Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The pharmacoeconomics and patient safety Clinical Pharmacy Specialist is responsible for reviewing, planning, and implementing all pharmacoeconomic and patient safety programs at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. The incumbent is the pharmacoeconomics and cost containment expert for the Medical Center, functioning to maximize patient outcomes while focusing on cost effective therapy. The incumbent is responsible for the management of the formulary, National/VISN/Local cost avoidance initiatives and promotion of rational use of medications throughout the Medical Center. The incumbent also provides leadership in formulating policy and instituting models that promote medication safety in all aspects of the medication management process. He/she manages all aspects of the medication safety program for the Medical Center. He/she coordinates all drug shortages, recalls, and FDA REMs program. The incumbent functions at the highest level of clinical practice in the areas of pharmacoeconomics and patient safety, works independently managing these programs with minimal oversight from the pharmacoeconomics and informatics supervisor. Incumbent also functions as the education coordinator for the pharmacy service, ensuring clinical competencies for all pharmacists as well as training pharmacy residents in research.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provides oversight of the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center formulary to ensure utilization is appropriate and cost effective.
• Program planning and evaluation of short- and long-range medication utilization to ensure use is consistent with existing guidelines and criteria.
• Implementation of programs consisting of data collection and educational activities directed toward altering the medical staffs prescribing patterns in order to maintain an effective medication cost containment program.
• Plans and coordinates the overall drug conversion process for conversions approved by the P&T committee ensuring rapid and safe conversion.
• Prioritizes drug conversions to maximize cost savings/avoidance for the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center.
• Continually seeks therapeutic substitutions, MUEs, and other ideas that will decrease
  drug expenditures or overall medical center costs.
• Assists and provides guidance to the procurement pharmacy technician or pharmacist in cost effective purchasing.
• Ensures compliance with JC medication standards as they relate to clinical responsibilities (formulary, patient safety goals, etc.).
• Serves as Secretary of the P&T Committee and as a member of VISN P&T Committee.
• Participation in the hiring and selection process of new clinical pharmacy staff, when assigned by pharmacoeconomics and informatics supervisor.
• Responsible for reporting, system and process evaluation, formulation of recommendations, and initiatives in coordination of intervention strategies and monitoring of activities related to medication safety.
• Identify best practices for medication safety, analyze current practices that contribute to medication errors and take proactive steps for prevention, and facilitate process and system changes and reduce the likelihood of occurrence and recurrence of error.
• Coordinates all medication shortages that extend beyond a critical time necessitating automat substitution with appropriate pharmacy supervisor staff.
• Analyze facility reporting systems to determine their effectiveness in regard to adverse drug event capture, timeliness of reporting, and usefulness of information captured; formulate recommendations for modifications in the reporting system, standardize analytical and reporting process, and explore technology and automated solutions; and if required, create a system wide reporting policy for adverse drug events including standardized definitions.
• Plans, develops, and implements clinical education programs and evaluates competencies to enhance skills and knowledge of professional pharmacy staff in all sections of the pharmacy.
• Serves as a preceptor and role model for PGY-1 and PGY-2 pharmacy residents.
• Contact with patients, relatives, staff members and other individuals dealing with the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center demonstrates a concerned, compassionate, and helpful attitude to enhance a positive image of both the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and VA system.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 56369F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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.

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 writtenEnglish as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• Education: Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accreditedCollege 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.)
  • 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).
Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists 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:
(1)Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2)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.
(3)If a licensed pharmacist who was retained under this provision leaves the 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: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, GS-13
Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

At the GS-12 grade level, the clinical pharmacist handles 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; reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; taking health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution. Pharmacists at the GS-12 level must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):

• Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
• Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Additionally, applicants must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• 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: Previous experience with pharmacoeconomics and medication safety.

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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking distances within the medical center, lifting/carrying (up to 40 pounds) of pharmaceutical supplies, and bending/stooping/stretching.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

*Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.*

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.