Summary

Serves as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team in the setting of Primary Care as a member of the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). The CPS is responsible for providing evidence-based pharmaceutical care service, helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interaction with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams.

Duties

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The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) is a licensed pharmacist, preferably with a Pharm.D. or equivalent experience. The CPS is responsible for providing and documenting pharmaceutical care of assigned veterans within PACT programs and providing coverage as needed for unassigned veterans. The CPS serves as an advanced practice provider to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy as outlined in the individual's Scope of Practice. The CPS promotes and manages drug therapy based on current clinical knowledge consistent with policies established at the national, VISN, and local levels.

The CPS functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering lab and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy.

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES:

The individual scope of assigned duties will be dependent upon the CPS provider's education, training, and experience required to perform the functions of the position. All CPS providers will participate in professional practice evaluations.

Clinical Functions (25-90%) Functions as an advanced practice provider with a scope of practice (SOP) to provide comprehensive medication management (CMM) for identified VAMC facilities as outlined in VHA Handbook 1109.11, Clinical Pharmacy Services.

Core activities outlined within a scope of practice include:

• Executing therapeutic plans using the safest and most cost-effective medication treatments
• Performing objective assessments necessary to ensure the patient's appropriate clinical responses to therapy
• Ordering, subsequent review, and action on appropriate lab tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor, support, and modify the patient's drug therapy
• Ordering and prescribing medications, vaccines, devices, and supplies to include: initiation, continuation, discontinuation, monitoring, and altering therapy
• Prescribing or administering controlled substances will be included in the scope of practice only if the CPS is authorized by the DEA and their state licensing board to do so; CPS must also comply with the limitations and restrictions on these authorities
• Ordering consults and referrals, as appropriate, to maximize positive drug therapy outcomes; examples include, but are not limited to, referrals for routine care or assessment to clinical nutrition professionals, prosthetics, social workers, integrated mental health professionals, or other specialty areas

Outpatient Pharmacy Program Management (1-25%): The CPS will be involved in the independent professional practice of pharmacy in accordance with the guidelines set forth in pharmacy service policies and procedures, VA regulations, state and federal laws governing the practice of pharmacy. The CPS will work with clinical Pharmacists, Clinical Pharmacy Practitioners, other CPRs and other healthcare professionals. Activities include:

• Maintains work flow patterns that assure timely delivery of outpatient ambulatory care pharmacy services, ensures accurate and timely documentation of encounters and follow up orders. May oversee technical and nonprofessional staff.
• Provides guidance in the processing of prior authorization drug consult requests utilizing national VA PBM criteria for use and local criteria documenting reasons for approval or denial and suggesting alternative preferred therapies where appropriate.
• Participates in quality improvement activities, pharmacoeconomic initiatives (e.g., drug conversions), committees, and workgroups in support of the pharmacy service strategic plan in all areas of the outpatient pharmacy section.

Research/Project Management (1-10%):

• Contributes to the quality assurance of the MVAHCS Clinical Pharmacy Service.
• Contributes to research as assigned by Clinical Pharmacy Managers.
• Contributes to the evaluation plan of the MVAHCS Clinical Pharmacy Service as requested by the Clinical Pharmacy Managers. This will include evaluation of both process and outcome measures.

Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Telework: Ad-Hoc ONLY

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All requirements must be met at the time of the announcement closing.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d)
• Education:
  
  • Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois [redacted]; phone: [redacted], or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.)
  • Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT)
• Licensure: Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia.
  
  • Exception. Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. a7 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed.

NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. a7 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification.

1. Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment.

• Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:

GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

• Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-12. The GS-12 requirements include:
  
  • Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
  • Communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
  • Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
  • Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. AND
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  • Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
  • Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
  • Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
  • Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Creditable Experience:

(1) Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice. Professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board.

(2) Residency and Fellowship Training. Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for- year basis. The pharmacy residency program must be accredited by the American Society of Health- System Pharmacists (ASHP). A fellowship program that is not accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) will need to have comparable standards for experience to be creditable (Professional St