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to support the hospital’s mission and goals
• Responsible for the creation and maintenance of a healthy work environment. A healthy work environment is one where people feel supported, held accountable, where standards are applied and expectations are clear. A healthy work environment is one where leadership supports and leads, models behavioral standards and sets the example for how to do all things right. Critical responsibilities related to this:
  • Being engaged in the department, including managing up, owning team decisions, and communicating and supporting departmental and or organizational initiatives
  • Serves as a role model for other pharmacists, pharmacy residents, and pharmacy technicians
  • Hold self and others to the highest ethical standards, and act with honor above all

Performs other duties as needed.

Must adhere to all of BMC’s RESPECT behavioral standards.

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job.  The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

Requires a Doctorate of Pharmacy or a graduate level degree in Pharmacy

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

• Eligible for a license to practice pharmacy in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which must be obtained by the date of hire.

• Board of Pharmacy Specialties certification is required for Clinical Coordinators in a direct patient care/decentralized setting.

EXPERIENCE:

• Clinical Coordinators in a direct patient care setting

  • PGY1 Pharmacy residency and a

  • PGY2 Pharmacy specialty residency or at least three years of pertinent experience

  • Work experience in providing direct patient care areas in the specific area of oversight

• Clinical Coordinators in an operational setting

  • Board certification and residency preferred

  • Minimum of 3 years of work experience in providing direct patient care areas in the specific area of oversight

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Effective leadership

• Strong communication

• Robust clinical knowledge pertinent to the specific practice area

• Effective project and time management

• Knowledge and application of biostatistics and improvement science

• Strong interpersonal skills when interacting with patients and colleagues

• Involvement in local, regional, or national professional organizations is encouraged

• Proficient with Microsoft Office including Word, Excel and Outlook, and web browsers

• Excellent attention to detail

• Effective verbal and written communication skills; must be proficient in the English; additional language skills are beneficial

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans

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