Assistant Director, Adult and Pediatric Inpatient Pharmacy Services

Join our world-class academic healthcare system as an Assistant Directors of Pharmacy for Adult and Pediatric Hospital is registered pharmacists responsible for leading personnel, financial, operational, and clinical within the Department of Pharmacy Services to assure medication use is safe, effective, and aligned with evidence-based best practices and regulatory standards. Through various assignments within the department, these leaders manage pharmacy distributive services, facilitate drug utilization initiatives, integrate clinical pharmacy programs, oversee pharmacy information systems, advance medication safety, and assure regulatory compliance.  They manage central and satellite pharmacy areas as well as decentralized pharmacy practice and are accountable for the financial performance and budgetary adherence of their assigned areas and programs.  Assistant Director of Pharmacy also directly manages the activities of pharmacists and technicians and are actively involved in their areas of oversight to assure pharmacy staff remain competent and engaged in customer service, standardized work, and lean processes.  These leaders are proficient in project management and proactively use data analysis techniques to track, benchmark, and communicate the outcomes of their areas to ensure operational, clinical quality, and financial targets are achieved. Assistant Directors of Pharmacy also precept student and resident experiences and lead the development of pharmacy staff training competencies.  In short, Assistant Directors of Pharmacy set and model the standard for excellence for pharmacy practice and design pharmacy programs to collaboratively advance the Comprehensive Pharmacy Practice model.

Essential Job Functions 

• Manages personnel, financial, distributive, clinical resources, and day-to-day operations of assigned areas 
• Ensures drug utilization activities as well as medication preparation and distribution systems are aligned with patient care needs, evidence-based best practices, and regulatory standards
• Manages relevant automation to assure safe, efficient, accurate, and reliable medication processes
• Designs initiatives to maximize efficiency of assigned areas and integrates methodologies such as just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing as well as Lean, Six Sigma, and standard work principles 
• Designs and implements new pharmacy programs, quality improvement changes, and continuous quality assurance initiatives to advance medication-use systems and promote optimal patient outcomes
• Tracks and evaluates assigned pharmacy programs for operational, quality, and financial efficiency and routinely benchmarks against local and national best practices
• Identifies and resolves short- and long-term obstacles to patient care and medication safety, regulatory compliance, or stewardship of resources
• Develop and manage policies and procedures for drug purchasing, usage, distribution, and control
• Assists with preparation of an annual budget and manages assigned budgets and financial resources including designing and implementing stewardship, cost control, and restriction/surveillance programs 
• Provides departmental and institutional leadership for medical staff committees/meetings, hospital groups/task forces, and approved external programs/organizations
• Splits their time equally between the adult and pediatric hospital 
• Maintain competent staff by coordinating training for new employees, coaching and mentoring of all employees, and routine communication to staff
• Leads recruitment, interview, and hiring processes for staff in assigned areas
• Develops standards of performance and evaluates staff work and program performance
• Provides positive/constructive feedback, counseling regarding job performance including employee discipline if needed and preparation of staff evaluations  
• Establishes annual performance goals and completes performance appraisals for assigned employees 
• Manages staff development, performance improvement, and rewards/recognition programs for staff
• Maintains appropriate staffing levels of personnel within established budgetary parameters 
• Assigns roles of staff and manages the day-to-day staffing and scheduling of assigned areas
• Ensures consistent departmental operations by initiating, coordinating, and enforcing department, hospital and personnel policies and procedures
• Organizes space, equipment, and services to meet the needs of patients and other customers
• Providing oversight and direction for all central distribution services, including staffing shifts in the central pharmacy (approximately one day per week). 
• Maintains proficiency in and actively engages in operational and clinical pharmacy programs as appropriate for job assignments
• Maintains proficiency in hospital computer systems and medication ordering systems
• Identifies, mitigates, prevents, and documents problems with medication orders or therapeutic regimens, including medication errors or adverse drug reactions
• Effectively and efficiently utilizes pharmacy automation and supportive technology
• Communicate effectively and appropriately with healthcare providers and caregivers (physicians, nurses, etc.) and ensure continuity of pharmaceutical care between shifts and among staff
• Follows established standard work parameters and maintains standard work environments 
• Places practice priority on the delivery of patient-centered care
• Works as an active member of multidisciplinary team and collaborates with healthcare providers within decentralized patient care areas
• implements interventions to improve quality and safety
• Makes appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered medication recommendations 
• Implements, evaluates, and redesigns pharmaceutical care plans utilized by Specialists to optimize medication usage, including drug dosing, monitoring (including nutritional support, pharmacokinetic monitoring, and anticoagulation therapy, etc.)
• Provides evidence-based medication education to physicians, nurses, and other professionals
• Develops student, resident, and staff training experiences/competencies and creates new relationships for teaching and training opportunities
• Identifies, designs, and implements improvements in the medication use system to advance patient safety, maximize therapeutic outcomes, or control costs
• Represents the department at hospital meetings, committees, and events as requested

Required Qualifications

• Graduate of an ACPE accredited College of Pharmacy
• Pharmacists license in state of Illinois
• Doctor of Pharmacy or other advanced degree 
• Knowledge of contemporary hospital/clinical practice and service
• Knowledge proficiency with general hospital operations and regulatory compliance
• Knowledge of computers (word processing etc.), technology, and automation systems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to interact constructively with supervisors, peers, and support personnel
• Ability to define departmental or program problems/needs and associated solutions
• Ability to integrate clinical and distributive pharmacy services with quality improvement, teaching, research, and professional development activities
• Significant general clinical knowledge and expertise in traditional therapeutics and patient centered care
• Significant knowledge and expertise in advanced pharmacy practice, specialty medication therapy management, and specialty evidence-based medicine in area appropriate for clinical assignments
• Strong teaching and precepting skills and expertise in experiential training
• Strong project and change management skills 
• Personal leadership qualities and business acumen essential to operate effectively within the institution and advance the profession and practice of pharmacy. 

 Preferred Qualifications

• MHA, MBA, Masters of Science, or other advanced degree 

 Position Details 

• Job Type: Full time
• Shift: Day
• Unit/Department: Inpatient- Hyde Park 
• CBA Code: Non-Union

We’ve been at the forefront of medicine since 1899. We provide superior healthcare with compassion, always mindful that each patient is a person, an individual. To accomplish this, we need employees with passion, talent and commitment… with patients and with each other. We’re in this together: working to advance medical innovation, serve the health needs of the community, and move our collective knowledge forward. If you’d like to add enriching human life to your profile, UChicago Medicine is for you. Here at the forefront, we’re doing work that really matters. Join us. Bring your passion.

UChicago Medicine is growing; discover how you can be a part of this pursuit of excellence at: UChicago Medicine Career Opportunities

UChicago Medicine is an equal opportunity employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status and other legally protected characteristics.

As a condition of employment, all employees are required to complete a pre-employment physical, background check, drug screening, and comply with the flu vaccination requirements prior to hire. Medical and religious exemptions will be considered for flu vaccination consistent with applicable law.

Compensation & Benefits Overview

UChicago Medicine is committed to transparency in compensation and benefits.  The pay range provided reflects the anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position.

The pay range is based on a full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) and is reflective of current market data, reviewed on an annual basis. Compensation offered at the time of hire will vary based on candidate qualifications and experience and organizational considerations, such as internal equity. Pay ranges for employees subject to Collective Bargaining Agreements are negotiated by the medical center and their respective union.

Review the full complement of benefit options for eligible roles at Benefits - UChicago Medicine.