This position serves as the Pharmacist (Medication Safety Office Program Manager) responsible for overseeing quality management, i.e., quality assurance (QA) and quality improvement (QI), and performance improvement (PI) activities for the Asheville VA Medical Center, Department of Pharmacy, in Asheville NC.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The Pharmacist (Medication Safety Office Program Manager) duties include but are not limited to: The incumbent will coordinate ongoing, proactive processes to evaluate and improve safe medication management strategies through advocacy and patterning collaborative behavior. Manages or assists with management of data collection, analysis, and review of medication safety related events and practices, including reports of Adverse Drug Events and medication errors. Participates in root-cause analysis of significant medication errors. Examines the systems failures and human factors contributing to medication errors. Identifies the extent of the health systems adherence to published practices and guidelines relevant to quality management and medication-use safety. Ensure health system adoption of modifications to the medication-use system on the basis of comparison with best practices, guidelines, published events, and recommendations. Coordinates interdepartmental and intradepartmental medication safety activities. Notifies staff of VAMEDSAFE, ISMP, FDA warnings and alerts through written and verbal communication (e.g. newsletters, emails, staff meetings). Evaluates, develops, implements, and documents quality and performance improvements in the provision of clinical and full-service distributive pharmacy services. Serves as the chair for the department's Performance Improvement Meetings. Collects, collates, maintains, and submits the annual QA plan and required monthly QA and QI data. Participates in medical center and pharmacy service quality improvement initiatives. Helps to formulate final decisions in planning, organizing, directing and evaluating the program in order to maintain efficiency and economy. Designs, executes, analyzes data, and publishes/reports results related to quality assurance, patient safety, and formulary management individually or in collaboration with other members of pharmacy, nursing, or medical staff. Ensures and coordinates compliance with accreditation standards e.g., The Joint Commission, federal, state, organizational, and local regulations, directives and mandates and other regulatory agencies e.g., Office of Investigator General, Drug Enforcement Agency related to medication use. Routinely identifies the customers'/patients'/co-workers' situation properly and performs the tasks required to resolve the problem accurately and in a timely manner. Additionally, he/she facilitates and directs follow up actions by his/her self or those directed by him/her, as necessary to ensure a satisfactory resolution. Consistently oversees and directs appropriate responses to patients'/families'/visitors'/co-workers' requests for assistance promptly and in a friendly/cooperative manner. Listens to all customers'/patients'/co-workers' feedback, both positive and negative, acts to resolve complaints within his/her control, and reports feedback to management (or supervisor) in a timely manner. Work Schedule: Between the hours of Monday- Friday, 8:00am- 4:30pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. 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: Pharmacy technicians appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. 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.) Must be a 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. In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must meet the following grade requirement: GS-13 Experience. Must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level next lower grade level, which includes, but not limited to handling 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. Pharmacist must demonstrate the following KSAs for the GS-13: 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 safe medication management strategies, data analysis and root cause analysis. The full performance level is GS-13 Physical Requirements: The work involves prolonged periods of standing with some walking of generally short distances. There may be occasional lifting of weights up to 30 lbs. There may be mental fatigue due to repetitive screening and interpretation of medication orders.

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 Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Hilda Cobb
• Phone: (919) 408-1864
• Email: [email protected]