Pharmacy Practice Specialist - River Crossing Pharmacist in Charge

The Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Practice Specialist at River Crossing Pharmacy will serve as the Pharmacist-in-Charge and provide daily oversight of pharmacy operations in coordination with the pharmacy manager. This position will provide comprehensive pharmaceutical care to UI Health Care patients, including prescription clinical review, verification, and dispensing, patient counseling in person, by phone, and at the drive-up, and support for medication synchronization, adherence packaging, and point-of-sale processes.

• Pharmacist-in Charge
  • Ensures the legal operation of the pharmacy, including meeting inspection and other requirements of state and  federal laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of pharmacy.
  • Maintains adherence to all departmental policies and procedures.
  • Ensures all documentation is complete and maintained for the required amount of time.
  • Oversees daily operations to ensure adherence to policies, procedures, and billing practices.
  • Provides daily support to the River Crossing Pharmacy staff.  
  • Review errors and provides staff coaching consistent with a Just Culture environment.
  • Engages staff in meeting ambulatory care and department goals.
  • Creates an environment that encourages high performance, accountability, and teamwork.

• Controlled Substance Management

   

  • Maintains accountability for controlled substances in accordance with federal and state laws, Iowa Board of Pharmacy regulations, and departmental policies.
  • Ensures accurate, timely, and complete documentation of all controlled-substance activities, including receipt, storage, dispensing, returns, waste, and inventory adjustments.
  • Oversees the perpetual inventory system and conducts required reconciliations; promptly investigates and resolves discrepancies, documenting findings and corrective actions.
  • Ensures secure storage, restricted access, and proper chain-of-custody workflows for all controlled substances within the pharmacy.
  • Serves as the designated DEA Registrant responsibilities for the site, including management of CSOS certificates, power-of-attorney assignments, and record retention requirements.
  • Provides oversight and coaching to staff to ensure compliant controlled-substance handling and facilitates training for technicians, pharmacists, and new employees.
  • Ensures readiness for regulatory inspections by maintaining audit-ready controlled-substance documentation and responding to inspection findings with timely corrective action.
• Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM)
  • Completes a comprehensive patient assessment which includes evaluation of the patient’s medications, and an evaluation of the patient’s medical history.
  • Evaluates all prescription orders to ensure the appropriateness of the following:
  • Indication for use
    • Dose
    • Route of administration
    • Drug interactions
    • Dose adjustments for organ dysfunction
    • Physical and therapeutic incompatibilities
    • Drug-induced side effects and adverse reactions
    • Potential drug misuse or abuse
    • Use of the most cost-effective therapy
    • Duplicate therapy
  • Ensures pharmacokinetic assessment of drug dosing on targeted patients through:  
    • Clinical assessment of patients and desired therapeutic endpoints
    • Preparation of formal dosing recommendations
  • Communicates with prescribers about patient medication needs.
  • Conducts review of patient profiles and updates as needed based upon findings at time of patient visit.
  • Provides appropriate drug information to other healthcare professionals.
  • Confirms/clarifies (assesses) all patient drug allergies noted in the medical record.
  • Participates in collecting and documenting medication histories on patients.
  • Evaluates patient compliance with prescribed medication therapy and identifies problems that may lead to partial or noncompliance.
  • Utilizes appropriate resources and coordinates the resolution of financial concerns/burdens with department financial  counselors.
  • Participates in the facilitation of continuity of care for patients when transitioning from one setting to another.
• Documentation of Patient Care Activities Performed
  • The pharmacist provides pharmacy-related services through sharing of information with other members of the healthcare team via documentation within the patient medical record and other on-line reporting systems.  Examples of documentation may include:
    • Patient drug allergies and patient-specific height and weight information.
    • Medication histories.
    • Medication counseling to patients.
    • Interventions with prescribers and other healthcare providers.
    • Patient interactions – those that occur in the clinic and when the patient is located elsewhere (e.g., at home, as an inpatient, in the Ambulatory Care Pharmacy).
    • Drug dosing recommendations made to prescribers.
    • Drug Use Evaluation Program activities.
    • Steps taken to identify, evaluate, or avoid adverse drug reactions.
    • Prescription billing information, including prior authorization status.
• Patient Communication and Interactions
  • The pharmacist must provide a high level of customer service and educate patients on the pharmaceutical care services offered including the following:
    • Medication history.
    • Patient’s drug allergy history.
    • Patient teaching classes (where appropriate).
    • Medication counseling, including in-person, by phone, and at the drive-up window.
    • Medication synchronization and adherence packaging.
    • Communicating patient information to local healthcare providers involved with the patient’s care to ensure appropriate continuity of care.
    • Providing support for prescription billing (e.g., benefits investigation, prior authorization, claim processing, etc.).
• Enhanced Patient Care Services
  • The pharmacist assumes the role of patient advocate for all concerns associated with drug therapy.  The pharmacist shall position themselves to work to positively influence therapeutic decisions which will affect patients and their care.  Participation in hospital-wide programs intended to improve care (e.g., the Drug Use Evaluation Program and Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Program) serves as a valuable quality-of-service surveillance tool and promotes healthcare provider education.
    • Follows-up on any medication system problems, such as:
      • Unclear or inappropriate prescription orders
      • Cost effective drug therapy
      • Prescription for non-formulary products
      • Carries out, as appropriate, Medication Use Evaluation Program initiatives through active prescriber intervention and  education.
      • Serves on intra- and interdepartmental committees, task forces, and teams as required.
• Educational Services
  • University of Iowa Health Care is a teaching institution; therefore, the pharmacist is responsible for the education of others about appropriate medication use and billing practices and should serve as a role model. The pharmacist will participate in education services, which may include:
    • Serving as preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents.
    • Presenting in-service educational programs to staff nurses, physicians, and other colleagues on the healthcare team.
    • Presenting at and/or participating in other educational programs sponsored by the Department of Pharmaceutical Care, the College of Pharmacy, other UI Health Care or UI departments, and state and national organizations.
    • Conducting educational classes for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents.
    • Conducting patient education classes about the proper use of medications.
    • Serving as mentor and role model for other pharmacist practitioners within the department, particularly those who provide ambulatory care services.
    • Assists in the training of new staff members.
• Other
  • Completes and maintains compliance with all competencies and educational requirements.
  • Assists with the evaluation and implementation of new products/technology, policies, and procedures.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Education Requirements:

• Pharm. D. (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree or Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy.
• Current licensure by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy Examiners is required. Includes those eligible for obtaining this licensure.

Experience Requirements:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•  Job related experience with and/or commitment to service excellence.
• Professional job-related experience fostering or promoting a welcoming and respectful work/academic environment where people of all backgrounds and perspectives feel welcomed and appreciated; or demonstrated ability to do so. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, creating positive working relationships with team members including healthcare providers, vendors and pharmacy staff.

Desired Qualifications

• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy practice residency OR 2 years’ experience in a complex multi-disciplinary healthcare environment.
• Experience as a pharmacist-in-charge and project management is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of healthcare billing (prescription and medical), DME services and billing, experience working with insurance, and/or federal and state assistance programs.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize multiple stakeholders and tasks, problem solve, manage details, and deliver results in an environment with competing demands.
• Active board certification in an applicable Pharmacy Specialty in highly desirable.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work with others.

Position and Application details:

In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended.

Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification.  Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. 

For additional questions, please contact Teresa Walker at Teresa-Walker@uiowa.edu.