Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Internal Medicine

Position Title:

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Internal Medicine

Department:

Pharmacy

Job Description:

General Description:

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist I delivers direct, patient‑centered clinical pharmacy services across assigned care settings (e.g., inpatient specialty services and/or ambulatory clinics). This role focuses on comprehensive medication therapy management, participation on interprofessional care teams, and safe, effective, and cost‑conscious medication use under established clinical protocols and guidelines. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist I serves as a core clinical resource, contributes to high‑reliability care, and supports medication stewardship, safety, and quality initiatives.

Essential Responsibilities:

Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position.  Inability to perform these responsibilities, with or without an accommodation, may result in disqualification from the position. 

Shared Responsibilities:

• Provide comprehensive medication therapy management for assigned patients, including assessment, care planning, monitoring, and documentation in the medical record.

• Participate in interdisciplinary care teams/rounds; serve as a primary pharmacy contact for clinical consultation and evidence‑based pharmacotherapy recommendations.

• Identify and resolve drug‑related problems (e.g., inappropriate drug or dose selection, sub‑/supra‑therapeutic dosing, adverse drug events, interactions, untreated indications, medication use without indication, and treatment failures).

• Support medication stewardship (e.g., antimicrobials, high‑risk medications), restriction/surveillance programs, and cost‑containment activities aligned with institutional policies and regulatory standards.

• Contribute to medication safety by identifying, designing, and implementing improvements in the medication‑use system to enhance patient safety and outcomes.

• Participate in the management of medical emergencies (e.g., codes/rapid responses) as appropriate to training and assignment.

• Provide transitions‑of‑care support, including medication reconciliation, patient/caregiver counseling, and coordination with inpatient and outpatient providers to promote continuity.

• Engage in quality improvement and practice advancement activities; facilitate or assist with clinical projects, audits, and outcomes tracking.

• Teach and precept learners (students/residents) within scope; contribute to staff education and development.

• Communicate clearly and professionally with patients, caregivers, and the care team; ensure effective handoffs and continuity across shifts/services.

• Participate in Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) and other multidisciplinary committees and workgroups as requested.

Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacy Specialist:

• Deliver direct patient care and serve as a transitions‑of‑care lead for patients with chronic and acute conditions in clinic settings.

• Provide comprehensive disease‑state and medication management with collaborative, evidence‑based recommendations as an active member of a multidisciplinary clinic team.

• Monitor patients and review charts to proactively identify, prevent, and mitigate drug‑related problems.

• Facilitate medication access, lower cost therapeutic alternatives, clinical support of prior authorization appeal letters, patient assistance programs, and other mechanisms to ensure timely therapy initiation/continuation.

• Participate in patient advocacy, public health initiatives, wellness, and health promotion relevant to assigned clinics.

• Collaborate with internal partners to optimize drug utilization and access in alignment with regulatory standards (e.g., understanding application of the 340B Drug Pricing Program in eligible settings).

Inpatient Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

• Serve as the primary pharmacy consultant for assigned specialty services (e.g., internal medicine, cardiology, oncology, critical care, infectious diseases).

• Conduct bedside medication optimization during rounds; manage pharmacokinetic/therapeutic drug monitoring, IV‑to‑PO conversions, renal/hepatic dose adjustments, and high‑risk medication oversight.

• Provide discharge medication review and counseling to ensure safe transitions from the hospital to the next site of care.

• Coordinate specialty medication workflows (e.g., stewardship restrictions, high‑risk med checks, investigational or restricted‑use medications) in collaboration with pharmacy operations.

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