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Assistant Director Clinical Pharmacy Services

Employer
University of Chicago Medicine
Location
Chicago, Illinois
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
Dec 26, 2021

View more

Position Type
Administrator
Specialty Area
Administration
Work Setting
Health System
Hours
Full-time

We are looking for a dynamic individual who can lead our clinical pharmacy program. Is this you? Please apply. If this isn't you but you know of a colleague ready for their next step please forward this posting as this position can be a profound next step for your colleague's career. 

Through various assignments within the department, these leaders manage pharmacy clinical services, facilitate drug utilization initiatives, integrate clinical pharmacy programs, oversee pharmacy information systems, advance medication safety, and ensure regulatory compliance.  They manage decentralized pharmacy practice as well as relevant central and satellite pharmacy areas in conjunction with the Director of Pharmacy Operations and are accountable for the financial performance and budgetary adherence of their assigned areas and programs.  Assistant Directors of Pharmacy also directly manage the activities of pharmacists and are actively involved in their areas of oversight to ensure pharmacy staff remain competent and engaged in customer service, standardized work, and lean processes.  These leaders are proficient in project management and proactively use data analysis techniques to track, benchmark, and communicate the outcomes of their areas to assure operational, clinical quality, and financial targets are achieved.

As members of the pharmacy management team, Assistant Directors of Pharmacy collaborate with management peers to support all pharmacy operations and programs.  They assist in the development of goals for the department and work with other managers and key individuals such as physicians, nurses, and other hospital personnel to facilitate the accomplishment of these goals.  Assistant Directors of Pharmacy works closely with institutional leaders to establish quality infrastructures within the department and advance pharmacy services throughout the medical center. They also actively identify practice-related issues which require evaluation and facilitate research projects, quality improvement initiatives, or healthcare provider education as needed to advance practice.  Assistant Directors of Pharmacy also precept student and resident experiences and lead the development of pharmacy staff training competencies.  In short, Assistant Directors of Pharmacy set and model the standard for excellence for pharmacy practice and design pharmacy programs to collaboratively advance the Comprehensive Pharmacy Practice model.

Essential Job Functions:

  • Manages personnel, financial, distributive, and clinical resources and oversees operations of assigned areas
  • Ensures drug utilization activities, as well as medication preparation and distribution systems, are aligned with patient care needs, evidence-based best practices, and regulatory standards
  • Oversees relevant automation to ensure safe, efficient, accurate, and reliable medication processes
  • Designs initiatives to maximize the efficiency of assigned areas and integrates methodologies such as just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing as well as Lean, Six Sigma, and standard work principles
  • Designs and implements new pharmacy programs, quality improvement changes, and continuous quality assurance initiatives to advance medication-use systems and promote optimal patient outcomes
  • 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 an evaluation and facilitate research projects, quality improvement initiatives, or healthcare provider education as needed to advance practice
  • Identifies and resolves 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, usage, distribution, and control
  • Assists with preparation of an annual budget and manages assigned budgets and financial resources including designing and implementing stewardship, cost control, and restriction/surveillance programs
  • Provides departmental and institutional leadership for medical staff committees/meetings, hospital groups/task forces, and approved external programs/organizations
  • Maintain competent staff by coordinating training for new employees, coaching, and mentoring of all employees, and routine communication to staff
  • Leads recruitment, interview, and hiring processes for staff in assigned areas
  • Develops a harmonious and satisfied staff by providing educational and experiential growth opportunities (including mandatory in-services), and taking actions that maintain morale
  • Develops standards of performance and evaluates staff work and program performance
  • Provides positive/constructive feedback, counseling regarding job performance including employee discipline if needed, and preparation of staff evaluations
  • Establishes annual performance goals and completes performance appraisals for assigned employees
  • Manages staff development, performance improvement, and rewards/recognition programs for staff
  • Maintains appropriate staffing levels of personnel within established budgetary parameters
  • Assigns roles of staff and manages the day to day staffing and scheduling of assigned areas
  • Manages staff schedules, daily assignments, and employee time off to ensure appropriate coverage of pharmacy programs and patient care services
  • Approves staff time off in accordance with policy and procedures and maintains master staff calendar
  • Ensures consistent departmental operations by initiating, coordinating, and enforcing department, hospital, and personnel policies and procedures
  • Organizes space, equipment, and services to meet the needs of patients and other customers
  • Provides oversight and direction for all clinical pharmacy services, including staffing occasional clinical weekend shifts through a decentralized practice model (approximately 6 weekends per year)
  • Provides pharmaceutical services & participates in pharmacy programs 
  • Maintains proficiency in and actively engages in operational and clinical pharmacy programs as appropriate for job assignment
  • Maintains proficiency in hospital computer systems and medication ordering systems
  • Identifies, mitigates, prevents, and documents problems with medication orders or therapeutic regimens, including medication errors or adverse drug reactions
  • Effectively and efficiently utilizes pharmacy automation and supportive technology
  • Communicates effectively and appropriately with healthcare providers and caregivers (physicians, nurses, etc.) and ensures continuity of pharmaceutical care between shifts and among staff
  • Follows established standard work parameters and maintains standard work environments
  • Provides timely, comprehensive, and appropriate drug information to patients and healthcare providers
  • Actively participates in stewardship activities and restricted medication programs
  • Documents pharmacist interventions in Epic (iVent)
  • Delivers optimal patient care and clinical practice, including decentralized and service-based programs
  • Places practice priority on the delivery of patient-centered care
  • Works as an active member of the multidisciplinary team and collaborates with healthcare providers within decentralized patient care areas
  • Establishes collaborative pharmacist-patient relationships
  • Identifies high-risk patients and implements interventions to improve quality and safety
  • Makes appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered medication recommendations
  • Implements, evaluates, and redesigns pharmaceutical care plans utilized by Specialists to optimize medication usage, including drug dosing, monitoring (including nutritional support, pharmacokinetic monitoring, and anticoagulation therapy, etc.)
  • Provides evidence-based medication education to physicians, nurses, and other professionals 
  • Facilitates experiential education and practice advancement
  • Maintains proficiency in the four preceptor roles and actively emulates education/mentorship skills
  • Serves as a preceptor/educator for UCMC pharmacy residency and student experiential education programs, including maintaining training and experience in pharmacy practice areas appropriate for teaching assignments
  • Develops student, resident, and staff training experiences/competencies and creates new relationships for teaching and training opportunities
  • Identifies, designs, and implements improvements in the medication use system to advance patient safety, maximize therapeutic outcomes, or control costs
  • Represents the department at hospital meetings, committees, and events as requested

Required Job Qualifications: 

  • Graduate of an ACPE accredited college of Pharmacy
  • Eligible for licensure as a pharmacist in the state of Illinois (complete licensure process within 60 days of employment)
  • Completion of ASHP accredited PGY-1 Pharmacy and PGY-2  Pharmacy Residency, or PGY-1/2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency or a minimum of 4 years of experience in the field of clinical pharmacy
  • Clinical, operational, and administrative experience (3 years) in a hospital setting
  • Exceptional aptitude or knowledge may be considered instead of experience. Extensive clinical experience and development may be considered instead of formal training
  • Personal leadership qualities and business acumen essential to operate effectively within the institution and advance the profession and practice of pharmacy 

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