Pain Management & Substance Abuse Pharmacist

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The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation is a Tribal health care organization, serving nearly 30,000 people living across rural, southwest Alaska in villages with populations from about 10 to more than 1,000. Bethel, the regional hub and location of the only hospital in the region, has a population of nearly 7,000. The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta is home to thousands of lakes and two primary rivers—the Kuskokwim and Yukon.

We offer a broad range of employment opportunities and the chance to make a meaningful impact on the health of people in the region.

Position Summary

To assure appropriateness of drug therapy/delivery. This role will provide direct patient care to pain and suboxone patients under the direction of the Director of Pharmacy and the Pain Management and Suboxone Programs.

Position Responsibilities

1. Provides pharmaceutical care, drug information and other clinical pharmacy services to inpatient, ambulatory and field health patients and providers.

2. Provide health promotion and disease prevention activities relating to drug use and preventive therapy.

3. Provide new and refill prescription services – includes screening patients chart, computer entry, filling and labeling the medication, counseling of the patient and documentation of all these activities.

4. Participates in field visits to the village clinics.

5. Prepares chemotherapy admixtures – includes screening patients chart, aseptic preparation of the admixture, dispensing of the admixture, disposal of chemotherapy waste and documentation of these activities.

6. Provides inpatient pharmacy services – monitor drug therapy and prepare and dispense unit of use medications.

7. Prepare sterile products using aseptic technique.

8. Provide “on-call” pharmacy services to provide information and respond to emergencies that occur outside of regular pharmacy hours.

9. Participate in discharge planning for all inpatients.

10. Work with controlled substances, includes completing paperwork and understanding federal controlled substances laws.

11. Assists in the training and supervision of pharmacy student externs/interns.

12. Provides and facilitates the use of investigational medications per approved treatment protocols.

13. Participates in inventory control and the acquisition of pharmacy supplies.

14. Participates in drug distribution to various internal and external clinics.

15. Participates in the compounding of products, including using appropriate references, and documentation and labeling of compounds.

16. Participates in counseling patients on medications, as well as devices (i. e. inhalers, aerochambers, auto-injectors, etc.)

17. Participates in all Continuous Quality Improvement Activities, including, but not limited to, Drug Utilization Review, Quality Control, Drug Utilization Evaluations, Adverse Drug Reaction monitoring, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee activities, management of a YKHC Drug Formulary and the development and management of Clinical Guidelines and Protocols.

18. Attends all mandatory education as directed by YKHC.

19. Retrospective medication review.

20. Communicate drug related problems to provider.

21. Document interventions i. e. progress note and/or message center to provider(s).

22. Recommend comprehensive pain management consultation.

23. Pharmacist performs comprehensive pain assessment and profile review. Review medical history, laboratory results, diagnostic scans, current orders.

24. Follow up with patients on a regular basis until therapeutic goals are met.

25. Daily review of all Pyxis and Scriptpro reports.

26. Run and analyze reports from Pyxis Knowledge Portal. Report discrepancies to Director of Pharmacy and Nurse Managers. Provide overview of reports at monthly Diversion Committee,

27. Coordinate and facilitate pill audits in Bethel, Sub regional clinics, & Village clinics.

28. Order controlled medications for the hospital and village clinics.

29. Reconcile and mail village narcotics

30. Review and manage pain contract patients.

31. Medication history review and reconciliation of Chronic pain patients

32. Assessment of adherence to medications. Behavior modification techniques and follow-up services for nonadherence.

33. Participate in Diversion Committee, Patient Pain Review Meetings, Core Pain Team, Suboxone Patient Review Meetings, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and Medication Safety Committee.

34. Pharmacokinetic and clinical monitoring of medications.

35. Monitoring for therapeutic effects, drug interactions, and adverse drug events through drug regimen review, laboratory data/vital sign assessment and patient interview.

36. Review pain contract information with patients that are started on a new pain contract.

37. Patient education regarding self-administration and monitoring of medications.

38. Give recommendations for initiation, modification, or discontinuations of medication regimen for chronic pain patients.

39. See patients for contract renewals and follow up appointments after regimen changes or new medication initiates

40. Telephone follow-ups for village-based patients that have a regimen change or new medication.

41. Assist providers with pain therapy management tools and be an easily accessible resources for patients regarding their pain management needs.

42. Review and participate in management of patients prescribed Suboxone.

43. Review and participate in management of patients prescribed Naloxone.

44. Implement strategies to prevent opioid overdose prevention, including access to naloxone.

45. Update and review PMP website

46. Provide education, training, and in-service for employees. Participate and coordinate drug take back program/day.

47. Act in the role of Diversion committee chair.

48. Work one day a week in outpatient pharmacy.

49. Review patient cases prior to CII control substances refill authorizations and propose new CII prescriptions to pain contract providers.

50. Participate in formulary management.

51. Development of additional pain management pharmacy services protocols, guidelines, policies and procedures for opioid addiction and withdrawal.

52. Assist with the development of clinical protocols to encourage the systematic approach to and use of various analgesic therapies.

53. Serve as a pharmacy contact for chronic and acute pain issues.

54. Serve as the pharmacy contact for chronic and acute pain and suboxone issues and/or questions.

55. Perform controlled substance medication reconciliation using state prescription drug monitoring program.

56. Participate in quality improvements programs to increase adherence to pain management guidelines.

• 57. Perform opioid equianalgesic conversions
• 58. Counsel patients on safe storage and disposal of prescriptions opioids

Position Qualifications

Minimum Education

Degree in Pharmacy (i. e., B.S. or Pharm. D.) form a school or college of pharmacy accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) is required.

A Graduate Pharmacist must have documentation from a school of pharmacy accredited by ACPE, either in the form of a diploma or official correspondence stating that they have met all requirements for graduation.

Serve as the expert in pain management for the Department of Pharmacy; coordinating education, professional development, and serving as a liaison and contact for all things pain –related.

Minimum Experience

License, Certification, Registration: Licensure in the State of Alaska is required. A Graduate Pharmacist must hold a valid Alaska Pharmacist Intern license. A Graduate Pharmacist must obtain an Alaska Pharmacist License within 180 days of initial employment.

• Be certified, or eligible to be certified, in Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS).
• Board of Pharmacy Specialties certification preferred.
• Equipment/Tools: Office equipment (i. e., computers, multi-line telephone, fax machine, etc.)
• Specialized Knowledge and Skills: Willingness to learn or understanding of patient-oriented and management computer software systems
• Supervisory Responsibilities: Supervising pharmacy technicians during day to day operations.

Benefits Include

• Generous PTO – starting at 4.5 weeks per year, accrued over time
• Eleven paid holidays
• Comprehensive healthcare coverage
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement plans
• Employee Wellness Center
• Plus More!

Compensation Pay Range Minimum

68.62

Employment Type: Regular

Time Type

Full time

Hours Per Week

40

FLSA Exempt

Yes

Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified individuals will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status and any other basis protected by law. Individuals with disabilities needing assistance in the recruitment process are encouraged to contact Human Resources directly.

Under P.L. 93-638, preference is given to Alaska Native/American Indian applicants.

For more information, please contact the YKHC Recruitment Department at YKHCRecruitment@YKHC.org