Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist - Ambulatory Clinics

Department Overview

The purpose of this position is to provide the services of a licensed pharmacist, including responsibility for the safe, effective, and appropriate distribution and use of medications for pediatric and adult patients in both inpatient and/or ambulatory care settings. Patients served may include neonates, infants less than one year of age, children and adolescents through age 18, adults ages 19–65, and older adults over age 65. This position primarily supports pediatric patient populations but may also include coverage of select adult patient populations as needed.

This position is expected to function at high decision making and accountability levels regarding medication therapy, proactively affecting medication use by making recommendations at the time prescribing decisions are being made or, in some cases, making independent decisions about medication therapy in cooperation with other healthcare team members.

The pharmacist must possess strong communication skills for patient education and work collaboratively with inpatient, ambulatory and outpatient interdisciplinary teams including but not limited to providers, nurses, case workers, pharmacists, and technicians. As a teaching hospital, the precepting of students, interns and/or residents is expected.

The Ambulatory Clinics pediatric clinical pharmacist primarily cares for pediatric patients in outpatient clinic settings within Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and its affiliated outreach clinics. Pharmacy practice at OHSU follows a comprehensive, patient-centered practice model that integrates clinical pharmacists into the multidisciplinary care team to optimize medication therapy. Pharmacists provide direct patient care through medication counseling, therapeutic drug monitoring, chronic disease management, and medication management. They ensure adherence to evidence-based protocols, collaborate with physicians and other providers to adjust treatment as needed, and support patients and caregivers in managing complex medication regimens.

This is an ambulatory care model where pharmacists are embedded within clinic teams and function under collaborative drug therapy management agreements (as applicable) to initiate, modify, and monitor medication therapy. Additional services provided include facilitation of medication access (e.g., prior authorizations/appeals), medication reconciliation, and coordination of care across the continuum, including transitions between inpatient and outpatient settings.

Function/Duties of Position

• Interprets and evaluates provider's order and prescriptions for accuracy, completeness and appropriateness. Performs medication reconciliation and recognizes therapeutic problems including drug interactions, contraindications, improper dosing, and precautions of therapy for a highly specialized patient population. Recognizes actual or potential problems and provides therapeutic recommendations for their resolution.

• Monitors medication therapy for response and adverse reactions. Collaborates with providers to ensure safe and appropriate therapy through the use of a Collaborative Drug Therapy Management (CDTM) agreement or Medical Affairs Credentialing & Priviledging. Appropriately reports all adverse drug reactions, drug defects, and medication errors. Conducts prospective and retrospective drug utilization reviews to ensure optimal therapy.

• Counsels and trains patients regarding the appropriate use of their medications (i.e., purpose, actions, dosage, side effects, storage, precautions etc.).

• Participates in drug product selection, counsels providers regarding the selection of non-formulary drugs while offering therapeutic, cost effective alternatives.

• Maintains appropriate records as required by law and/or policy. Assists in the development and implementation of the specialty pharmacy services program.

• Other Duties as Assigned

Required Qualifications

• A current Pharmacist’s license issued by the Oregon State Board of Pharmacy.

• OHSU may require training or experience in a specialized area at time of recruitment.

• Licensure in the State of Washington within 6 months 

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Demonstrates the ability to: Enforce pharmaceutical care principles safely and accurately
• Make age-related modification of drug therapy
• Make disease-related modification of drug therapy
• Evaluate medical literature
• Work independently without minimal direct supervision
• Handle multiple tasks and frequent interruptions
• Communicate effectively both formally and informally, including presentations Project management
• Work with a team professionally and collaboratively
• Set priorities to respond quickly to emergent situations/requests
• Work cooperatively with health-system and pharmacy staff
• Communicate effectively and professionally (orally and in writing)
• Perform work accurately with attention to detail
• Exercise sound professional judgement
• Perform systematic problem solving
• Enforce practice guidelines, standards, and medication related policies
• Make critical decisions 

Preferred Qualifications

• Pharm.D. or BS in Pharmacy with equivalent experience.
• Pediatric and/or ambulatory pharmacy practice experience.
• Advanced Pharmacy Practice Residency OR 5 years of equivalent experience.
• Experience in clinical program development.
• Direct patient care or medication therapy management experience.
• State of Oregon Preceptor License Additional Certification (BCPS, BCACP, BCPPS, etc.) 

Additional Details

The pharmacist will experience competing demands on their time from clinic staff and/or patients and will need to effectively multi-task and prioritize demands. The pharmacist must deal with intense situations on a daily basis. The expectation will be to provide clients with excellent customer service. Additionally, within the healthcare setting there can be a significant lack of control over the work pace, with frequent interruptions (work is often dictated by external factors) that may lead to mental fatigue or stress.

Why apply to OHSU?