Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Mental Health

• Core functions include face-to-face, virtual and telephone encounters with referred patients, for comprehensive medication management.
• Functions as a mid-level provider to design, implement, and monitor therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
• In cooperation with the mental health team providers, initiates alternative drug therapies designed to reduce cost of medications while still ensuring optimal therapeutic response.
• May initiate, modify, or discontinue mental health medications with appropriate follow-up monitoring under authority given through approved scope of practice.
• Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
• Oversee and manage patients on long-acting antipsychotic injectable agents.
• Participate and manage patients seen in the clozapine clinic.
• Metabolic management of patients in mental health with drug induced metabolic conditions.
• Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy, i.e., Changes in medication therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements.
• CPS will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions.

• Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
• Provides comprehensive chart review for patients, providing realistic and thorough recommendations to provider of record.
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
• Evaluates and documents adverse reactions according to facility policy within CPRS.
• Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings.
• Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria, where applicable.
• Completes (approves/disapproves) Non-Formulary/Restricted Drug Consults for mental health and behavioral science patients and other patient care areas when assigned.
• Complete electronic consults for clinical pharmacy services accurately and in a timely manner in accordance with VA and Pharmacy Service guidelines.
• Document all clinic activities (disposition, medication, follow-up visits, lab results, patient assessment/treatment/outcome, and cost containment) in progress notes in a timely and accurate/quality manner.
• Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies.
• Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
• Reviews and verifies medication orders for appropriateness and to reduce potential risk of adverse drug events.
• Serves as drug information resource by providing accurate and timely drug information and resolution of questions posed by physicians, consultants, and other health care providers regarding stability, indications, contraindications, compatibilities, dose, routes and schedules of administration, adverse effects, drug use criteria, and formulary alternatives. When requested, performs extensive literature searches on medications and therapies for physicians, patients, other health professionals, or the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee (P&T Committee).

• Responsible for the self-development, mandatory training, and education necessary to maintain licensure, stay current with the practice of pharmacy and regulatory body and accreditation standards, and meet facility training requirements.
• Collaborates with the Associate Chiefs, and Chief, Pharmacy Services to promote learning experiences and improve performance levels of Pharmacy personnel, specifically relative to primary Clinical Practice areas.
• Instructs or participates in the instruction of supervisors, pharmacy students, and pharmacy residents including developing appropriate rotation plans and completing required assessment forms in accordance with VA, ASHP, Pharmacy Service, and individual school of pharmacy requirements.
• Participates in self-developmental activities to maintain and increase professional competence.

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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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 dentification 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).