Supervisor of Pharmacy Services, Investigational Drug - University of Maryland Medical System

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General Summary

Clinical Pharmacist: Under general supervision, interprets and evaluates physicians medication orders to provide prescribed medications, and other pharmaceuticals as needed, for adequate patient care according to professional standards and practices. Oversees pharmacy support personnel. Assesses pharmacy performance. Trains hospital staff. Advises/consults with patients, families, medical staff, and nursing staff. Area Supervisor: Under supervision, oversees the daily operations of the assigned pharmacy area/services. Supervises all levels of personnel assigned to the area being supervised. Assists in developing and implementing specific goals and objectives as they pertain to his/her area of supervision.

Principal Responsibilities and Tasks

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified. Clinical Pharmacist. This is for Investigational Drug Service Pharmacy. 

Provides pharmaceutical care to individual research patients. Promotes optimal drug therapy and safe use of medications and specialized nutrition support by applying medication use and nutrition care standards and regulations to individual patients. Specific processes include assessment of patient-specific data to evaluate the patient’s status and medication needs; development of a therapeutic plan; order/prescription management; medication preparation, dispensing and distribution; medication administration; monitoring; patient/family medication counseling; the prevention, detection, and resolution of drug-related problems; and documentation of findings (may include patients seen in any Medical System patient care setting, e.g. hospital, clinic, ER, home).

• Performs pharmacokinetic consultation to routine and complex patient cases.
• Designs and initiate drug therapy management where appropriate.
• Identifies a patient’s problem list, makes assessments, and monitors patients progress toward achieving therapeutic outcomes. Intervenes in situations in which use of an alternative drug requires advanced understanding of complex therapeutic issues.
• Contributes to the fiscal and patient care targets of an assigned pharmaceutical care team. Provides appropriate documentation of all pharmaceutical care interventions. Demonstrates ability to intervene in cost/quality-conscious decision making by recommending alternative therapy or discontinuation.
• Provides effective communication of information regarding therapeutic issues to other health professionals/drug orders for individual patients.
• Receives and interprets provider’s prescriptions/drug orders for individual patients. Acknowledges prescription orders using a computerized system. Assures prescription orders are filled properly and provides a final check.
• Participates in discharge planning where appropriate to assure a seamless transition for the patient across the various care settings of the UMMS integrated health system.

Manages care, quality, and costs. Involves the systematic and continuous process of evaluating and improving the utilization of medications in a patient population, in order to enhance the quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of medication use processes at the medical center.

• Participates in collecting patient information for the department’s on-going drug-use evaluation program to ensure that drugs are used appropriately, safely, and effectively according to approved criteria. Identifies target drugs for DUE, designs drug use criteria analyzes data, and reports findings to appropriate committees.
• Participates in the formulary management process including the development of drug monographs, treatment protocols, algorithms, and guidelines for use, and handling nonformulary requests and drugs with restricted status.

Manages the pharmacy. Acts in accordance with the mission, vision, and values of the medical center and pharmacy department. Maintains established departmental, state, federal and local laws, policies and procedures and generally accepted pharmacy practices.

• Provides front-line management of operational areas such as pharmacy satellites, IV admixture service, investigational drug services, unit-based practice models, or ambulatory pharmacy settings. May oversee and direct the pharmaceutical care activities of patient care pharmacists, and pharmacy residents and fellows.
• Demonstrates leadership in formulating and achieving unit/team goals and addressing departmental/institutional priorities.
• Utilizes information systems and data retrieval methods to support decision-making relative to work planning and patient care.
• Provides educational services including professional development and training to pharmacists, pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, pharmacy technicians, nurses, physicians, other health care professionals and patients/families to ensure the optimal and safe use of medications. Serves as a preceptor/instructor in academically-sponsored program in pharmacy or in post-graduate pharmacy training programs. Includes active involvement in pharmacy residency training programs.
• Develops and manages medication distribution and control systems. Includes appropriate management of inventory control and purchasing systems. Involves development of unique storage, preparation, dispensing, distribution and administration systems of medications as well as quality management with respect to the provided services. Assists in the assimilation of new technology into the medication use process including robotics, automated dispensing machines, automated compounding equipment and computer software programs with medical informatics applications.
• Provides timely drug and poison information in a professional manner to the public and health care professional through accurate interpretation of current medical literature. May include provision of services in a formalized drug or poison information center. Reviews and interprets the primary literature and applies this information to specific patient situations.
• Enhances customer relations and satisfaction. Interacts with internal and external customers of the Medical Systems in a respectful, courteous, and tactful manner to foster the delivery of quality patient and employee services. Responds with dignity and candor to the needs and concerns of patients, visitors, and fellow employees.
• Engages in practice enhancements and professional development. Demonstrates a commitment to expanding his/her knowledge base and clinical skills in the areas of pharmaceutical sciences, or pharmaceutical care services, managed care pharmacy and/or practice management.
• Conducts or participates in a departmental project aimed at addressing departmental goals and objectives.
• Publishes in the peer reviewed literature and/or makes presentations at local, regional or national programs, and/or serves in a leadership capacity for a professional pharmacy organization.
• Promotes public health awareness and disease prevention through active participation in service programs, health fairs, and public education programs in communities, schools, pharmacies, and health care facilities. Develops, participates in, and publicizes public education programs regarding early-detection, health screening, medication awareness, disease treatment programs, etc.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on the assigned unit. Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's requirements relative to his or her age-specific needs, and provides the care needed as described in the unit/area/department policies and procedures. Area Supervisor
• In addition to the management and supervisory elements of the Clinical Pharmacist, this position will supervise the daily operations of his/her assigned area, function or process. Monitors and reviews area performance, effects changes in collaboration his/her manager to improve services and focus results on established operational goals and objectives.
• Encourages and provides training and development of area staff.
• Evaluates individual’s work performance and make recommendations for merit increases, promotions, and disciplinary action to his/her manager.
• Assumes administrative responsibility for the cleanliness and organization of assigned area, especially those contributing to efficiency, effectiveness, patient safety, employee satisfaction (reduction of obstacles/nuisances), and appearance. Maintains area-specific records and files. Assists with and ensures the maintenance and care of department equipment and supplies.
• Interacts with nursing staff and medical staff to provide optimal patient care. Evaluates and follows through on suggestions and complaints.
• Interprets and enforces established departmental policies and procedures, good practice standards, behavioral objectives (Twenty Qualities), performance improvement initiatives, and safety, environmental, and infection control standards. Implements and maintains area-specific responsibility grids and shift/daily checklists.
• Attends meetings as required; participates on various committees as directed.
• Enhances personal professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-service meetings, workshops, and various relevant activities.
• Performs other administrative and managerial duties as assigned by the manager. Performs related duties as required.

• A baccalaureate degree in pharmacy from a college or university accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy is required. A doctor of pharmacy or clinical masters of science degree and completion of a pharmacy practice residency is preferred. Current licensure by the Maryland State Board of Pharmacy, is required. If licensure is pending reciprocation, it must be completed before the end of the probationary period.
• A minimum of two years inpatient experience or previous investigational drug service pharmacy experiences in an integrated health care system which includes an acute care hospital, or equivalent is required. Two years of supervisory experience in a clinical pharmacy setting is preferred.
• Knowledge of pharmacology, pathophysiology, clinical toxicology, and pharmacokinetics (especially the assigned area of focused practice); investigational drug research methodology; medication distribution and administration systems; pharmacoeconomics; nursing and hospital administrative practices is required.
• Ability to mentor and/or provide front-line management of patient care pharmacists and pharmacy supportive personnel in order to optimize the medication use process.
• Ability to use computer systems to manage patient information. Ability to operate other automated and/or robotic technology in support of the medication use process.
• Highly effective verbal and written communication skills are necessary in order to work with medical , nursing and various allied health staff to successfully provide optimal patient care. Written communication skills to include pharmacy notes and medical record documentation.
• Possess the following skills: ability to identify, prevent and solve drug-related problems; patient assessment skills; patient monitoring skills; drug information retrieval and literature search capabilities; ability to interpret/order clinical laboratory parameters; patient/family medication counseling skills; customers service skills.
• Demonstrated ability to intervene in cost-effective decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, complete and evaluate assignments and/or projects.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a preceptor for pharmacy students.
• Qualifications 3-7 must be demonstrated during the probationary period.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on the assigned unit. The individual must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's requirements relative to his or her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the unit/area/department policies and procedures.

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