The Medication Safety Program Manager will develop, organize, coordinate, and manage the Medication Safety programs at all points of care (inpatient and outpatient) within the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System (NWIHCS) including all divisions and their associated community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCS). Travel to VANWI facilities may be necessary to ensure program compliance, education of staff, and monitoring of quality assurance measures.
Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Education: Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60602-5109; phone: (312) 664-3575, or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT). Licensure: Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. A pharmacist who has, or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16. NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Facility Program Manager, GS-13: Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. GS-12 level experience includes the following Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Preferred Experience: Experience in profession pharmacy practice (in-hospital setting, outpatient, clinical), experience in healthcare performance improvement, experience with data analysis and analytical techniques, excellent oral and writing communication, experience in working with multidisciplinary team Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Program Management - Medication Safety: The Medication Safety Program Manager plans, coordinates, and manages all pharmacy aspects of medication safety and works closely with VANWI Patient Safety staff and clinical leadership to improve medication safety and works closely with VANWI Patient Safety staff and clinical leadership to improve medication use systems. Activities include: Managing data collection, analysis, and review of medication safety events and practices including reporting of adverse events in JPSR and adverse drug reactions in VA ADERS and VistA ADR tracking system. Reviewing and assessing compliance with VHA Directives/Handbooks, USP, FDA, DEA, AWE, OIG, and Joint Commission standards and assisting with the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure compliance. Working with the National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS), the Center for Medication Safety (VA MedSAFE), the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), and FDA to disseminate medication related patient safety issues to appropriate clinical staff and committees and collects and analyzes VANWI data as necessary. Working closely with pharmacy management, patient safety, and clinical leadership to resolve medication safety issues and ensures that processes for prescribing, dispensing, and monitoring medication therapy minimize the potential for adverse medication events. Administrative Program Services: The Medication Safety Program Manager will provide administrative program support to Patient Safety and Pharmacy. Activities include: Assisting with the management of the Drug Recall and Drug Safety Alert System across all NWI campuses and is responsible for entering NWI recall information into the VA National Recall/Alert web site. Develops and updates policies and procedures defining operational requirements of Medication Safety Programs. Manges the sharing of data and information for Patient Safety and Pharmacy utilizing tools such as Excel, dashboards (e.g., OSI, PDSI, Sail, IPEC, etc.) and SharePoint sites. Clinical Program Management: The Medication Safety Program Manager will provide and support clinical pharmacy services and is directly responsible for monitoring and managing medication therapy for assigned patients. Activities include: Responsible for ambulatory care, acute care, or CLC pharmacy activities involving highly innovative methods of health care delivery. Participates in a patient-focused, team based multidisciplinary model of patient centered care to promote positive patient outcomes through direct and indirect interaction with patients and providers. Evaluates appropriateness of pharmacologic therapy at clinic visits or during hospitalizations and as the level of care changes. Provides drug information, observations on patient response to therapy, and develops appropriate recommendations regarding treatment alternatives or additional interventions to maximize patient care outcomes taking into consideration choice of therapy, safety, efficacy, and pharmacoeconomics. Provide medication reconciliation and patient medication counseling. Verifying and documenting patient understanding of the medication, proper medication use, expected outcomes, how to obtain refills of medication, and how the current prescription will be processed. Under appropriate supervision by a physician, assumes authority to direct therapy, order lab tests, and medications as indicated for appropriate patient monitoring. Report actual an/or potential medication errors or adverse events and participate in quality improvement initiatives to promote patient safety. Actively participates in the VA Adverse Drug Reaction (VA ADR) reporting program. Plays a role in budget execution by working with and educating providers to ensure adherence to the formulary process so that patients receive the most cost-effective drug therapy. Process non-formulary and restricted drug consult requests utilizing national VA PBM criteria for use, documenting reasons for approval or denial. Pharmacy Program Management: The Medication Safety Program Manager will be involved in the independent professional practice of pharmacy in accordance with the guidelines set forth in pharmacy service policies and procedures, VA Regulations, and state and federal laws governing the practice of pharmacy. The Medication Safety Program Manager will work in conjunction with Clinical Pharmacists, Clinical Pharmacy Specialists, and other health care professionals to form an organized team approach to the delivery of pharmaceutical care. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized