Pharmacist (medication safety/compliance facility program manager)

Summary

This Pharmacist (Medication Safety/Compliance Facility Program Manager) functions as a Medication Safety Officer for the Pharmacy Service. This important leadership position will work collaboratively with Pharmacy, Nursing, and health care system leadership and staff. The incumbent manages/coordinates all medication safety, performance improvement, and regulatory (e.g., VHA, DEA, Joint Commission, USP, EPA, etc.) compliance for the service.

Duties

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Telework: Not available

Compressed/Flexible: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Functional Statement #: 11679-F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) has an immediate opening for a full-time Medication Safety and Compliance Pharmacy Program Manager to work at the Palo Alto Division. This pharmacy leadership position is responsible for all medication safety, performance improvement and regulatory compliance throughout pharmacy service across the whole healthcare system. Works collaboratively with Pharmacy, Nursing, Quality/Safety/Value (QSV) and Health Care System leadership, supervisors, and front-line staff. The VAPAHCS pharmacy provides comprehensive clinical and distributive pharmacy services to our 300-bed Palo Alto Acute Care hospital division, the Menlo Park extended care and mental health residential rehabilitation division, and Ambulatory Care clinics (primary care and specialty clinics) in the Palo Alto, San Jose, Monterey, Capitola, Livermore, and Fremont CBOCs within VAPAHCS.

Duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Co-Chairs the healthcare system Medication Safety Committee (sub-Committee of P&T) with a Nurse leader. This includes reviewing items to be brought to the committee; preparing the agenda, minutes and summary; coordinating the presentations; and providing follow-up to the requestors. Reports, drug safety information, and policies are presented to the committee.
• Serves as a back-up Secretary of the P&T Committee.
• Utilizes medication variance reporting tools and submits monthly and quarterly trending reports to pharmacy management and the Medication Safety Subcommittee for discussion.
• Problem prone or high-risk areas are identified and targeted for performance improvement with the involvement of the responsible section supervisor and staff.
• Reviews all adverse drug reaction reporting, evaluates monthly and submits to P&T for review/potential intervention.
• Ensures Pharmacy Service is compliant with all regulatory agencies having jurisdiction (e.g., VHA, DEA, Joint Commission, USP, EPA, etc.). This includes reviewing standards and requirements, assessing current level of compliance, working with Pharmacy Leadership team to identify actions plans to achieve compliance, facilitating implementation of actions, and reassessing compliance.
• Develops and revises all medication/regulation-related Health Care System policies. This includes independently researching the topic, coordinating the discussion with interested parties to obtain input and concurrence, writing/editing Health Care System Memorandum or Pharmacy Policy and Procedure Manuals, and routing policy for signatures. All applicable laws and regulatory requirements and professional standards of practice are incorporated into policies.
• Actively participates in all health care system medication related Root Cause Analysis and Medication Aggregate Review teams and works with appropriate pharmacy supervisors to identify potential improvement opportunities and facilitates their implementation.
• Actively participates in process improvement activities in a variety of roles (Facilitator, Champion, Member).
• Collaborates closely with Pharmacy Supervisors, Informatics/Pharmacoeconomic/Procurement Pharmacists, and front-line staff to see projects through to completion; as well as post implementation data collection.
• Precepts PGY1 Pharmacy Residents and pharmacy students on a Medication Safety/Compliance 5-week block rotation and Longitudinal Leadership rotation.

Requirements

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 identification 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.

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: 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. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy).
• TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION 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). YOU MUST SUBMIT COPY OF FPGEC CERTIFICATION WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE.
• 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.

Physical Requirements:

Must pass physical examination and occupational health requirements. Work requires sitting, walking, standing, bending and lifting/carrying of light items. Extended Periods of working on a computer and being on the telephone.

Additional information

Receiving 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.