Job Description

Be a part of a world-class academic healthcare system, Ingalls Memorial, as a IMH Clinical Pharmacy Specialist.

Clinical Pharmacist Specialists are registered pharmacists who assume responsibility and accountability for the provision of safe, effective, and prompt medication therapy. Through various assignments within the department, they provide support of centralized and decentralized medication-use systems as well as deliver optimal medication therapy to patients with a broad range of disease states. Clinical Pharmacist Specialists proficiently provide direct patient-centered care and integrated pharmacy operational services in a decentralized practice setting with physicians, nurses, and other hospital personnel. General Medicine specialists primarily provide focused support for the general medicine floors to deliver medication therapy management within the general medicine care area(s) and to ensure pharmaceutical care programs are appropriately integrated throughout the institution. In these clinical roles, General Medicine Specialists participate in all necessary aspects of the medication-use system while providing comprehensive and individualized pharmaceutical care to the patients in their assigned areas. Pharmaceutical care services include but are not limited to assessing patient needs, incorporating age and disease specific characteristics into drug therapy and patient education, adjusting care according to patient response, and providing clinical interventions to detect, mitigate, and prevent medication adverse events. General Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialists serve as departmental resources and liaisons to other departments, hospital personnel, or external groups. They proficiently manage and facilitate the appropriate use of medications according to professional and regulatory standards. They also conduct clinical research and practice advancement projects as well as patient care quality and regulatory compliance initiatives designed to improve medication-use processes or pharmacy practice. General Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialists provide medication and practice-related education/training and actively serve as preceptors for doctor of pharmacy students and pharmacy residents.

Essential Job Functions

• Facilitates pharmaceutical care services, direct patient care programs, medication utilization systems within assigned services and care areas (primarily general medicine and critical care units) to assure drug utilization activities are aligned with patient care needs, evidence-based best practices, and regulatory standards
• Designs and implements new pharmacy programs, quality improvement changes, and continuous quality assurance initiatives to advance the organization’s medication-use systems and promote optimal patient outcomes
• Designs and implements stewardship activities and restriction/surveillance programs
• Tracks and evaluates assigned pharmacy programs for operational, quality, and financial efficiency and routinely benchmarks against local and national best practices
• Actively identifies practice related issues which require evaluation and facilitate clinical research projects, quality improvement initiatives, or healthcare provider education as needed to advance practice
• Identifies and reports short- and long-term obstacles to patient care and medication safety, regulatory compliance, or stewardship of resources
• Develops and oversees policies and procedures for drug purchasing, drug usage, drug distribution, and drug control
• Provides departmental and institutional leadership for medical staff committees/meetings, hospital groups/task forces, and approved external programs/organization.
• Assures pharmacy is an integral part of the health-care delivery system and facilitates enhancement and expansion of pharmacy services/programs
• Maintains proficiency in decentralized pharmacy services and clinical pharmacy programs
• Places practice priority on the delivery of patient-centered care
• Works as an active member of multidisciplinary team and collaborates with healthcare providers within decentralized patient care areas
• Establishes collaborative pharmacist-patient relationships
• Proficiently maintains patient information and efficiently interprets patients’ health care needs including patient problem lists and prioritized pharmacist interventions
• Collects and documents accurate patient medication histories and reconcile discrepancies versus orders
• Identifies high-risk patients and implements interventions to improve quality and safety
• Makes appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered medication recommendations

Required Qualifications

• Graduate of an ACPE accredited College of Pharmacy.
• Doctor of Pharmacy or other advanced degree
• Completion of ASHP accredited PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency with minimum 3-5 years of hospital experience working as the general medicine or critical care specialist.
• Eligible for licensure as a pharmacist in the state of Illinois or eligible (complete licensure process within 60 days of employment).
• Board Certification in area of expertise is required within 18 months of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• PGY-2 Specialty Pharmacy Residency in Internal Medicine or critical care highly preferred

Position Details

• Job Type/FTE: Full-time (1.00FTE)
• Shift: Rotate
• Unit/Department: Pharmacy
• CBA Code: Non-Union

We’ve been at the forefront of medicine since 1899. We provide superior healthcare with compassion, always mindful that each patient is a person, an individual. To accomplish this, we need employees with passion, talent and commitment… with patients and with each other. We’re in this together: working to advance medical innovation, serve the health needs of the community, and move our collective knowledge forward. If you’d like to add enriching human life to your profile, UChicago Medicine is for you. Here at the forefront, we’re doing work that really matters. Join us. Bring your passion.

UChicago Medicine is growing; discover how you can be a part of this pursuit of excellence at: UChicago Medicine Career Opportunities

UChicago Medicine is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status and other legally protected characteristics.

As a condition of employment, all employees are required to complete a pre-employment physical, background check, drug screening, and comply with the flu vaccination requirements prior to hire. Medical and religious exemptions will be considered for flu vaccination consistent with applicable law.

Compensation & Benefits Overview

UChicago Medicine is committed to transparency in compensation and benefits. The pay range provided reflects the anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position.

The pay range is based on a full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) and is reflective of current market data, reviewed on an annual basis. Compensation offered at the time of hire will vary based on candidate qualifications and experience and organizational considerations, such as internal equity. Pay ranges for employees subject to Collective Bargaining Agreements are negotiated by the medical center and their respective union.

Review the full complement of benefit options for eligible roles at Benefits - UChicago Medicine.