Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

We have an exciting opportunity available as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. This is a hybrid position - primarily remote daily work with some onsite time ("site visits") at UPMC Altoona, UPMC Bedford, and UPMC Somerset as needed. No weekend or holiday staffing required. Daily hours are daylight shift and flexible.

This job provides infectious diseases clinical pharmacy expertise to the development, implementation, and management of the UPMC Altoona Network Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. The clinical pharmacy specialist assists in the management of pharmacy utilization and provides expertise in managing clinical pharmacy services. These services will be provided in compliance with state and federal regulations, the mission, policies and procedures of the Health System Executive P&T Committee, System Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, and Infectious Diseases Quality Team. Individual should demonstrate professionalism and commitment to meet UPMC goals and objectives.

Apply online today!

Responsibilities:

Clinical & Operational Activities:

• Perform daily stewardship via prospective audit with intervention and feedback to prescribers.

• Provide input on the development and revisions of formulary guidelines, therapeutic class reviews, clinical practice guidelines, and other content for Health System P&T Antimicrobial subcommittee.

• Research adequately and be properly prepared for all local and system level meetings, Present assignments succinctly and at a suitable pace, volume, and speed and answer all questions.

• Coordinate local implementation and monitoring of Health System Executive P&T decisions through collaboration with key stakeholders, including information services, pharmacy supply chain, and hospital pharmacy leadership as needed.

• Complete medication use evaluations as a performance improvement measure.

• Develop and evaluate therapeutic drug interventions and other clinical pharmacy programs for controlling pharmacy trend, including pharmacist and provider interventions, and looking specifically at outcomes for these programs, as well as considering comprehensive research or quality improvement projects. Serve as an expert in drug literature evaluation strategies, a resource to interpret drug literature findings and provide information to internal customers.

• Provide innovative and applicable ideas in clinical program development, utilization management, formulary management, provider education, therapeutic substitution, and/or improvements in programs and edits that already exist, including both improving operational efficiencies, as well as developing new clinical pharmacy practice guidelines. Implement these new ideas or improvements as approved, while also considering outcomes.

Administrative:

• Participate in meetings, committees, and work groups both internally and externally as assigned.

• Maintain a solid understanding of the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, TJC, CMS and other applicable regulatory authorities, specifically as they relate to the expectations of hospital pharmacy operations.

• Ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements of clinical functions.

Communication:

• Foster and maintain collaborative relationships with internal and external customers. Communicate pharmacy information as appropriate to patients, providers, and other members of the health care team.

• Develop communication materials to providers and other members of the health care team, including discussions regarding formulary decisions, health education, formulary compliance, and trends in drug utilization.

Teaching and Education:

• Provide education to local hospital staff as needed.

Special Skills/Ability to Interact:

• Have ability to function independently, but support team concept.

• Behavior denotes reliability as demonstrated by prompt attendance and timeliness completing designated workload and follow-up.

• Conveys and maintains professional image while interacting with coworkers, providers and clients.

• Honor patient confidentiality

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy, and/or Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (Pharm.D.) from an accredited U.S. School of Pharmacy.

• ASHP-accredited hospital pharmacy residency, or equivalent experience in hospital pharmacy practice is preferred.

• Prior experience must include responsibilities related to medication use policy development and formulary management.

• Effective communication skills, both written and oral.

• Must have strong analytical ability and organizational skills.

• Computer literacy for pharmacy programming, word processing, data management.

• Assessment of job-related skills and competency will be reviewed annually via daily functioning, job-related documentation, department-based competency programs, and continuing education activities.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• Pharmacist

• Registration as a registered pharmacist (RPh), in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or eligibility for licensure by examination or reciprocity. Continuing Education requirements met each bi-annual cycle for re-licensure, as evident by obtaining a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education every 2 years in structured pharmaceutical education as necessary by the state board

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran