Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Videos

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

Primary Functions are but limited to:

Primary Functions

1. PATIENT CARE

1. Play a key role in using the capability of the VA clinical information systems to assist practitioners in doing the right things for the right patients at the right time (Decision Support).
2. Ensure adequate support to measurably improve the quality of data and the transfer of clinical information between providers.
3. Ensure valid information is available to providers and administrators of healthcare.

2. TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATICS

1. Evaluate clinical computing systems; analyze and evaluate the effect of interventions on health outcomes using existing and future data analytic platforms.
2. Expand and enhance access to aggregate and detailed health information through various initiatives, and enhance the effective and efficient use of medical information systems for patient care, quality improvement & research projects.
3. Contribute to the planning and execution of computer hardware/software development to meet patient care needs, and ensure optimal computer use.
4. The incumbent participates in a network of subject matter experts in the facility, VISN, VHA program offices, and Central Office.

3. COLLABORATION

1. Coordinate information management support for clinical activities within the facility and the VISN by participating collaboratively with staff to design, implement, and evaluate the clinical information systems configuration, and the capabilities that will be used. Works closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of Information and Technology (OI&T), VISN Strategic Planner, VISN Biomedical Engineering, Medical, Nursing, Pharmacy, and other clinical staff to assure state of art IT is integrated into each construction projects.
2. Work collaboratively with VA Central Office and staff from other Networks nationwide to develop and implement informatics-related policies, both local and national.
3. Participate as a liaison between facilities and committees, teams and ad hoc external working groups.

4. POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

1. Ensure that all local informatics policies are implemented properly and in a timely manner.
2. Develop, integrate, and coordinate operation of these programs and responsibilities facility-wide.

5. CLINICAL APPLICATIONS

1. Oversee the functions of the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), VHA's electronic medical record along with several ancillary systems.
2. Oversee the Kansas City VA Medical Center implementation of eHRM.
3. Function at an advanced level of informatics practice encompassing the full range of activities that focus on the methods and technologies of information handling in the delivery of patient care.
4. Evaluate and make recommendations on planned or proposed clinical software applications and administrative policies.

6. EDUCATION

1. Maintain high end working knowledge of CPRS and the ability to understand a wide range of clinical needs (i.e.: radiology, surgery, nursing, etc.).
2. Coordinate institutional compliance with external accrediting organizations.
3. Ensure employee education/awareness to optimize computer use, initially and on an on-going basis as it relates to informatics.

7. MANAGERIAL & SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. As Chief, Health Informatics Officer, the incumbent supervises all Clinical Application Coordinators (CACs) to accomplish the work of the various organizational units of Clinical Applications, MCA, and Medical Administration (Eligibility/FOIA).
2. Exercise supervisory authorities and responsibilities involving work assignments and reviews, and approve or reject daily and long-range work requirements. Find and implement ways to eliminate or reduce significant bottlenecks and barriers to production and promote team building in order to improve business practices.
3. Exercise supervisory authorities and responsibilities involving administrative and personnel management functions relative to the staff supervised. Supervise, plan, and direct overall personnel management activities. Review positions to determine the need and accuracy of position descriptions and recommends changes in position classification, subject to approval by higher level officials. Recommend awards or bonuses for personnel, approves annual and sick leave requests, and recommend personnel for retention, promotion, and/or disciplinary actions. Make or approve the selections of subordinate employees.

8. OTHER DUTIES RELATED TO THE POSITION

1. National leadership in projects/teams/committees.
2. Other duties that may emerge.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm CST
Telework: ad hoc per agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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. 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.

Candidates must meet the Basic Requirements and the Grade Determinations below:

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.
• 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. NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification.
• English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

GS-15
(a) Experience. In addition to the GS-14 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
(b) Grade Level Criteria. At the GS-15 level, Chiefs of Pharmacy must meet the following:
1. Individuals are assigned as Chiefs of Pharmacy at Complexity Level 1a, 1b or 1c VHA facilities; or
2. Individuals are assigned as Chief of Pharmacy at Complexity Levels 2 or 3 and must meet the criteria noted in 2a and b below.
a. Must meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Manages a complex medical center based pharmacy program that is defined as having multiple practice settings (e.g. hospital ambulatory care, long-term care, behavior 9 health care) that require Joint Commission review as separate standards.
(2) In addition to the medical center pharmacy, has responsibility for pharmacy services at one or more of the following: CBOCs, Rural Health Program, domiciliary, or provides dispensing and/or clinical services to State Veterans Home.
(3) Presence of advanced clinical pharmacy programs that include pharmacist(s) that have approved scopes of practice with prescriptive privileges.
(4) Pharmacy provides clinical pharmacist services to three (3) or more specialty areas such as, but not limited to, hemodialysis, oncology, operating room or an emergency department.
b. In addition to the requirements listed in 2a above, must meet at least two of the following:
(1) An ASHP Accredited Pharmacy Residency Program.
(2) A Research Program that is accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP).
(3) Actively involved in committees or advisory/work groups at the VISN and/or National level.
(4) An ongoing pharmacy student rotation in both the intermediate and advanced practice experience settings

Demonstrated KSAs.
The KSAs shown below apply to all assignments at this grade level, and the specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*) apply to assignment 1 and 2.
1. Skill in persuading others and gaining cooperation to accomplish goals.
2. Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing regarding complex clinical and technical issues.
3. Skill in utilizing regulatory and quality standards to develop and implement operational programs.
4. Skill in managing multiple people or programs.
5. Skill in utilizing available resources to support the missions and goals of the organization.
6. Ability to plan, organize and direct the functions of the pharmacy staff

Preferred Experience:
Highly preferred that applicant has previous experience in CHIO role or DCHIO at a facility or equivalent level in the past 2 years, with high preference within VHA. Also highly preferred to have recent experience with coordinating Artificial Intelligence projects within VHA on a national level

How you will be evaluated

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

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.