Performing complex duties within the pharmacy, as well as other areas served by the pharmacy, and requires working knowledge of the electronic health record, pharmacy policy/procedures, DEA regulations and requirements, and the inbound electronic prescription process. The Community Care Clinical Pharmacist is expected to maintain a high degree of accuracy, productivity and attention to Veteran needs while following the VA ICARE values.

Duties

Will be responsible for ensuring that Veterans electing to receive care in the community receive the same service as Veterans seen at one of the VA campuses or CBOC's. This includes maintaining compliance with VHA performance metrics and parameters for timeliness in delivery of pharmacy consumables to the Veteran. The incumbent will keep themselves up-to-date with local and national changes in the Community Care directives and policies, and practice continual improvement within the section to ensure that Pharmacy Clinical Services is compliant in all areas of providing services to Veterans seeking care in the community. The incumbent is responsible for maintaining professional relationships and collaboration with other service lines involved in providing VA services to Veterans seeking care in the community. This includes, but is not limited to, Prosthetics, Non-VA Care, and General Medical Service (GMS). When not specifically assigned to the Community Care Section, the incumbent will function in all general outpatient pharmacy duties. The Community Care pharmacist is expected to review and demonstrate competence in all policies and initiatives of Pharmacy Clinical Services. Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties The incumbent will routinely perform the following duties while following all local, VHA and DEA requirements: Accurate review of orders for controlled substances for eligibility, compliance, appropriateness of therapy prior to entry and/or verification in the EHR Accurate review for correctness and appropriateness of all inbound electronic prescriptions, faxes and hardcopies for non-controlled substances entered by the Community Care Technician Retrieval of pertinent information and entry of prior authorization drug requests (PADR) into the EHR Tracking of community care problem orders and attempts at resolution Professional communication with external providers with regard to Veteran care and medication orders Enter professional and accurate notes in the EHR with regard to status and communication of orders received from community providers Efficient and accurate processing of outpatient pending prescriptions Participate in cost-saving initiatives and medication shortage solutions Address medication information requests and questions from other service lines and Veterans Perform all duties and tasks of an Outpatient Clinical Pharmacist, as well as performing duties of lower grades/technicians as assigned Active engagement in workgroup and staff meetings and contribute to continual improvement within the service Perform ancillary pharmacy duties to ensure cleanliness, organization of workspace, and compliance with local policies to prepare for events such as survey readiness, environment of care rounds, VISN and/or OIG inspections Participate in workplace engagement activities to improve co-worker relationships, morale and create an atmosphere of success Provide feedback to supervisor and co-workers regarding opportunities for improvement and best practices Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 0600-1430, 0800-1630, or 1000-1830 with occasional holidays and/or weekends. Final TOD will be established by Operational Supervisor based on operational needs of clinic. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 41473F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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.) NOTE: 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. Exception: Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed. Failure to Obtain License: In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). 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-11 Pharmacist Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. (NOTE: See exception to licensure requirement above) Assignment: Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity. GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. Assignment: A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations. These include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care; reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; taking health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs): 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. Preferred Experience: Experience with federal pharmacy operations or processing of VA Community Care Network prescriptions References: VA Handbook 5005/55 Part II Appendix G15 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: This work requires heavy lifting (45lbs and over), moderate lifting (15-44lbs), light lifting (under 15lbs), moderate carrying, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking, standing, repeated bending, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing (aid may be permitted), and mental and emotional stability. Environmental factors are constant noise, dust, unusual fatigue factors with extensive keyboard/mouse use, working closely with other, working alone, and protracted or irregular hours of work.

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 VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US
• Name: Rebecca Hanson
• Phone: 509-434-7320
• Email: [email protected]