What are the responsibilities and job description for the Ambulatory Care Pharmacist position at Kaiser Permanente?
Job Summary:
Under indirect supervision, provides ambulatory pharmaceutical care services using approved protocols in collaboration with other health professional, including managing patient drug therapy, providing patient education, and preparing and/or overseeing the preparation and dispensing of medications. Promotes high quality, evidence-based, cost-effective pharmaceutical care. Performs these duties in the clinical areas assigned.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Under the direction of the Department manager or designee, promotes rational and cost-effective Inpatient and Outpatient drug therapy through close participation in the drug therapy decision-making process with assigned physicians and other medical personnel.
- Provides direction to Pharmacist Residents, Pharmacist Interns, Pharmacy Technicians, and other non-licensed personnel.
- Conducts patient medication history inquiries upon referral from physicians and other medical personnel.
- Given a diagnosis, synthesize a treatment plan, which may include drug therapy and lifestyle modifications, and transition within the continuum of care settings.
- Identifies, resolves, and prevents potential and actual medication-related problems including: untreated indications, improper drug selection, subtherapeutic dosage, overdose, failure to receive medication, adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, and medication without indication.
- Under protocol, initiates, adjusts, monitors, and recommends changes in drug therapy based on information obtained through patient interviews, objective monitoring parameters, review of drug profiles and the patient medical record.
- Coordinates and interprets laboratory monitoring of drug therapy, including serum drug levels, electrolytes, and other approved drug-related laboratory testing.
- Provides patient monitoring for the purpose of evaluating and optimizing patient outcomes, drug utilization and patient compliance, detecting and/or minimizing ADRs, eliminating unnecessary drug use and duplication.
- Provides patient education related to the individuals disease state, including predictable actions, side effects, reasons for proper compliance, and any special instruction.
- Assure ongoing performance improvement of the pharmaceutical care services provided.
- Provides education to providers and staff via presentations, newsletters, formal utilization reviews, and one-on-one interactions.
- Performs other duties as required.
Qualifications:
Basic Qualifications:
Experience
- Successful completion of a clinical pharmacy residency or possess the equivalent clinical experience in direct patient care delivery.
Education
- B.S. degree in Pharmacy OR Pharm.D required.
License, Certification, Registration
- Pharmacist License (California) required at hire
- Basic Life Support from American Heart Association
Additional Requirements:
- Comprehensive knowledge of current pharmacological/biopharmaceutical principles, medical terminology, pathologies, disease states, and related information for a medical management plan.
- Working knowledge of aseptic technique and preparation of sterile IV products and chemotherapy agents. Knowledge of emergency medications and drug monitoring.
- Understanding of drug utilization review and drug usage evaluation
- Knowledge of Federal and State laws & regulations regarding the provision of pharmaceutical services.
- Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Must be able to operate the pharmacy computer system(s) and other equipment. Must be able to input prescription labels.
- Must obtain an NPI # within one month in position.
- Must be able to work in a Labor/Management Partnership environment.
- ACLS certification may be required in some areas.
Preferred Qualifications:
- N/A
