The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist shall be responsible for the provision of clinical pharmacy services/pharmaceutical care as delineated by the service’s Scope of Care for the patients of the entity. This individual shall possess the personal characteristics necessary for successfully fulfilling his/her responsibilities. These characteristics include flexibility, attention to detail, initiative, cooperation, a willingness and ability to work with other clinical pharmacists, and a commitment to continuing education to upgrade his/her skills in a constantly developing profession. He/she should be knowledgeable about pharmaceutical preparations; drug therapy review and evaluation; drug information sources, retrieval and interpretation; medication use evaluation; adverse drug reaction reporting and evaluation; specialty area medicine; disease state management; and formulary management for adolescent, adult, and geriatric patient age groups served at the entity and possess capabilities to provide pharmaceutical care for these patient age groups. He/she will provide information about medication therapy in both formal and informal settings to healthcare providers, including physicians as well as patients and families. Services/skills shall include:
a. Evaluation of drug therapy orders and medication profiles, monitoring drug dosing and administration regimens, evaluation of adverse reactions and drug/drug interactions, and provision of drug and poison information, as well as recommendations on cost containment issues. b. Specialized activities such as therapeutics, nutrition support formulations, cardio respiratory resuscitation therapeutics, and clinical research projects. c. Regular participation on rounds with the appropriate team, provision of drug therapy-related education to specialty area team members, and participation in multidisciplinary quality activity committees. d. Provision of input about policies and procedures related to safe and effective use of medication in specialty area(s), including development of evidence based protocols related to the safe use of medications. e. Provide information/input for Clinical Coordinator as well as P&T and Clinical Committees regarding formulary status of specialty area therapeutic agents. f. Precepting of pharmacy students, as well as pharmacy and medical residents. g. Appropriate interactions with practitioners from various Colleges of Pharmacy’s.
He/She should manifest good communication and interactive skills, a positive outcome/results orientation and the ability to function successfully as part of unit based and/or multidisciplinary teams, as well as independently. He/she shall demonstrate leadership qualities and routinely serve as a role model, both intra and interdepartmentally.
He/she should model the Ballad Health Mission, Vision and Values, and shall be committed, by personal actions/examples and leadership direction, to the unceasing improvement of care quality via the organization’s Performance Improvement Initiatives. This pharmacist shall also adhere to/serve as a role model as relates to compliance with regulatory body/agency mandates.
He/she will be knowledgeable about rationale and processes for accreditation and will participate in maintenance of continuous service readiness (CSR).
Access to patient information may be needed to fulfill the responsibilities of this role.
Adherence to Ballad Health confidentiality policies and practices is required.
The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist must be a graduate of a college of pharmacy accredited by the American Council for Pharmaceutical Education. Education and training should include capabilities/competencies to provide pharmaceutical care for patients of age groups as delineated in position scope. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist shall have at least five (5) years of clinical pharmacy experience with a minimum of 2 years of specialty area experience OR have successfully completed a post graduate residency with a dedicated specialty area component. An advanced pharmacy degree with an applicable residency OR comparable experience (as delineated previously) accompanied by Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy shall be required. His/her clinical experience shall include, but not be limited to, clinical consultation/review, medication use evaluation for patients of related age groups, nutritional support, and pharmacokinetic dosing. Capabilities/knowledge must also be exhibited in the use of related information systems hardware/software. Previous experience/proficiency in the provision of education and training for pharmacy students and healthcare providers is needed. This individual shall possess good communication skills and analytical and leadership abilities. He/She must demonstrate the ability to work closely with physicians and paramedical professions in a multidisciplinary setting. Pharmacist shall possess abilities and knowledge to function on the Consult Service, collaborating professionally and effectively with team members (including physicians) regarding patient care needs and with a goal of positive, patient-oriented outcomes. This collaboration will include regular rounds with the Team for development of patient management plans.
About Ballad Health & Niswonger Children's Hospital
Ballad Health is an integrated community health improvement organization serving 29 counties of the Appalachian Highlands in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Northwest North Carolina and Southeast Kentucky. We're dedicated to improving the health of the people we serve.
Our system of 20 hospitals, post-acute care and behavioral health services, and a large multi-specialty group physician practice works closely with an independent medical community and community stakeholders to improve the health and well-being of close to one million people.
By leading in the adoption of value-based payments, addressing health-related social needs, funding clinical and health systems research and committing to long-term investments in strong children and families in our region, Ballad Health is striving to become a national model for rural health and healthcare.
At Ballad Health, we're completely invested in our communities because we're your neighbors, and this is our community, too. We're here to listen to you and address your unique needs – and we'll always be accountable.