Ambulatory Care Pharmacist

Kaiser Permanente International; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Kaiser Permanente is seeking a pharmacist to provide ambulatory pharmaceutical care under approved protocols, collaborating with health professionals to manage drug therapy and educate patients. The role emphasizes evidence-based, cost-effective care and high-quality pharmaceutical services across clinical areas.

You will review patient histories, develop treatment plans, monitor therapies, and ensure safe medication use while guiding staff and residents.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to communicate effectively with patients and providers.
• Demonstrated knowledge of pharmacology principles and disease states.
• Experience with patient education and ensuring safe medication use.

Responsibilities

• Promotes rational and cost-effective inpatient and outpatient drug therapy through collaboration with physicians and other medical personnel.
• Provides direction to residents, interns, technicians and non-licensed staff.
• Conducts patient medication history inquiries.
• Develops and transitions treatment plans within care continuum.
• Identifies and resolves medication-related problems including indications, dosing, interactions, and adverse effects.
• Initiates, adjusts, monitors, and recommends changes in drug therapy per protocol.
• Coordinates laboratory monitoring and interprets results for drug therapy.
• Provides patient monitoring to optimize outcomes and compliance.
• Educates patients about disease states, actions, side effects, and adherence.
• Ensures ongoing performance improvement of pharmaceutical care services.
• Educates providers and staff via presentations and reviews.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Pharmacist knowledge

Patient education

Pharmacy computer systems

Education

B.S. degree in Pharmacy OR Pharm.D

Pharmacist license (California)

BLS Certification

Tools

Pharmacy computer systems

Job description

Job Summary:

Under indirect supervision, provides ambulatory pharmaceutical care services using approved protocols in collaboration with other health professional, including managing patient drug therapy, providing patient education, and preparing and/or overseeing the preparation and dispensing of medications. Promotes high quality, evidence-based, cost-effective pharmaceutical care. Performs these duties in the clinical areas assigned.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Under the direction of the Department manager or designee, promotes rational and cost-effective Inpatient and Outpatient drug therapy through close participation in the drug therapy decision-making process with assigned physicians and other medical personnel.
• Provides direction to Pharmacist Residents, Pharmacist Interns, Pharmacy Technicians, and other non-licensed personnel.
• Conducts patient medication history inquiries upon referral from physicians and other medical personnel.
• Given a diagnosis, synthesize a treatment plan, which may include drug therapy and lifestyle modifications, and transition within the continuum of care settings.
• Identifies, resolves, and prevents potential and actual medication-related problems including: untreated indications, improper drug selection, subtherapeutic dosage, overdose, failure to receive medication, adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, and medication without indication.
• Under protocol, initiates, adjusts, monitors, and recommends changes in drug therapy based on information obtained through patient interviews, objective monitoring parameters, review of drug profiles and the patient medical record.
• Coordinates and interprets laboratory monitoring of drug therapy, including serum drug levels, electrolytes, and other approved drug-related laboratory testing.
• Provides patient monitoring for the purpose of evaluating and optimizing patient outcomes, drug utilization and patient compliance, detecting and/or minimizing ADRs, eliminating unnecessary drug use and duplication.
• Provides patient education related to the individuals disease state, including predictable actions, side effects, reasons for proper compliance, and any special instruction.
• Assure ongoing performance improvement of the pharmaceutical care services provided.
• Provides education to providers and staff via presentations, newsletters, formal utilization reviews, and one-on-one interactions.
• Performs other duties as required.

Basic Qualifications:

Experience

• Successful completion of a clinical pharmacy residency or possess the equivalent clinical experience in direct patient care delivery.

Education

• B.S. degree in Pharmacy OR Pharm.D required.

License, Certification, Registration

• Pharmacist License (California) required at hire
• Basic Life Support from American Heart Association

Additional Requirements:

• Comprehensive knowledge of current pharmacological/biopharmaceutical principles, medical terminology, pathologies, disease states, and related information for a medical management plan.
• Working knowledge of aseptic technique and preparation of sterile IV products and chemotherapy agents. Knowledge of emergency medications and drug monitoring.
• Understanding of drug utilization review and drug usage evaluation
• Knowledge of Federal and State laws & regulations regarding the provision of pharmaceutical services.
• Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Must be able to operate the pharmacy computer system(s) and other equipment. Must be able to input prescription labels.
• Must obtain an NPI # within one month in position.
• Must be able to work in a Labor/Management Partnership environment.
• ACLS certification may be required in some areas.

Preferred Qualifications:

• N/A