Clinical Pharmacist Full Time Rotating

Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

Job Description

The Clinical Pharmacist reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Clinical Pharmacist is responsible for identifying, preventing, and/or resolving medication related problems; for providing authoritative information to other health care professionals, patients, and the public; and for assuring that the informational, clinical, and drug distribution components of pharmacy services function as an integrated system to provide patient centered care to the patients and staff of Northwestern Medicine.

The mission of the Department of Pharmacy is to deliver the safest, highest quality, most effective and efficient patient care while developing the best people, advancing research, and integrating pharmacy services to successfully coordinate care across the Northwestern Medicine enterprise.

The vision of the Department of Pharmacy is to be a recognized as a national leader in advancing the pharmacy enterprise through excellence, innovation, education and research.

Responsibilities:

• Interprets medication orders to ensure safety and proper use of medications and is alert to compatibilities, incompatibilities, medication duplication, medication allergies, and potential medication administration errors. Coordinates the solving of medication related problems between pharmacy, nursing, and prescribers, demonstrating initiative and sound judgment.
• Monitors medication therapy for significant drug-drug, drug-diet, or drug-laboratory test interactions. Intervenes in circumstances of significant interactions, therapeutic duplications, and other occasions where pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic expertise is warranted.
• Evaluates and documents that the medication(s) selected are appropriate for achieving the desired therapeutic outcome. Communicates potential problems and likely solutions to the prescriber.
• Acts as a consultant in the areas of pharmacokinetics and adverse reactions to physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals. Participates in all therapeutic drug monitoring or intervention programs; adjusting therapy as indicated by patient condition and laboratory results.
• Processes all medication order information into the Electronic Health Record to ensure accuracy of records regarding past, current and future dispensing and charging.
• Maintains a comprehensive pharmacy patient profile. The profile should include age, maturation, weight, allergies, diagnosis, estimated and actual pharmacokinetic parameters, and pertinent information which may affect medication therapy decisions.
• Oversees the packaging labeling, and distribution of medications for all patients and employees according to established policies, procedures, and guidelines.  Monitors the use of scheduled medications on the nursing units and maintains controlled inventories of medication in the dispensing areas.
• Compounds and dispenses pharmaceuticals including sterile products, chemotherapy and parenteral nutrition products.
• Verifies medication orders before delivery to patient care areas and ensures accuracy and completeness. Resolves discrepancies as necessary.
• Reviews all laboratory data for appropriateness of medication use and recommends changes when needed. Including microbial culture and sensitivity data, toxicology, therapeutic drug monitoring, etc.
• Develops and presents orientation, education and training programs for medical, nursing, hospital and pharmacy staff, as well as assisting in the educating of pharmacy students, residents, and fellows.
• Educates patients and their families about specific medications.
• Responds to emergency situations to assist with medication management (e.g. response to cardiac arrests)
• Provides accurate and timely medication information and or teaching to healthcare professionals or patients.
• Maintains the hospital formulary and acts to limit medication usage to formulary items when appropriate
• Documents all clinical activities and interventions performed. Collects data, maintains logs, records and other documentation as required by the department
• Communicates professional knowledge effectively in both oral and written forms to patients and other health professionals.
• Participates in quality improvement and medication use review activities of the department.
• Organizes, prioritizes, and plans workload within given time constraints. Works cooperatively with fellow pharmacists to oversee and direct the activities of the work area, to assign work to technicians, and to assure that the established department objectives are accomplished
• Reviews restocking automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) throughout the hospital and resolves any problems.
• Ensures compliance with hazardous waste collection and disposal procedures.
• Maintains proficiency and expertise in area/s of practice through continuous professional development.
• All other job duties as assigned.

This position is full time, 72-hour per pay period, rotating all 3 shifts (1st, 2nd, 3rd).  1st and 2nd shift would be an 8-hour shift, 3rd shift would be 10-hour shift.  Overnight (3rd) shift coverage may include weekend.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

Required

• Active Clinical Pharmacist license in the state of Illinois (IDFPR)
• Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy or a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree

Preferred

• Training and knowledge of specialty areas (neonatology, critical care, oncology, etc.)
• Completion of a pharmacy residency program or equivalent hospital pharmacy experience

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Competencies/Performance Expectations:

• Please refer to NMHC Performance (Standard/Leadership) Competencies.

Other:

Management Responsibility

• N/A

Population Served

• Works with a pediatric and adult population in age ranges from neonatal to geriatric, including patients with communication barriers and/or sensory impairments.  Must be able to identify appropriate measures and make necessary accommodations to meet the needs of the patient in their age category.  Also, must be able to respond to the growth and development needs for each patient.

Addendum:

Addendum 1 – Informatics Pharmacist, Procurement Operations Center  (Grayslake IL)

Note:  This position will be hybrid in Chicago office & remote until Grayslake facility is officially open

Responsibilities:

• Oversees and facilitates use of current and future clinical information systems to drive medication management transformation across the enterprise to promote patient safety, support workflow, and optimize efficiency.
• Participates in planning, research, development, implementation, and evaluation of pharmacy and clinical systems and services within NMHC.
• Responsible for oversight of drug management within pharmacy clinical systems (EPIC, Omnicell, Tecsys).
• Integrates effective use of technology to improve medication management processes and drug safety evaluation
• Performs routine audits and/or reviews to evaluate formulary compliance and quantify impact of institutional decisions, guidelines, and initiatives
• Coordinates and/or participates in other identified quality initiatives, based on the needs of the department or organization
• Supports the planning, designing, implementing, evaluating, and maintaining medication use processes for improvement initiatives as it relates to formulary management and optimization of medication use
• Ensures compliance with laws governing the practice of pharmacy and distribution of drugs
• Assist with pharmacist drug verification processes during staffing needs

Qualifications

• Current license to practice pharmacy in the State of Illinois
• Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy or a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree
• Clinical informatics pharmacist educational requirements and qualifications
• Minimum 1 year experience working as a pharmacist in retail, hospital, or mail order setting
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills
• Strong customer service and organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a cross functional work environment
• Must be detail-oriented with the ability to handle multiple demands simultaneously
• Proficient computer skills (Excel, Cognos, PowerBi) including the ability to navigate through a database and run reports
• Experience with EPIC, Omnicell, and/or warehouse management system (WMS)

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Will occasionally lift up to 25 lbs. without assistance
• Must be able to stand up majority of the workday
• Must have functional speech, vision, and hearing
• Will be exposed to chemical hazards; therefore, must have the ability to wear protective clothing as needed

Addendum 2 – Regulatory and Safety Pharmacist added 11/1/19

Responsibilities:

Operational

• Maintains oversight of compliance with USP 795/797/800
• Maintains oversight of policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory bodies and laws and ensures readiness for audits and surveys in collaboration with Drug Information/Policy, Medication Safety, and Pharmacy Leadership
• Directs management of controlled substance inventory and maintains appropriate documentation in accordance with state and federal regulations
• Oversees the management and use of medication error information
• Investigates patient safety issues
• Promotes event reporting throughout the organization to maintain a fair and just culture
• Advises optimization of the smart pump library utilizing infusion data

Quality Excellence

• Ensures compliance with regulatory agency standards and laws including The Joint Commission (TJC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and local, state, and federal laws
• Collaborates with pharmacy, nursing, and medical leadership to ensure a model of continuous regulatory readiness
• Provides safety assessments and facilitates change to improve patient safety based on identified risks
• Collaborates with an interdisciplinary team to develop drug diversion prevention and response strategies within the organization
• Leads the planning, designing, implementing, evaluating, and maintaining hospital wide processes to support process improvement initiatives, as well as plans to address noncompliance

Qualifications

• Preferred:
  • Experienced in regulatory, compliance, and/or safety pharmacy
  • Completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency program or at least 3 years of pharmacy practice experience
  • Completed an ASHP-accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency in Medication-Use Safety and Policy or Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership

Clinical Pharmacist - NMH
Addendum 3 – Medication Use Policy Pharmacist added 01/25/21

Responsibilities

Operational

• Provides formulary management oversight and supports the Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) Committees and Subcommittees
• Prepares and/or oversees the preparation of evidence-based monographs and class reviews for P&T Committees
• Coordinates and/or participates in Medication Use Evaluations
• Participates in the development of clinical guidelines, policies, and protocols to optimize medication utilization
• Educates health care professionals using multiple communication methods, such as newsletters, emails, and the online formulary
• Performs evidence-based scientific evaluation of medical literature
• Precepts and provides experiential training to pharmacy students and residents

Quality Excellence

• Improves patient care outcomes through formulary management, medication use policy development, and P&T Committee initiatives
• Identifies high cost, high volume, and/or high-risk drugs to monitor appropriate use and develop organizational approaches and strategies to optimize medication use
• Performs routine audits and/or reviews to evaluate formulary compliance and quantify impact of institutional decisions, guidelines, and initiatives
• Coordinates and/or participates in other identified quality initiatives, based on the needs of the department or organization
• Supports the planning, designing, implementing, evaluating, and maintaining medication use processes for improvement initiatives as it relates to formulary management and optimization of medication use

Qualifications

• Current license to practice pharmacy in the State of Illinois
• Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy or a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree

Preferred Qualifications

• Experienced in formulary management, drug information
• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency program or at least 3 years of pharmacy practice experience
• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency in Medication-Use Safety and Policy or Drug Information

Addendum 4  – Clinical Pharmacist: Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship (ADSP)

The Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship clinical pharmacist is focused on ensuring the optimal use of antimicrobials throughout Northwestern Medicine. This clinician will help build upon a well-established ADSP that aims to mitigate unnecessary and inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing via stewardship outreach and collaboration throughout our hospital as well as the optimal deployment and utilization of diagnostic tests related to antimicrobials. Shared duties and responsibilities will be to ensure compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards issued by The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guided by components of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. Other tasks include but are not limited to the development and implementation of stewardship guidelines, staff education, antimicrobial use pathways, formulary restrictions, hospital antibiograms, and the NM ADSP website (adsp.nm.org). Additional responsibilities include supporting the infectious diseases consultation services and coordinating with stewardship activities within the Northwestern Medicine System.

Responsibilities:

• Contributes to the following duties:
  • Maintain documentation of TJC/CMS performance measures to ensure compliance.
  • Identify and implement:
    1. Education strategies to improve antimicrobial use across the hospital, promote ADSP initiatives and mission with valued stakeholders.
    2. Priority interventions (e.g., prospective audit and feedback, preauthorization, hospital-specific treatment recommendations).
    3. Tracking of antimicrobial use for monitoring and benchmarking (e.g., impact of interventions, prescribing habits, antimicrobial resistance patterns).
    4. Reporting antimicrobial use and resistance patterns (e.g., EDW, NHSN).
    5. Organization-approved policies and procedures (e.g., annual antibiograms, treatment and prevention pathways, influenza/COVID-19 action planning, oversight of NM ASP Website).
    6. Optimal diagnostic testing to facilitate rapid optimization of antimicrobial therapy, improve patient outcomes and shorten length of stay.
• Supports existing goals and projects while seeking new opportunities to improve the ADSP.
• Coordinates with essential hospital departments and Northwestern Medicine System partners to sustain expansion and awareness of the ADSP (e.g., clinicians, infection control, microbiology, nursing, department/program heads, quality improvement & patient safety, information technology).
• Participates in the System Pharmacy and Therapeutics ADSP Subcommittee.
• Precepts clinical trainees (ID PGY-2 pharmacy resident, PGY-1 pharmacy residents, ID fellows, pharmacy students, medical residents).
• Rounds with ID consult service and evaluates patient pharmacotherapy for appropriateness of drug selection, dosage, dosage form, route, and duration, considering individual patient characteristics and clinical status.
• Triages non-formulary requests for antimicrobial therapies and manage the antimicrobial drug formulary.
• Reports adverse drug events (ADEs) in Northwestern Memorial’s confidential reporting system and collaborates with departmental and medication safety leadership to ensure continuous improvements in antimicrobial medication safety.
• Leads and participates in collaborative research projects.

Qualifications: Strongly Preferred

• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency program or at least 3 years of pharmacy practice experience with an Antimicrobial Stewardship/Infectious Diseases focus.            OR
• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency in Infectious Disease and/or Infectious Disease-focused fellowship AND
• Currently holds at least one of the following: Board Certification in Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy OR Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy with Added-Qualification in Infectious Diseases

Addendum 5 – Clinical Staff Pharmacist – Specialty Pharmacy

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for following all NM medicine Best Practice Procedures
• Transfer prescriptions into and out of pharmacy with appropriate documentation
• Receive, verify, obtain, and document refill authorizations and accurately fill prescriptions
• Use good professional judgment in the dispensing of medications
• Comply with all local, state, and federal regulations regarding mandatory consultations on prescription and OTC drugs
• Answer phone calls in an expedient and courteous manner using appropriate greeting and identification
• Perform final audit on prescriptions filled by technicians
• Supervise ancillary personnel, students, and technicians
• Complete incident reports for prescription errors within 24 hours of notification of error
• Assist in maintaining a clean and professional pharmacy
• Assist with the maintaining of pharmacy computers and equipment
• Assist in training other pharmacy personnel
• Teamwork approach to daily work routine which involves the ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with peers and management
• Attend all pharmacy staff meetings as required
• Effectively work in respective clinical area outside of specialty pharmacy
• Be able to cross-cover other clinical areas for absences/vacations/work overflow
• Competent knowledge of technician procedure manual
• Process pharmacy sales and complete all signature logs as required
• Perform register functions as needed
• Effectively communicate with co-workers, customers, and other health care professionals
• Assist in inventory management
• Understand third party specific requirements for prior authorization and be able to complete prior authorizations
• Understand drug specific Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) requirements and be able to identify what is needed for REMS fulfillment. Complete any forms or authorizations of which you are able to.
• Able to take after hours call on a rotating basis and be able to independently triage or fulfill any patient requirements during this time
• Accurately and appropriately document information in electronic medical record (EMR), and Therapy Management System.
• Must notify organization/department within one business day in the event of an adverse change of one’s licensure or certification status

Addendum 6 - Clinical Pharmacist – BCVI Ambulatory Care

Below are the job expectations for the position of Clinical Pharmacist, Ambulatory Care Clinics – Central DuPage Hospital Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute

• Works under collaborative practice agreements with physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants to manage patient therapeutic needs related to heart failure, HTN, hyperlipidemia, anticoagulation, diabetes and other chronic conditions as needed.
• Collaborates with physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, medical assistants, dieticians, care coordinators and others to address patient treatment needs related to heart failure, HTN, hyperlipidemia, anticoagulation, diabetes and other chronic conditions.
• Maintains clinical competence in key therapeutic areas including heart failure, HTN, hyperlipidemia, anticoagulation, diabetes and other chronic conditions.
• Participates in inpatient rounding on heart failure patients and other patients as needed.  Provides patient heart failure education at the time of hospital discharge. 
• Supports the clinical team in the areas of appropriate medication prescribing, medication affordability, medication adherence, and vaccine promotion, as needed.
• Provides clinical trial assistance as needed. 
• Serves as an ambulatory clinical pharmacy resource for physicians and practices in the CDH, Delnor, Kishwaukee, Marianjoy and other service areas as needed.
• Prepares and presents information at various committees, as needed.
• Develops communication materials to support clinical initiatives, as needed.
• Maintains BCPS or similar certification(s).  

Addendum 7 – Clinical Pharmacist – Ambulatory Care/Population Health

Below are the job expectations for the position of Clinical Pharmacist, Ambulatory Care/Population Health:

• Works under collaborative practice agreements with physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants to manage patient therapeutic needs related to hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and other chronic conditions as needed.
• Collaborates with physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, medical assistants, dieticians, care coordinators and others to address patient treatment needs related to hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and other chronic conditions.
• Meets with patients individually to provide medication support and monitoring either by 1) managing directly or 2) in partnership with physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, dieticians, medical assistants, care coordinators, and other members of the Ambulatory Care Clinic team. 
• Adjusts therapy as indicated by patient condition and laboratory results.
• Educates patients and their families about medications.
• Communicates professional knowledge effectively in both oral and written forms to patients and other health professionals.
• Maintains a comprehensive EPIC patient profile.  The profile will include pertinent information which may influence medication therapy decisions.
• Maintains a current medication list in EPIC by performing medication reconciliation at each patient visit.
• Bills for clinical services provided where appropriate.
• Develop communication materials to support clinical initiatives, as needed.
• Presents clinical information to patient groups, as needed.  
• Participates in Medical Resident, Pharmacy Resident, and Pharmacy Student Training
• Participates in quality improvement and medication use review activities of the center.
• Organizes, prioritizes, and plans workload within given time constraints.  Works cooperatively with other members of the team to assure established center objectives are accomplished.
• Maintains proficiency and expertise in area(s) of practice through continuous professional development.
• Prepares and presents information at various committees, as needed.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve health outcomes across targeted populations, focusing on quality performance metrics.
• Analyze clinical and claims data to identify care gaps, stratify risk, and support data-driven decision-making.
• Collaborate with prescribers and care teams to coordinate patient outreach and close quality care gaps.
• Monitor and report on key performance metrics tied to value-based care initiatives and payer contracts.
• Design and optimize workflows that support medication adherence, care transitions, and patient engagement across diverse populations.
• Educate healthcare teams on evidence-based guidelines, coding practices, and population health goals to drive system-wide improvement.
• Leverage health IT systems to track interventions, measure impact, and support continuous quality improvement efforts.
• Conduct targeted digital or telephonic outreach to patients identified with medication adherence gaps, focusing on chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.
• Educate patients on the importance of medication adherence, addressing barriers such as side effects, cost, or misunderstandings about therapy.
• Document outreach efforts and patient-reported reasons for non-adherence to inform follow-up care and workflow improvement.
• Collaborate with pharmacy teams, providers, and case managers to resolve medication-related issues and support transitions of care.
• Track and report adherence outreach outcomes to evaluate impact and guide future interventions and resource allocation.
• Use payer tools and EMR-based patient lists to prioritize high-risk patients and ensure timely outreach and follow-up

Additional Information

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check.  Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. 

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.

Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.