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CAREER SPOTLIGHT
Long-Term Care Consultant Pharmacist
Optimize medication therapy and ensure regulatory compliance to improve the health and safety of residents in long-term care settings.
Start Your Certification PathwayThe Medication Expert for Vulnerable Populations
A Long-Term Care (LTC) Consultant Pharmacist is a clinical expert who provides comprehensive medication management services to residents in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and other long-term care environments. This is a highly autonomous role that operates outside the walls of a traditional pharmacy. The core function is to perform monthly Medication Regimen Reviews (MRRs) for each resident, identifying and resolving medication-related problems to enhance safety and clinical outcomes.
Beyond individual chart reviews, the LTC consultant is a critical partner to the facility’s interdisciplinary team. They provide evidence-based recommendations on drug therapy, lead deprescribing initiatives to combat polypharmacy, and ensure the facility adheres to strict state and federal regulations (CMS). They also serve as an educator for nursing staff and a vital resource for ensuring safe medication storage, administration, and documentation. This career is ideal for a pharmacist who is passionate about geriatric care and enjoys a blend of clinical analysis and collaborative practice.
Core Responsibilities
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Medication Regimen Review (MRR)
Conducting systematic monthly reviews of resident charts to identify unnecessary medications, dose errors, and potential adverse effects.
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Regulatory Compliance
Ensuring the facility’s medication-use processes meet all state and federal guidelines, helping to prepare for and pass annual surveys.
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Deprescribing & Polypharmacy Management
Proactively identifying and recommending the discontinuation of potentially inappropriate medications to reduce pill burden and risk of harm.
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Staff & Patient Education
Providing in-service training for nursing staff on topics like new medications, proper administration techniques, and medication safety protocols.
Your Certification Pathway in Geriatric Care
Serving as an expert consultant in long-term care requires certified skills in advanced medication management and the specialized practice of deprescribing.
CDP
Certified Deprescribing Pharmacist
A crucial certification for this role, validating your expertise in systematically and safely reducing medication burden in older adults.
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CMTMS
Certified Medication Therapy Management Specialist
Demonstrates your comprehensive ability to assess and optimize complex medication regimens, a core function of the Medication Regimen Review.
View DetailsA Day in the Life
Your day is spent on-site at your contracted facilities, moving between clinical reviews, team meetings, and hands-on observation.
Morning: Performing Medication Regimen Reviews
You are at a skilled nursing facility, logged into their EHR. You systematically review the charts of 15 residents, flagging unnecessary antipsychotics, checking for appropriate monitoring for diuretic therapy, and writing recommendations for dose adjustments.
Mid-Day: Interdisciplinary Team Rounds
You join the facility’s weekly care planning meeting with the Director of Nursing, social worker, and medical director. You present your findings from the MRRs and lead a discussion on a resident experiencing falls, suggesting a deprescribing trial for their sedative medication.
Afternoon: Medication Cart & Storage Audit
To ensure regulatory readiness, you conduct a random audit of a medication cart. You check for expired drugs, proper labeling of multi-dose vials, and correct storage of refrigerated medications, providing immediate feedback to the charge nurse.
Ready to Protect Our Most Vulnerable Patients?
This rewarding and autonomous specialty is for the clinically sharp and compassionate pharmacist committed to improving the quality of life for the geriatric population through expert medication management.
Explore Geriatric & MTM Certifications
