The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, and its staff of nearly 8,000 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and Ohio’s only adult and pediatric trauma and burn center.  As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Our main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health. The MetroHealth System is committed to creating a healthier community.

Summary: 

Supervises the staff and daily operations of the assigned Ambulatory Pharmacy. Responds to customer service issues as they arise. May serve as the Responsible Pharmacist with all associated legal responsibility for ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local drug laws as needed. Upholds the mission, vision, values, and customer service standards of The MetroHealth System.

Responsibilities:

1. Supervises the staff and daily operations of the assigned Ambulatory Pharmacy by:
a. Supervising assigned personnel, including but not limited to technical support staff, staff clinical pharmacists, and interns/externs.
1) Contributing to the orientation of pharmacists and technicians.
2) Providing instructional assistance and support for interns rotating through the ambulatory pharmacies.
3) Acting as a primary preceptor for externs rotating through the ambulatory pharmacies.
4) Conveying policies and procedures to staff members, ensuring understanding, and ensuring that the staff is committed to proper patient care.
5) Providing supervisory support and guidance; following disciplinary procedures as needed.
6) Participating in professional development efforts for the staff.
7) Contributing to staff job performance evaluations.
8) Contributing to departmental staff meetings.
b. Coordinating and tracking workflows, schedules, projects, and committee decisions; maintaining required records and files; compiling required statistics.
c. Maintaining current knowledge of shipping regulations and changes for all vendors used (e.g., USPS, FedEx, UPS); ensuring that all aspects of packaging services are compliant with all applicable regulations.

2. Identifies and resolves drug order issues by:
a. Using drug knowledge, patient variables, and professional judgment to identify and resolve prescribing, formulary, and therapeutic issues.
b. Following established clinical standards of practice; providing guidance on clinical standards of practice to Staff Pharmacists, specifically as it applies to monitoring drug therapy.
c. Evaluating initial doses of medications and recommending changes when appropriate; identifying drug levels requiring pharmacist intervention and recommending appropriate dosage regimen.
d. Assisting with the analysis of each reported adverse drug reaction; reporting serious or unexpected drug reactions to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
e. Participates in quality control and quality improvement activities to promote a safe and effective medication therapy process.

3. Serves as the Responsible Pharmacist with all associated legal responsibility for ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local drug laws based on coverage needs.

4. Performs all aspects of dispensing drugs and/or coordinating routine drug distribution processes, including the drug administration needs of the Nursing staff. As applicable to the work assignment.

5. Applies drug information knowledge to patient related issues and questions.

6. Collaborates with physicians and other health care professionals to address issues related to patient drug therapy while incorporating the process of mutual information sharing, discussions, and decision making.

7. Stays current on the most up-to-date policies and procedures for the Pharmacy Department and The MetroHealth System overall; effectively applies policies and procedures, especially as they relate to patient care situations, and recommends updates to policies and procedures.

8. Enhances professional growth and development through participation in continuing education courses, local and/or state professional organizations, seminars/workshops, reading current literature, and/or maintaining professional contacts in the community; monitors and assesses the appropriateness of emerging trends/strategies, and adopting techniques as deemed appropriate.

9. Incorporates principles of teamwork in the resolution, completion, and follow-up of responsibilities.

Qualifications:

Required:
Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from a State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy approved institution.
Possess a current Pharmacist License from the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate from the American Pharmacist Association (APhA) or an equivalent certification from a program recognized by the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
Meets the legal requirements for a Terminal Distributor of Dangerous Drugs (TDDD) license to be the Responsible Person for an Institutional Pharmacy as issued by the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy. Obtains a TDDD license within 6 months of hire.
Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certification by the APhA (American Pharmacist Association), or from an equivalent program recognized by the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy.
1 year of experience in a retail pharmacy
BLS Certification from the AHA.

Preferred:

Central Fill Mail Operations:
Pharm.D. degree from a State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy approved institution.
Experience with Mail order operations, shipping, and robotic dispensing systems.
Shipping platform experience including but not limited to Endicia, ShipWorks, Pitney-Bowes.
Licensed in additional states
1 year of supervisory experience

Prior Authorization:
Pharm.D. degree from a State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy approved institution.
Completion of an American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited residency.
Prior Authorization Certified Specialist Certification
Experience with EPIC healthcare software
Experience with Cover My Meds or other prior authorization process automation tools.
Knowledge of regulations and requirements for government agencies, insurance carriers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers as they relate to medication assistance programs.
1 year of supervisory experience

Specialty:
Pharm.D. degree from a State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy approved institution.
Completion of an American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited residency.
Experience in a Specialty Pharmacy setting
Experience with specialty therapy management software including EPIC healthcare software
Experience operating, implementing, and/or supervising a Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Program
1 year of supervisory experience


Physical Requirements:
May sit, stand, stoop, bend, and ambulate intermittently during the day.
May need to sit or stand for extended periods.
See in the normal visual range with or without correction.
Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.
Finger dexterity to operate office equipment required.
May need to lift up to twenty-five (25) pounds on occasion.
Ability to communicate in face-to-face, phone, email, and other communications.
Ability to see computer monitor and departmental documents.