Pharmacy Clinical Specialist-Internal Medicine

Boston Medical Center (BMC) is more than a hospital. It´s a network of support and care that touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in need each year. It is the largest and busiest provider of trauma and emergency services in New England. Emphasizing community-based care, BMC is committed to providing consistently excellent and accessible health services to all—and is the largest safety-net hospital in New England. The hospital is also the primary teaching affiliate of the nationally ranked Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and a founding partner of Boston HealthNet – an integrated health care delivery systems that includes many community health centers. Join BMC today and help us achieve our Vision 2030 which is a long-term goal to make Boston the healthiest urban population in the world.

Position: Pharmacy Clinical Specialist-Internal Medicine

Department: Inpatient Pharmacy

Schedule: Full Time, Exempt

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Clinical Manager ensures optimum patient outcomes related to medication use by preventing or resolving drug-related issues and optimizing the drug therapy of patients. Provides drug information to patients and families, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professional. Integrally involved in education of pharmacists, residents and students. Serves as a resource and drug expert in one of the seven specialty areas. Strives to increase knowledge through research and writing activities. The Clinical Specialist may also be involved, as necessary, in coordinating the acquisition, distribution and control of drug therapy for patients under the care of the pharmacist.

The Pharmacy Clinical Specialist is responsible for the provision of direct patient care, training and education of other health care providers, contributing to formulary management activities, and participating in quality improvement projects. Direct patient care activities include improving patient outcomes by optimizing pharmacotherapy, ensuring medication safety, and promoting effective transitions of care. The Pharmacy Clinical Specialist will be expected to take an active role in projects and activities beyond direct patient care that support the mission, values, and goals of the Department of Pharmacy and Boston Medical Center. This pharmacist will be expected to provide exemplary service to other internal customers at BMC, as well as embody BMC’S RESPECT standards in all interactions with patients and colleagues.  This position has rotating shifts and includes weekends and holidays.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Distributive and operational responsibilities

• Ensures all medications are handled in the manner established by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics 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. For each medication, the pharmacist evaluates the 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 pharmacist 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.
• Adheres to all protocols and policies related to controlled substances

Direct patient care

• Rotates through different clinical shifts with a specific core practice area
• Makes recommendations to optimize pharmacotherapy within the context of a multidisciplinary team
• Provides effective transition of care needs including, but not limited to, medication reconciliation, discharge counseling and facilitating medication to bedside
• Prevents patient harm by promoting the safe use of medications
• Identifies and reports medication-related events
• Performs daily targeted interventions to decrease risk of readmission, optimize therapy, and improve medication safety
• Serves as a pharmacy liaison to the BMC staff by ensuring the connectivity between clinical and distributive services.
• Documents all patient care activities

Education and training

• Serves as a preceptor for residents and students
• Assists in the orientation and training of new pharmacists, residents, interns and technicians as assigned.
• Provides timely and accurate drug information, training, and education to patients and health care providers
• Collaborates on resident projects

Formulary management

• Participates in formulary management activities (e.g. monograph preparation, medication use evaluations, etc.)
• Enacts drug shortage action plans
• Follows departmental policies and procedures to promote cost-effective medication use

Quality improvement

• Identifies opportunities for improvement in patient care or the medication use process
• Takes an active role in the development and implementation of quality improvement projects

Other duties

• May serve on hospital multidisciplinary committees as assigned
• Maintains own professional and specialized competency through continuing 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.
• Hold self and others to the highest ethical standards, and act with honor above all.
• Performs other duties as needed.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• Requires a Doctorate of Pharmacy or Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy with an advanced degree, and a PGY1 pharmacy residency or at least three years of equivalent work experience.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

Work requires a valid license to practice pharmacy in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  MA pharmacist licensure must be complete and verified by the date of hire.  

Board of Pharmacy Specialties certification is preferred

EXPERIENCE:

(As detailed in the educational section above).

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Strong clinical knowledge pertinent to the specific practice area
• Effective project 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