Job Description

Title: Pharmacist Clinical Specialist

Location: Long Beach, CA

Department: Inpatient Satellite Pharmacy

Status: Full Time

Shift: Nights

Pay Range*: $81.34/hr. - $117.94/hr.

MemorialCare is a nonprofit integrated health system that includes four leading hospitals, award-winning medical groups – consisting of over 200 sites of care, and more than 2,000 physicians throughout Orange and Los Angeles Counties. We are committed to increasing access to patient-centric, affordable, and high-quality healthcare; your personal contributions are integral to MemorialCare's recognition as a market leader and innovator in value-based and other care models.

Across our family of medical centers, we support each one of our bright, talented employees in reaching the highest levels of professional development, contribution, collaboration, and accountability. Whatever your role and whatever expertise you bring, we are dedicated to helping you achieve your full potential in an environment of respect, innovation, and teamwork.

Position Summary

The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist is responsible for improving therapeutic outcomes for our patients through safe, rational and cost-effective pharmaceutical care, education and research. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist maintains competency in drug therapy and disease-state management in order to provide this care and improve patient care outcomes. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist provides drug information to physicians, nurses and other health care workers to improve the quality of medication prescribing and administration. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist assists with medication reconciliation and patient counseling, identifies potential medication safety issues and works actively to prevent medication errors. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist educates patients and families to improve compliance with drug therapy as required. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist directs the work of ancillary personnel as necessary. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist also contributes to the future of the profession and the pharmacy services within the hospital by teaching pharmacy students and post graduate pharmacy residents.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities of the Job

1. Medication Order Management: The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist reviews medication and IV therapy orders and patient profiles; is able to identify the appropriateness of prescribed therapy relative to individual patient requirements and current departmental policies and procedures; and takes appropriate action to clarify or change inappropriate or incomplete medication and IV therapy orders. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist has competence in weight-based dosing in pediatrics and knowledge of pharmacologic changes in body composition and metabolism with age. The pharmacist must have competent working knowledge of USP 797/800 in support of medications prepared/dispensed by LBMC. In areas with sterile admixture compounding, the pharmacist maintains IV certification, including aseptic technique certification. Provides for and facilitates investigational drug studies as needed.
2. Communication: The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist communicates appropriately with clear and concise information to physicians, nurses and patients to improve the safety or effectiveness of a patient’s medication or IV therapy. Provides discharge counseling to patients and/or families on medications.
3. Drug Information: The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist demonstrates a solid working knowledge of common drugs, indications, dosages, monitoring parameters, pharmacokinetic principles, common medical conditions, clinical diagnoses, and cost implications of common treatment regimens. The Clinical Pharmacist Specialist demonstrates the ability to conduct a thorough patient medication history, to be able to enter it correctly into the electronic medical record, and is able to accurately review a medication history obtained by a pharmacy technician.
4. Drug Therapy Management: The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist demonstrates competency in drug therapy guidelines for service area; makes appropriate decisions and changes in pharmacy-regulated drug and IV therapy within current policies and guidelines; and/or makes appropriate recommendations to physicians or other prescribers when indicated. The Specialist is an active member of multidisciplinary teams in the service area.
5. Financial Management: The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist demonstrates proficiency in the area of pharmacy operations, patient care and patient safety activities which measurably improves patient care outcomes, reduces overall cost of care, and/or improves the efficiency of delivering pharmacy services at LBMC.
6. Supervison, Collaboration, and Teaching: The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist directs the daily activities of pharmacy technicians and other ancillary personnel; works collaboratively with all health care team members in an appropriate and effective manner in order to optimize the productivity of the pharmacy; and participates in training/orientation of new staff, residents and students in service area.
7. Documentation: The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist documents any medication errors, adverse drug reactions, and interventions on behalf of patients in order to meet regulatory requirements, lead to process improvements, and determine optimal use of department resources.
8. Other: The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist participates in various performance improvement initiatives; participates in CareLine, Best Practice or other committees, as assigned. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist Specialist performs other duties as assigned.

*Placement in the pay range is based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, relevant years of experience and qualifications. In addition to base pay, there may be additional compensation available for this role, including but not limited to, shift differentials, extra shift incentives, and bonus opportunities. Health and wellness is our passion at MemorialCare—that includes taking good care of employees and their dependents. We offer high quality health insurance plan options, so you can select the best choice for your family. And there’s more...Check out our MemorialCare Benefits for more information about our Benefits and Rewards.