VISN 10 Non-Formulary Program Manager, Pharmacist

The VISN Non-Formulary Clinical Pharmacist holds a position of high visibility and is responsible for adjudicating requests for the VISN 10 Non-Formulary (NF) and Prior Authorization (PA) medication adjudication program. This individual is required to exercise an advanced level of leadership, communication, organizational skill, independent judgment, problem-solving ability, and content expertise in program development, implementation and evaluation.

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:

• Citizenship: 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.)
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 2, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-13 Clinical Pharmacist Specialist- In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:

• Experience- In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Completion of an ACPE- accredited Pharm D. program.
• Assignments- Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. for all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

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 Base 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 KSAs identified in subparagraph 3b(3)(b)1 above.

1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty are of pharmacy.
5. Advanced skill in motoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience:

• Program/Project Management Experience
• Non-Formulary Request Review 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 GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The work is administrative and technical in nature, primarily sedentary. Work is performed in an office setting and requires the use of numerous communication modalities. Some travel and tour of duty changes are required to meet demands of the position. Occasional light physical effort may be required.

Responsibilities:

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

Duties for the VISN 10 Non Formulary Program Manager, Pharmacist include but are not limited to:

• Serves as the program manager of the VISN NF and PA medication adjudication program as it relates to implementation, enhancement, and standardization when appropriate.
• Develops and implements long and short-term goals and plans.
• Works collaboratively with the VISN Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager to ensure NF and PA medication adjudication program services are consistent with professional standards.
• Maintains awareness of and achieves VA performance metrics outlined for adjudication of national prior authorizations and monitoring parameters
• Ensures effective personnel utilization and consistently assesses the organizational structure for maximum utilization and effectiveness.
• Works collaboratively with the VISN Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager to address personnel issues to include recommending action on hiring, selections, awards, and disciplinary actions.
• Assigns work to clinical staff based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements, and the capabilities of the employees.
• Plans and coordinates changes in workload to meet deadlines and maintain a smooth workflow; evaluates resource needs; assigns, directs and reviews work of assigned staff and assures work is complete and accurate.
• Assists the VISN 10 Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager in developing and tracking monitors for program areas.
• Identifies outcomes that can be improved and leads the performance improvement process.
• Assesses the productivity, effectiveness and efficiency of operations and acts when appropriate.
• Completes and documents reviews in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) in a timely manner.(every effort will be made to complete reviews in no later than 96 hours of medication request) and includes allergy assessment, ADR information, drug-drug and drug-food interaction potential, lab value assessment, elimination of duplicate/obsolete orders, and appropriate drug conversions.
• Contributes to the quality improvement/performance improvement of the VISN Pharmacy Service by documenting system errors and working toward resolution of identified problem(s).
• Promotes and advocates for compliance with the VA National Formulary (VANF), VA criteria-for-use documents, and established VISN 10 medication restrictions.
• Maintains a good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic, as well as therapeutics and disease management areas covered by clinical pharmacy services.
• Maintains awareness of changes in the Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Formulary services (e.g., formulary additions and deletions, relevant memoranda, and policies and procedures).
• Maintains knowledge of formulary updates, guidelines, and assists providers by offering formulary choices that lead to cost-effective and positive patient outcomes.
• Reviews and completes NF and PA drug requests for appropriateness, utilizing clinical knowledge, national and VISN treatment guidelines, drug use criteria, and relevant literature and resources.
• Provides one-on-one education during adjudication and prescribers are provided with preferred, cost-effective therapeutic alternatives to improve patient outcomes.
• Collaborates with the VISN 10 Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager, the VISN 10 Pharmacy Informaticist, and the VISN 10 Pharmacy Procurement and Inventory Program Manager, as well as the VISN and local P&Ts to conduct prospective/retrospective drug use evaluations of high-risk, high-use or high-cost NF and/or PA drugs.
• Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required.

Work Schedule: Full Time- variable.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 91762-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Moving expenses would be covered by employee.

Salary : $124,400