What are the responsibilities and job description for the Pharmacist position at Summit Spine & Joint Centers?
Summit Spine and Joint Centers (SSJC) is on track to become the largest comprehensive spine and joint care provider in the Southeast while providing clinical, surgical and imaging services to our patients. We are seeking a part-time Pharmacy Consultant who loves to transform lives through exceptional patient care! This position ensures compliance with regulatory standards, supports anesthesia and clinical teams, conducts periodic audits, and provides ongoing education to promote patient safety and cost-effective care. Ideal candidates will have experience in ambulatory or surgical pharmacy, strong knowledge of DEA and Board of Pharmacy rules, and a passion for clinical excellence.
Position Summary
The Pharmacist Consultant provides specialized pharmaceutical and regulatory expertise to the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), ensuring compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations and promoting optimal medication management and patient safety. The consultant works closely with physicians, nurses, and administrative leadership to oversee medication procurement, storage, preparation, administration, and disposal within the ASC environment.
Key Responsibilities
Clinical Oversight
Education / Licensing / Certification
Position Summary
The Pharmacist Consultant provides specialized pharmaceutical and regulatory expertise to the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), ensuring compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations and promoting optimal medication management and patient safety. The consultant works closely with physicians, nurses, and administrative leadership to oversee medication procurement, storage, preparation, administration, and disposal within the ASC environment.
Key Responsibilities
Clinical Oversight
- Conduct periodic reviews of medication use processes, including prescribing, preparation, labeling, administration, and disposal.
- Review anesthesia medications, controlled substances, and other high-risk drugs for compliance and safety.
- Provide clinical consultation on drug selection, compatibility, stability, and dosing for perioperative medications.
- Participate in developing and reviewing protocols for pain management, antibiotic prophylaxis, and emergency medications.
- Ensure compliance with applicable state Board of Pharmacy, DEA, FDA, and CMS regulations, as well as AAAASF, AAAHC, or Joint Commission accreditation standards.
- Conduct quarterly or semi-annual pharmacy audits, including medication storage, temperature logs, expiration dates, and inventory control.
- Maintain documentation of controlled substances, including DEA Form 222 records and perpetual inventory reconciliation.
- Review policies and procedures for medication handling, sterile compounding, and crash cart maintenance.
- Advise on formulary management, purchasing, and cost-control strategies.
- Evaluate and recommend alternatives to drug shortages.
- Collaborate with anesthesia providers to ensure proper availability of required drugs and controlled substances.
- Participate in quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) meetings.
- Analyze medication-related incidents and recommend corrective actions.
- Monitor trends in adverse drug events, medication errors, and audit findings to improve outcomes.
Education / Licensing / Certification
- Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) or Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy required.
- Active pharmacist license in the state of practice.
- Consultant Pharmacist certification or eligibility (where required by state law).
- DEA registration or ability to supervise controlled substance management per ASC policy.
- 3 years of experience as a clinical or consultant pharmacist, preferably in a surgical, outpatient, or ambulatory care environment strongly preferred.
- Prior experience with anesthesia or perioperative medication management strongly preferred.
- Knowledge of ASC-specific regulations and accreditation standards.
- Strong understanding of sterile techniques, compounding requirements, and controlled substance management.
- Excellent communication, teaching, and documentation skills.
- Analytical ability to identify drug therapy problems and compliance issues.
- Contract or part-time consulting role; typically one site visit per month or quarter depending on ASC size and state requirements.
- May include on-call consultation for urgent medication-related issues.
- Minimal physical demands; primarily administrative, clinical review, and staff training duties.