Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Develops and maintains a data management infrastructure that supports and promotes PCC action plans and continual improvement in PCC quality and patient safety.
• Assists in the development of informatics tools that will be used to appropriately monitor PCC processes, outcomes and safety of VHA patients. In addition, the position involves analysis and resolution of operating problems (hardware, software and user-related). Advises OI&T employees regarding unresolved problems and assists OI&T employees in resolution of those problems.
• Analyzes requests to determine the root of a problem/question and analyze potential solutions using clinical pharmacy knowledge and expertise of sophisticated data structures.
• Provides clinical expertise in the application of the pharmacy processes to complex patient care, organizational processes and/or systems, improving patient outcomes within the PCC and monitors medication errors and adverse drug reactions, reviewing data for trends and when system errors occur, works to correct processes.
• Initiates and/or leads interdisciplinary committees, task forces or groups to improve patient care at the program or VISN level.
• Participates in meetings, conferences, and training programs relevant to the development and maintenance of the PCC.
• Champions the internal event reporting system to improve uptake and use among pharmacy staff while creating a "just culture" to ensure staff feel safe reporting adverse and near-miss events.
• Promotes employee professional development through continuing education programs. Works with the VISN 15 PCC Chief to identify and plan relevant staff related development and educational programs. Assists in new employees' on-boarding experience.
• Responsible for implementing, documenting training, and expanding capabilities of all VISN 15 PCC staff
• Reviews Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Handbooks/Directives and all other pharmacy-related regulatory standards and assesses if standards are being met.
• Evaluates practice and compliance of quality standards of program or service, based on established professional, community or regulatory standards. Works with pharmacy program and CCC leadership to resolve issues where non-compliance is identified.
• Writes and updates the CCC pharmacy policies and procedures incorporating all applicable laws and regulations. Provides CCC pharmacy staff education on regulations and standards.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, various tours of duty between the hours of 7:00am-7:00pm. Future expansion of hours, to include evenings, weekends, and holidays, may be necessary to meet operational needs.
Location: This position is 100% telework, however candidate must reside within 60 miles of a VA Medical Center so they can report to site in the even of technology difficulties/outages as deemed necessary by management.
Compressed/Flexible:Not available
Telework: Available (full-time telework position)
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

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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• 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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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: Must be proficient in written and spoken English 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. 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. Exception: Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level (GS-11) as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 USC 7405(c)(2)(B) for a period not to exceed 2 years.

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).

Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements listed above, applicants at the GS-12 level must also meet the following requirements:
Experience. 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12). Additionally, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

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:

• Program monitoring and assessment to meet established quality standards
• Call center operations
• Call center monitoring software
• SQL

References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard, Appendix G15, dated June 7, 2012.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Fine manipulation to include keyboarding (8 hours), hearing (aid permitted), ability to distinguish colors, employee will be required to sit at a computer for long periods of time in order to complete the duties of the position.

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 .

Additional information

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.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .