Lead Pharmacist

Westchester Medical Center; Town of Warwick (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Westchester Medical Center is seeking a Lead Pharmacist to optimize medication use and ensure quality of care for patients across all ages in a hospital setting. Under the Director of Pharmacy, you will implement policies and lead daily operations, mentor staff, and support the department's objectives.

You will oversee drug protocols, safety, and regulatory compliance, while providing clinical guidance and ensuring accurate dispensing and patient counseling.

Qualifications

• Hospital pharmacy experience required or internship in hospital setting.
• Possession of a valid NYS Pharmacist license and registration.
• Experience with EPIC CPOE system preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide care across neonates to geriatrics per department policies.
• Review medication orders for appropriateness, allergies, dose and formulary status.
• Interpret and rectify physician orders and IV orders, including reconciliation.
• Prepare IV admixtures including chemotherapy.
• Monitor patients on target drugs and recommend therapy adjustments to clinicians.
• Prescribe drug therapy per collaborative protocols.
• Counsel patients and ensure safe medication administration.
• Supervise and train pharmacy technicians and interns.
• Participate in drug protocols and clinical pathways.
• Perform drug usage evaluations and QA auditing.

Skills

Hospital Pharmacy

Clinical Leadership

Patient Counseling

Drug Policy

Education

Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy

Doctorate in Pharmacy

Masters preferred

Tools

EPIC CPOE

Job description

The Lead Pharmacist is responsible for performing all necessary functions to ensure optimal use of medications to achieve specific outcomes that improve a patient's quality of life as prescribed by law and regulation for New York State. Under the Director of Pharmacy, the Lead Pharmacist will implement hospital pharmacy policies and procedures in accordance with standards of pharmacy practice and the objectives of the Pharmacy department and serves as a lead resource for staff members and assist with the daily operations of the department.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide pharmacy care appropriate to neonates, pediatrics, adolescents, adults, geriatrics.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development of the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his or her age, specific needs and to provide the care needed as described in departmental policies and procedures.
• Reviews medication orders for appropriateness and accuracy including, but not limited to: contraindications, allergies, dose, route, frequency, duplicate therapy and formulary status.
• Interprets, clarifies and rectifies physician medication and IV orders, including the medication reconciliation process.
• Interprets, clarifies and rectifies prescriptions and selects medications for both inpatient and outpatient dispensing.
• Prepares IV admixtures including chemotherapy.
• Monitors all patients on specified target drugs and initiates pharmacokinetic dosing protocols. Evaluates drug therapy for appropriateness and makes drug therapy recommendations to clinician.
• Prescribes drug therapy per collaborative drug therapy management agreements/Medical Executive Committee approved protocols.
• Dispenses the final product for administration and performs patient counseling. Identifies, monitors, and reports adverse drug events and medication errors.
• Supervises and trains pharmacy technicians to assure accurate medication supply.
• Supervises and trains pharmacy interns and externs.
• Participates in development of drug protocols and clinical pathways.
• Performs drug usage evaluations on selected drugs.
• Completes quality assurance auditing as required for prescriptive authority.
• Utilizes and maximizes automated dispensing machines.
• Maintains and Distributes Controlled Substances and records.
• Purchases medications utilizing current contracts.
• Assists in ensuring 340B Compliance.
• Assists in maintaining USP 797 sterile IV room compliance.
• Partners with Pharmacy Director to manage daily operations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:Hospital experience or internship in hospital pharmacy, prior experience with EPIC CPOE System preferred. Possession of a valid license and current registration as a Pharmacist issued by New York State

Education

Bachelor of Science required, Doctorate in Pharmacy or Masters preferred.

Other

If applicable, the individual performing this job may reasonably anticipate coming into contact with human blood and other potentially infectious materials. Individuals in this position are required to exercise universal precautions, use personal protective equipment and devices, and learn the policies concerning infection control.