POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the supervision of the Population Health Clinical Pharmacy Coordinator and Manager and according to department policies, procedures, and guidelines will be responsible for providing the highest level of patient and customer care to patients enrolled in the primary care-based complex care management (CCM) program.. Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) will also be working under the clinical supervision of the medical director at their designated clinic site.

Clinical Specialist will serve an integral role on the CCM multidisciplinary care team. The CCM team will be embedded in local primary care practices and will partner closely with PCPs, Integrated Behavioral Health Professionals, Nurses, and other local resources in the Primary Care Practice to develop multidisciplinary care plans. Clinical Specialists will be paired with Pharmacy Technician Liaisons to support the medication-related needs of the CCM team and patients enrolled in the program. This pharmacy team will support ambulatory teams embedded in Brookline, Dorchester, Quincy, Burlington, Peabody, Malden.

Clinical specialist ensures optimum patient-related outcomes for at-risk patients by preventing or resolving drug-related issues, optimizing drug therapy and supporting medication adherence. Provides drug information to patients, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Integrally involved in education of pharmacists, residents and students. Additionally, the Clinical Specialist coordinates clinical projects, assists with formulary navigation, ensures billing compliance and helps to lead other projects as needed. Serves as a resource and drug expert and strives to increase knowledge through research and writing activities.

Position: Population Health Clinical Pharmacy Specialist -

Department: ACO/Complex Care Management

Schedule: Full Time

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Work in collaborative fashion with all specialty area nurses, fellows, and attendings toward optimizing patient outcomes, with added focus on reducing total cost utilization and improving population health activities important to institutional goals and mission.

The ambulatory clinical pharmacy specialist will be responsible for providing primary care-focused pharmacotherapy services within the clinic, and evaluate and manage patients with chronic conditions (e.g., DM, Hyperlipidemia, Hypertension, COPD/Asthma, Heart Failure, Smoking Cessation) through direct patient care as outlined in the individual's Collaborative Practice Agreement. The specialist will work closely within a multidisciplinary team of primary care physicians, medical residents, nurses, and pharmacy liaisons to optimize and promote rational, safe, evidence-based and cost-effective therapy. The ambulatory clinical pharmacy specialist is responsible for working with patients to identify strengths and barriers and to develop an individualized, patient-centered pharmacotherapy care plan. Excellent interpersonal skills, clinical expertise in conditions prevalent in the Medicaid population (e.g., Substance Use Disorder, Serious Mental Illness, CHF, DM), patient engagement skills and the ability to work independently and collaboratively are key requirements of the job.

The primary responsibilities specific to the hospital, the department of Population Health Services (PHS):

• Takes an active role in the development and implementation of quality improvement projects
• Maintains own professional and specialized competency through continued education.
• Attends and participates in department staff development conferences or other activities related to staff development.
• Maintains certification for good clinical practice and human subject protection
• Assists with formulary management (e.g., drug monographs, MUEs, medication guidelines)
• Participate in the up keeping and build of new and existing order sets and operational and clinical efficiencies in EMR at clinic site
• In all activities comply with accreditation, legal and regulatory requirements.
• Maintains HIPAA standards and confidentiality of protected health information.
• Adheres to departmental/organizational policies and procedures.
• Meets hospital-wide standards in the following areas:
  • Conforms to standards of performance and conduct, including those pertaining to patient rights, so that the best possible customer service and patient care may be provided.
  • Utilizes hospital's Values as the basis for decision-making and to facilitate the division's hospital mission.
  • Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures
• Develops goals for each fiscal year based on the institutional scorecard and under the guidance of Clinical Coordinator
• Identifies opportunities for the development of new care management approaches
• Precepts pharmacy residents and students and participates in the orientation and cross-training of pharmacists
• Performs other duties as needed.

The primary responsibilities specific to the clinic site:

• Monitor patients for appropriateness and response to therapy
• Document pertinent findings in the electronic medical record
• Develop, document, and execute a patient-centered plan of care utilizing national guidelines or established local protocol
• Provide ongoing care for chronic problems as delineated in protocol
• Order laboratory studies
• Analyze laboratory and diagnostic test data so as to modify drug therapy and dosing as necessary
• Identify and take specific corrective action for drug-induced problems
• Notify primary provider regarding atypical findings
• Provides effective transition of care needs including, but not limited to, medication reconciliation and completing post-discharge phone calls
• Provides drug education and counseling to patients as outlined in department policies and procedures
• Provides in-service education to nurses, physicians and other healthcare practitioners, as needed.
• Provides pharmaceutical care in alignment with complex care management objectives
  • Demonstrates a whole-person orientation to the provision of patient care
  • Utilizes a patient-centered approach to care, and develops and implements patient-centered pharmaceutical care plans
  • Utilizes motivational interviewing to promote behavior change
  • Educates patient on their medication regimen with the goal of building their self-management skills
  • Collaborates with patient and care team to develop patient-centered care plan, with particular focus on medication adherence
  • Collaborates with community partners, such as VNA agencies

The primary responsibilities specific to the ACO CCM program:

• Meets regularly with leaders at the local clinical site(s), care management supervisor and pharmacy supervisor to triage program issues appropriately.
• Participates in local site operations, including team meetings, curbsides with care team members, etc.
• Actively participates in planning and growth of program with relevant stakeholders as needed, to respond to evolving needs of MassHealth ACO.
• Facilitates interdisciplinary consultation on patient's behalf through participation in rounds, team meetings and clinical reviews
• Complies with established metrics for performance and adheres to documentation and work flow standards
• Metrics
  • ED and inpatient visits
  • Total medical expense
  • Patient satisfaction
  • Clinical outcomes
  • Provider satisfaction
  • Avoidable admissions

This role requires travel in the community and will be based out of Brookline, Dorchester, Quincy, Burlington, Peabody, Malden regions.

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• Work requires a Degree in Pharmacy from an accredited college of pharmacy.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

• Required: Massachusetts pharmacist license in good standing
• Required: Current Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy (BCPS), Ambulatory Care Pharmacy (BCACP) or Geriatric Pharmacy (BCGP), or must obtain certification within one year of eligibility
• Required: Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, or must obtain certification prior to performing home visits where applicable

EXPERIENCE:

• Requires a minimum of 2 years' experience functioning as a clinical pharmacist in an ambulatory care practice or completion of a post-graduate pharmacy residency program focused in ambulatory care

Preferred experience:

• Direct patient care
• Care management

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Comprehensive understanding of the procedures, systems, and equipment used by pharmacists and technicians in the pharmacy as well as a high level of proficiency in performing pharmacist's duties and responsibilities.
• High level of analytical ability, organizational and personal management skill and focus to ensure the concerted approach to operations.
• Professional in conduct and appearance
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Able to maintain professional boundaries
• Ability to work with diverse, safety-net population
• Skilled at motivational interviewing, patient engagement and setting patient-centered goals
• Creative problem solver
• Ability to adapt to changes in healthcare delivery at local and systems level
• Extensive knowledge of healthcare systems and community resources
• Ability to leverage systems and resources for improved patient outcomes
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Proficient with standard software used in healthcare office setting (i.e. MS Word, Excel, web browser, etc.)

Req id: 28422