SummaryThe CVAMC is looking for a Licensed Pharmacist, Pharmacy Solutions Consultant/Medication Safety Program Manager that serves as the subject matter expert and primary point of contact for FEHR tickets, systems issues, workflow and mitigation; and is responsible for medication safety activities for Pharmacy Service.
The employee will provide effective communication, appropriate troubleshooting, validation support and triage all FEHR reports to ensure timely
resolution.
DutiesHelp
The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, OH and Fort Thomas, KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division.
Dutiesa. Program Management:
1. Serves as the facility's subject matter expert on all FEHR related tickets, workflows and mitigations.
2. Tracks, investigates and manages all submitted pharmacy or medication related FEHR tickets
3. Responsible for all FEHR tickets that fall in the scope of: a. Pharmacy domain (in the FEHR software ticketing package) b. Medication safety (in the Joint Patient Safety Report Software) c. Medication ordering (including ancillary issues with downstream impact to pharmacy such as infusions)
4. Provides timely communication, updates and resolutions on submitted FEHR tickets or reported FEHR issues.
5. Reviews, triages and manages all pharmacy or medication related FEHR issues requiring collaboration with other facilities or VISN.
6. Monitors and triages all FEHR tickets which are out of the scope of pharmacy or medication use to the appropriate point of contact.
7. Serves as the primary point of contact for pharmacy FEHR tickets and submits tickets on behalf of the facility when appropriate.
8. Troubleshoots issues, validates resolutions and serves as a readiness specialist for major system upgrades and modifications.
9. Participates in meetings with pharmacy and other service leads to provide updates on FEHR issues or concerns.
10. Serves as the pharmacy's primary FEHR liaison officer with FEHR vendor, VISN and National FEHR teams.
11. Collaborates with Oracle Health and facility staff to replicate issues, identify mitigation strategies needed including the compilation of configuration changes.
12. Participates in the planning and development of programs in collaboration with the VISN Pharmacy EHRM team, consistent with the goals of the VISN and National FEHR teams.
13. Provides reports on status of programs and suggests solutions directly to the facility's FEHR Program Manager and VISN Pharmacy EHRM Program Manager.
14. Coordinates ongoing, proactive processes to evaluate and improve safe medication management strategies.
15. Reviews, audits and implements corrective actions, where needed, for all components of medication management including: ordering, pharmacist verification, preparation, dispensing, storage, administration, reconciliation and monitoring.
16. Manages or assists with management of data collection, analysis and review of medication safety related events and practices, including adverse drug events and medication errors.
17. Participates and/or facilitates root-cause analysis of significant medication errors as applicable.
18. Examines the systems failures and human factors contributing to medication errors.
19. Identifies the extent of health system's adherence to published best practices and guidelines relevant to medication-use safety.
20. Identifies opportunities for proactive change in the medication-use system suggested by published events or recommendations focused on medication-use safety. Ensure health-system adoption of modifications focused on medication[1]use system on the basis of comparison with best practices, guidelines, published events and recommendations.
b. Education/Research:1. Designs, implements and supervises FEHR related education and training program for pharmacy and other clinical services.
2. Fosters a continuous learning culture to drive innovation in areas pertaining to FEHR use.
3. Collaborate with other FEHR program solutions consultants to provide specialized FEHR related training to improve the knowledge and skill of
pharmacy and other clinical service staff within the facility and/or VISN.
4. Supports the VISN Pharmacy EHRM team in developing supplemental training, educational documents, and building programs related to reported FEHR issues.
5. Provides education and in-service to pharmacy and non-pharmacy staff and trainees on the operation of pharmacy packages and automation as needed; including FEHR system changes and updates.
6. Performs in-service training on FEHR issues, system updates or change in practice.
7. Maintains documentation of FEHR teachings to streamline compliance and promote standard practice.
8. Completes all assigned training (ex. TMS, BLS) by the due date.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, primarily first shift with hours between 7am - 5pm; employee may need to occasionally work some evening shifts for Federal Electronic Health Record transition efforts.
Telework: AD HOC only, supervisor's discretion.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 92920-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
RequirementsHelp
Conditions of employment- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
QualificationsApplicants 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. 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).
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.
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.
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 Experience: Project Management Experience
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS13.
Physical Requirements: Work is mostly sedentary in nature. Work requires moderate lifting, walking, bending, stooping, standing, pushing, and pulling.
EducationNote: 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional informationReceiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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