The National Pharmacist Program Manager with an emphasis on Pharmacoepidemiologic Outcomes Assessment is responsible for the management of national programs having a high degree of visibility and significant impact on pharmacovigilance and medication safety in the Department of Veterans Healthcare System (VHA). The incumbent oversees the design and conduct of drug safety surveillance and pharmacovigilance efforts which requires sound epidemiologic skills as well as drug safety knowledge.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: The focus of this position is assimilating information related to drug safety events and appropriately communicating to the field when warranted. Program Management: Serves as the pharmacy SME on assigned disease state(s) or drug class(es) with a special emphasis on pharmacoepidemiologic outcomes assessment and medication safety issues which could impact patient care. Develops clinical guidance to assure the safe and appropriate use of pharmacotherapy in the VHA with an emphasis on safety assessments. Such guidance includes, but is not limited to, national safety alerts for healthcare professionals and patients (where applicable), drug safety surveillance analysis, analysis and report of passive drug safety surveillance data, and recommended strategies to affect the change and assess outcome measures to monitor the effect on the quality of patient care. Develops National PBM Safety Alerts (Bulletins and Communications) to educate the VA healthcare community about safe medication practices in a timely manner. Is responsible for managing projects undertaken by the PBM VA Adverse Drug Event Reporting System (ADERS) PMO that address identified strategic goals regarding ADE reporting, coding, management and best practices. Facilitate multi-site medication safety and cost effectiveness project. Validation of risk assessment evaluation tool used by VAMedSAFE. Conduct Medication Use Evaluation to Assess Outcome of National Formulary Decisions. Operations of VA ADERS, support for Medication Utilization Evaluation Tracker (MUET), training/education for VA ADERS, MUET and associated programs and services, and management of system-wide data collection and verification of adverse drug event reports into VA ADERS and with assistance for medication use evaluation efforts in MUET. Responds to VACO, VISN, and medical center requests for information and support on issues involving VA ADERS and MUET. Collaborates with other governmental agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other patient safety organizations with respect to adverse drug event(s) and drug safety surveillance utilizing integrated databases. Monitors Food and Drug Administration (FDA) activities, evaluates expected outcomes from these activities, and provides information to the Medical Advisory Panel (MAP). Planning of content and design of VAMedSAFE webpage and routine maintenance of online content as new data and safety information become available. Coordinates the collection of data indicative of medication utilization, prescribing trends, and associated outcomes, and with other PBM staff, evaluates and provides recommendations for necessary action. Provides clinical expertise for development and maintenance of the VISN/National Formulary and is proactive in applying outcomes assessment principles and making recommendations for standardization of VA Pharmacy Benefits with respect to assigned disease state(s)/drug class(es). Liaison: Serves as one of the PBM liaison with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of the 2007 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the FDA and VHA to Share Information, including FDA public health advisories for pharmaceuticals and related VHA pharmacy bulletins prior to publication, Development of drug safety surveillance efforts through integrated database analysis and/or multi­site projects. Serves as the PBM pharmacy representative on the Human Studies Committees. Serves as the pharmacy subject matter expert on drug class(es) with a special emphasis on prescription utilization data as it pertains to VA care and formulary management. Develops responses to standard requests to PBM as well as responses to assure the safe and appropriate use of medications in the VA. Collaborates with other governmental agencies and other patient safety groups with respect to medication or product recalls and other medication safety warnings. Conducts or oversees standard prescription utilization queries and detailed prescription utilization and diagnosis queries for formulary management. This requires knowledge of VA prescription databases and familiarity with diagnostic and procedure codes. Coordinates the collection of data to assess medication utilization, prescribing t trends associated with different disease states and provides recommendations for necessary action. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Education: (1) 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.) (2) 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. 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: GS-14 Pharmacist National Program Manager Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, you must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13) such as: post Graduate year 2 Residency in medication safety or Outcomes Research or Fellowship training in Pharmacoepidemiology Research; demonstrate an understanding of VA PBM issues, and how these issues affect drug and pharmaceutical product management in the provision of pharmaceutical care in VA; demonstrate skills in assisting with pharmacoepidemiologic outcomes assessment, including methods development, analyses and experience in making recommendations based on the final results; effectively utilize VA computerized databases, pertinent relational and analytic software programs, and information and data communication systems to perform necessary functions, and demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): 1. Skill in persuading others and gaining cooperation to accomplish goals. 2. Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing regarding complex clinical and technical issues. 3. Skill in utilizing regulatory and quality standards to develop and implement operational programs. 4. Skill in managing multiple and diverse people or programs. 5. Skill in utilizing available resources to support the mission and goals of the organization. 6. Ability to plan, organize and direct the functions of the pharmacy staff. Preferred Experience: Experience specific to PBM-Formulary activities. References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard, dated June 7, 2012. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. 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 VSHO - Patient Care Services 2402 Wildwood Ave Suite 301 Sherwood, AR 72120 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]