The Facility Program Manager (Patient Safety) is a licensed pharmacist who plans, coordinates, and manages all pharmacy aspects of medication safety and regulatory compliance at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. This individual serves as an active member of the Pharmacy, and Therapeutics Council and related subcommittees. The position reports to the Chief of Quality, Safety, Value and is located at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.

Duties

Program Planning: Performs staff support work in short and long-range planning efforts. The PSM provides technical expertise in the field of healthcare planning and comprehensive advice and assistance to the Director regarding possible need for revision of regulations and policies governing planning activities and assesses priorities to best meet healthcare delivery needs. The PSM serves as a patient safety expert whose practice encompasses a wide range of responsibility and accountability. PSM operates under broadly delegated authority, playing a critical role in organization performance improvement and patient safety as a member of the interdisciplinary team. Contributes to the daily work of the Patient Safety Program including review/scoring of event reports, data entry and leadership of teams working to improve patient safety. The Patient Safety Program activities encompass inpatient, residential, home care and outpatient care, including all health care specialties and at all sites of care. Validates Criteria: Provides staff support to ensure effective management of the facility's Patient Safety Program. Establishes criteria for internal reviews. Incumbent will monitor and analyze changes in mission, goals, new legislation, and technological advances to assess the impact of these changes on work methods/procedures and to develop new systems which will address these changes. Conducts proactive strategic planning to improve the operation of the facility's Patient Safety Program. Drafts new and revised policies and procedures and upon review and concurrence of the senior leadership and concerned services, the publications become official Medical Center policy. Compiles, coordinates and completes facility response to recurring, non-recurring and special reports requested by NCPS, State and National organizations. Evaluates Programs/Monitors Data: Maintains program requirements/validation criteria for the facility's Patient Safety Program. Prompts staff members to participate in cyclic or special evaluations. Reviews materials to ensure compliance with the standards of the National Center for Patient Safety, external bodies and accrediting agencies. Prepares and analyzes data, making recommendations for improvement. Program Management: Assists in the quality assurance process for IV infusion smart pumps. Assists in the evaluation process of cabinet based dispensing system (e.g. Pyxis) overrides. Serves as the pharmacy technical expert on committees and task forces that relate to medication safety (e.g. Root Cause Analysis, Focused Review, and Process Action Team). Assists in dissemination of information to providers and pharmacy staff pertaining to drug warnings and shortages and safety alerts. Education: Develops and coordinates educational programs for pharmacists, pharmacy residents and students regarding medication and patient safety issues. Provides education of health care providers regarding medication and patient safety issues. Provides mentorship and training to pharmacy trainees (residents, students, and new pharmacy employees) on aspects of medication and patient safety. Reports Results/Monitors Remedial Actions: Establishes administrative controls aimed at ensuring approved recommendations from completed RCAs are implemented as proposed. Investigates administrative problems in patient care and employee areas under the jurisdiction of the Medical Center Director, through the Chief of Quality, Safety, Value. Implements resolutions independently when necessary. Reviews comprehensive analysis and recommends remedial actions alleviating any chance that accreditation might be threatened. Performs other duties as assigned, maintaining a flexible approach to the responsibilities of the position. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm - Monday - Friday Telework: AD-HOC ONLY Functional Statement #: 537-01568-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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: You 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.) OR, 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. [YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF CURRENT LICENSE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE]. 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: In addition to the Basic Requirements above, applicants must meet the following grade requirements. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-13 LEVEL: You must have at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) or equivalent, which is directly related to the Facility Program Manager position. Facility Program Manager: Manages all aspects of a distinct program to include policy development, quality resources and specialty functions unique to the program to optimize cost effectiveness (budget) and patient outcomes. Coordinates a single program area of a complex pharmacy operation, or multiple program areas within a facility to develop, organize, manage, and control complex pharmacy programs. Develops, organizes, coordinates and manages single or multiple program areas within the medical facility; this may include a single program area at multiple facilities. The Program Manager title is reserved for those individuals who have one or more of the following: supervisory responsibilities for various sections within Pharmacy Service; a complex program requiring coordination of multiple locations such as medical center care facilities, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), rural health, telemedicine, etc; specialized areas of a complex nature such as nuclear pharmacy, quality assurance, pharmacy informatics, clinical applications coordinator, Home Based Primary Care, pharmacoeconomist or liaison pharmacist duties requiring the coordination of processes with other medical facilities or VISNs. GS-13 Specialized Experience: Do you possess at least one (1) full year of creditable experience at the next lower level (GS-12) or equivalent, which is directly related to the Facility Program Manager (Patient Safety) position: Serves as the pharmacy technical expert on committees and task forces that relate to medication safety (e.g. Root Cause Analysis, Focused Review, and Process Action Team); Assists in dissemination of information to providers and pharmacy staff pertaining to drug warnings and shortages and safety alerts; Develops and coordinates educational programs for pharmacists, pharmacy residents and students regarding medication and patient safety issues; Provides education of health care providers regarding medication and patient safety issues; Provides mentorship and training to pharmacy trainees (residents, students, and new pharmacy employees) on aspects of medication and patient safety; Complies with directives in preparing annual and cyclic planning documents; provides direct support to the development, maintenance and operation of the patient safety process to include all levels of staff within the facility; monitor and analyze changes in mission, goals, new legislation, and technological advances to assess the impact of these changes on work methods/procedures and to develop new systems which will address these changes. Conducts proactive strategic planning to improve the operation of the facility's Patient Safety Program; Compiles, coordinates and completes facility response to recurring, non-recurring and special reports requested by NCPS, State and National organizations; Maintains program requirements/validation criteria for the facility's Patient Safety Program; Maintains program requirements/validation criteria for the facility's Patient Safety Program; AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the requirements above, Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the KSAs: 1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. 2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. 3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. 4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. 5. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Preferred Experience: At least 2 years experience as a Facility Patient Safety Manager. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/55, PART II, APPENDIX G15. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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: 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 Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 820 South Damen Avenue Chicago, IL 60612 US
• Name: Yasmin Scott
• Phone: 910-488-2120 X1499
• Email: [email protected]