CLINICAL PHARMACIST

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Hines (IL); On-site; USD 142,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

The Clinical Pharmacist at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration's Hines VA Hospital, serves as a primary pharmacy staff member and adjudicates PADRs in line with formulary and policy.

The role includes clinical reviews, coordination with healthcare providers, supervision of technicians, education of residents and students, and engagement in cost-effective medication use while maintaining professional competencies.

Qualifications

• Pharmacist with clinically oriented responsibilities.
• Experience as a preceptor or in teaching residents is favorable.
• Continuing education and up-to-date pharmacotherapy knowledge are required.

Responsibilities

• Adjudicates prior authorization drug requests (PADRs) in accordance with formulary and policy.
• Performs clinical reviews and monitors outcomes of drug therapies; interprets labs and other diagnostics.
• Supervises pharmacy technicians and supports staff to ensure efficient operations.
• Handles dispensing guidance for hazardous medications and verifies orders for accuracy.

Skills

Clinical pharmacy

Precepting

Job description

• Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

The Clinical Pharmacist serves as a primary professional pharmacy staff member and functions independently to provide support to clinical and operational activities as assigned. The primary responsibility of this role will be to adjudicate prior authorization drug requests (PADRs) in accordance with formulary and policy requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical: Performs clinical reviews and adjudicates prior authorization drug requests promoting safe, cost-effective, and optimal medication use. Maintains advanced skill in assessing and monitoring the outcome of drug therapies including interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Demonstrates expert knowledge in multiple areas of clinical pharmacy practice such as oncology, hematology, rheumatology, neurology, dermatology, infectious disease, transplant, emergency medicine, among other clinical areas. Responsible for maintaining professional competencies of information on new drugs, clinical innovations in pharmacy practice, completes continuing education, and integrates this information into his/her daily clinical practice.

Coordinates care for patients with other healthcare providers as needed. Documents all encounters in the patient's clinical record. Medication Dispensing and Distribution: Reviews service connection for appropriate costs and payment and applies VA local standards. Supervises technical staff to maintain efficient and effective operations per departmental needs. Checks and approves items prepared by pharmacy technicians per departmental needs.

Displays competency in the use of all pharmacy resources, including computer software and hardware and other technology. Adheres to dispensing guidelines for hazardous medications and disposal guidelines for all medications per departmental needs. Responsible for processing all electronic orders for assigned team as requested or needed including verifying patient information, correct medication dose, route, and frequency of administration.

All orders are checked for patient allergies, drug interactions, incompatibilities, duplication, and priority. Identifies, interprets, and resolves prescribing and dispensing issues, including pharmacotherapeutics and the formulary. Documents interventions within the specified timeframe if applicable.

As needed will need to be capable to assist in coordination of the activities of the assigned pharmacy technicians and pharmacy volunteers engaged in the preparation, labeling, dispensing, manufacturing, and delivery of medications and other pharmaceutical supplies in accordance with physician orders.

Education: Serves as a preceptor for students, PGY-1, and PGY-2 residents at Hines VA Hospital and maintains preceptor qualifications that aligns with American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP) and set forth by the residency program director. Serves as an advocate for the pharmacy profession and educates team members on pharmacy processes. Participates in the development and implementation of different education as needed.

Assists with timely training or in-servicing of any health care provider including but not limited to physicians, residents, technicians, pharmacists, students, or nurses. Interfaces with other health-care providers and administrators to ensure compliance with established pharmacy and medical center policies and procedures. Assists in the development or improvement of proposals for new or existing clinical pharmacy services.

Publish and/or present results of pharmacy projects/research studies, papers, etc. whenever possible. Provides highly specialized education and training support to other professional services in the area of advanced pharmacotherapy. Provides drug information and drug literature evaluations as requested by the professional sta Administration/Technical Support: Work with other health care providers to develop programs for improvement of drug use.

Develops and conducts medication usage evaluation in areas of needs from a cost and patient outcome perspective. Documents cost reduction/cost avoidance activities on a periodic basis. Manages the hospital formulary and ensures its appropriate utilization by health care providers.

Participates in the appropriate, effective, and safe use of pharmaceuticals by contributing to criteria development, data collection, quality assurance, medication use evaluation, and other quality improvement activities for core practice area(s) as identified. Accurately completes all assignments in a timely manner as defined by supervisor or other designee.

Effectively manages and supervises technical support in the areas of clinical responsibilities, such as Automated Dispensing Machine (e.g. Pyxis) and Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) support. Work Schedule: 8am-4:30pm rotating weekends, and holidays as needed Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Requirements & Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $142007 – $184613/yr.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-11-13.

How many openings are available?

There are 2 openings for this position.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Internal Search' hiring path.