This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) has an immediate opening for an Informatics Pharmacy Program Manager to work at the Palo Alto Division. This position is responsible for the extensive pharmacy automation at the three inpatient/outpatient pharmacies in our system (Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Livermore) and the maintenance of the electronic health record files and workload reports. This Program Manager should have extensive knowledge of inpatient and outpatient pharmacy operations and understanding of the use of pharmacy automation to streamline workflow and accuracy. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Pharmacy Automation Program Management Activities: Maintains an in-depth working knowledge of all forms of pharmacy automation in the inpatient and outpatient settings (e.g., Omnicell Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADC), Anesthesia Work Stations (AWS), Robot Rx, Med-Carousel, PacMed, Parata Max, Pharmacy 2000, Pickpoint and Kiosks) to ensure continual optimization, troubleshooting, training, quality assurance audits and electronic access to users. Actively participates in precepting trainees (i.e., pharmacy residents and pharmacy students) as assigned. Coordinates the ordering of all VAPAHCS pharmacies automation needs. This includes credit card purchases of all automation supplies (such as bags, labels, etc.) and 2237 purchase order requests for products or services. Enters and coordinates all new equipment requests and tracks process through completion. Serves as the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) of all automation contracts, upon completion of COR training and certification. Program Management Activities: Evaluates and resolves hardware problems with pharmacy applications, VISTA, personal computers, printers, telephones, networking, pagers, cell phones, and labeling and printing devices. Serves as liaison with local Office of Information Technology (OIT) and vendors to resolve upgrade and maintenance problems. Coordinates the acquisition, upgrade, relocation and maintenance of PCs, equipment and workstations throughout the service. Maintains electronic health record (HER) pharmacy information files and order menus, in collaboration with another Informaticist. Maintains Pharmacy Service electronic inventory lists (EILs) of all equipment and assist Supply Chain Service in random 5% and wall-to-wall inventories of equipment. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Telework, if approved, would be up to two days a week Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not approved Financial Disclosure Report: Not required This is an open continuous position with certificates being issued to the hiring manager every two weeks from 7/28/2023.

Requirements

Qualifications

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. 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.)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). 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.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). Grandfathering Provision: All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:(1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.(2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.(3) If a licensed pharmacist who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: GS 13 - Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. PREFERRED CRITERIA: Expertise and proficiency in drug file structure and maintenance, pharmacy automation, inpatient and outpatient pharmacy workflow, and excellent verbal communication skills are highly desired. Prior work experience as an Informatics Pharmacist (especially within VA or DoD) is highly desired. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G15. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 13. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Palo Alto VA Medical Center 3801 Miranda Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94304 US
• Name: Lizbeth Torres
• Phone: (415) 221-4810 X24760
• Email: [email protected]