Clinical Pharmacist- Specialty Pharmacy and Ambulatory Care

Overview

The Specialty Pharmacy and Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist provides pharmaceutical care to patients within the UI Specialty Pharmacy Program and patients seen in UI Healthcare Ambulatory Care Pharmacies. The pharmacist provides clinical support, education, dispensing and monitoring of patients receiving medications through UI Healthcare Ambulatory Care Pharmacies, including Specialty Pharmacy. Services are provided through a variety of avenues including face-to-face, mail order, and telehealth.

Adequate training to Specialty Pharmacy and Ambulatory Care Services is provided. The Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist will serve as a role model for other Department of Pharmaceutical Care staff, residents, and students who look to improve their own professional capabilities and level of services, particularly in the provision and expansion of ambulatory pharmacy services. This role will rotate between offsite central fill pharmacy and office locations in Iowa City and support both adult and pediatric ambulatory care operations at UI Health Care Medical Campus.

Selective candidates are eligible for a sign-on bonus up to $10,000.

• Provides Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) on clinic-administered medications and take-home prescription orders.
• 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, and 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.

The Clinical 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;
Drug dosing recommendations made to prescribers;
Drug Use Evaluation Program activities;
Steps taken to identify, evaluate, or avoid adverse drug reactions.

The clinical pharmacist educates patients on the pharmaceutical care services offered including the following:
Medication history;
Patient’s drug allergy history;
Patient teaching classes (where appropriate);
Medication counseling;
Communicating patient information to local healthcare providers involved with the patient’s care to ensure appropriate continuity of care.

The clinical pharmacist assumes the role of patient advocate for all concerns associated with drug therapy. 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 quality-of-service surveillance tool and…