The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Mental Health functions at the highest level of clinical practice and top of licensure and serves as an advanced practice provider working independently with prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's practice area-based scope of practice.
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL IBT). Licensure. Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills & Assessments (KSAs). The candidate must demonstrate all of the technical KSAs. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Preferred Experience: PGY 1 Pharmacy Residency and PGY2 Psychiatry Pharmacy Residency and Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist (BCPP). Physical Requirements: The work may require regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing at least 50 lbs., and bending, stooping, and crawling. Incumbent must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the position.
Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities: Functions as an advanced practice provider for comprehensive medication management to achieve defined outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned care area(s). Functions under a scope of practice, providing medication management for mental health conditions who can initiate, modify, or discontinue medications (excluding controlled substances) as clinically indicated in the treatment of mental health conditions including schizophrenia, depression, PTSD, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, insomnia, substance use disorder and smoking cessation. Functions as a care coordinator for patients with SUD as part of an identified interdisciplinary team and offering drug use monitoring and care coordination as well as providing supporting recommendations and motivational interviewing, when designated. Conducting patient visits during induction, sustainment and maintenance phases which may include, but is not limited to assessing medication response/ adherence/cravings/illicit use/misuse/ADE's Coordinating, encouraging and monitoring involvement and participation in psychosocial and psychotherapy as indicated Provides CMM for complex patients with chronic diseases including, but not limited to, substance use disorder, tobacco use disorder, schizophrenia, depression PTSD, anxiety, bipolar disorder; orders and interprets labs or other needed test pertinent to CMM care and makes needed referrals. May also treat co-morbid conditions (e.g. mental health conditions, pain conditions, etc.) in alignment with scope of practice. Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed. Monitors and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures and in accordance with the VAADERS Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting program. Reviews relevant population management dashboards to identify patients who may benefit from engagement in care for SUD treatment or risk mitigation. Applies knowledge to interpret laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizing significant abnormalities, and making dose adjustments or recommendations based on objective laboratory findings. Provides input and recommendations as the medication expert on the interdisciplinary team during routine patient care planning or targeted complex or high-risk reviews. Educational: Provides formal and informal education and in-services to pharmacy, medical, nursing and other staff as requested. Serves as a subject matter expert for Mental Health including MAT in SUD, Behavioral Health, and PCMHI for assigned committees, workgroups or interdisciplinary teams. Provides education to patients, their families and caregivers about medications, common disease states, patient responsibilities, and information on health promotion. Participates in self-development activities to maintain and strengthen professional competence in SUD treatment and management (example: Buprenorphine X-waiver training for education and training purposes). Serves as a clinical instructor or preceptor for pharmacy students and residents. Assists in new employee orientation education sessions as needed. Program Management and Administration: Participates in the appropriate, effective and safe use of pharmaceuticals by contributing to criteria development, data collection, quality assurance and drug use evaluation and other quality improvement activities for core practice area(s) such as PCMHI, Behavioral Health and MAT for SUD. Supports and promotes compliance with established drug therapy policies, formulary management and criteria or prior authorization requirements that have been approved by national, VISN, or local pharmacy benefits management (PBM) and focuses on quality patient care in a cost-effective manner. Actively participates in ensuring that resources dedicated to clinical pharmacy activities are used efficiently and effectively and workload data is recorded in an accurate and timely manner. Supports efforts to improve performance metrics specific to MAT for SUD, PCMHI, and Behavioral Health. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm (Holiday Rotations) Functional Statement #: 30453F