Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager)

Veterans Health Administration • Columbia, SC

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager) supports the Columbia VAHCS Pain Management, Opioid Safety, and Prescription Drug Monitoring (PMOP) Coordinator function, coordinating pain management, opioid safety, and prescription drug monitoring initiatives and implementation of VHA and Joint Commission standards. The position collaborates with the VISN PMOP Coordinator, Facility Pain Point of Contact (POC), Primary Care (PACT) Pain Champion, Academic Detailers, pain management and clinic teams, and other facility stakeholders.

The pharmacist supports clinical pain care delivery through interdisciplinary reviews, policy and process development, evaluation of prescribing practices, and implementation of pain and opioid-use-disorder care models. The position also supports facility and VISN committees, responds to formal inquiries, promotes best practices, and provides pharmacy informatics training and development for providers and pharmacy staff.

This is a federal VA position with a Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. schedule. It is not telework or virtual. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to individual eligibility and application review. The advertised full performance level is GS-12; selection may be at GS-13.

Requirements

• Graduate of an ACPE-accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); foreign graduates must provide FPGEC certification, including the specified examinations.
• Full, current, unrestricted pharmacist license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, subject to the stated grandfathering provisions for qualifying current VHA employees.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For GS-13, at least one year of experience equivalent to GS-12 and demonstration of the required GS-13 knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice; ability to communicate orally and in writing with patients and health care staff; knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards for drug distribution, control, and pharmacy security; and skill in monitoring and assessing drug therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic parameters (GS-12 requirements).
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions; expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for the program area; ability to solve problems, coordinate, and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes; expert knowledge of a specialized clinical pharmacy or pharmacy practice area; and advanced skill in monitoring and assessing drug therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic parameters (GS-13 requirements).
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception where recruitment of qualified citizens is not possible under VA policy.
• Must meet VA pre-employment conditions, including applicable drug screening, background/security investigation, pre-employment physical evaluation, seasonal influenza vaccination, and onboarding requirements.

Nice To Haves

• GS-13 experience in Pain Management or PMOP.
• PGY2 Pain Management.

Responsibilities

• Direct clinical pain care delivery.
• Collaborate with the VISN PMOP Coordinator, Facility Pain POC, Primary Care (PACT) Pain Champion, Academic Detailers, pain management and pain clinic team members, and other facility stakeholders.
• Conduct OSI reviews, data-based risk reviews for opioid-exposed patients (including STORM reviews), and other interdisciplinary pain care forums.
• Develop processes and procedures to implement and ensure compliance with national policy related to pain management, opioid safety, risk mitigation, OEND, and OUD initiatives, as well as clinical practice guidelines and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate to evaluate facility acute pain care prescribing and processes and lead improvement opportunities.
• Support access to tertiary advanced diagnostic and therapeutic intervention pain care modalities.
• Facilitate reviews of community-provider opioid prescribing practices as required by MISSION Act 131.
• Partner with Academic Detailing and other stakeholders to monitor and disseminate best clinical practices related to PMOP initiatives.
• Facilitate facility responses to formal, sensitive inquiries regarding pain and opioid safety raised through Patient Advocacy, Executive Leadership, VISN, Congressional, or other channels.
• Prepare responses to formal inquiries from the PMOP office in collaboration with the Facility Pain POC, VISN Pain POC, and VISN PMOP Coordinator.
• Support a functioning Pain Committee, including facility stakeholders, subcommittees, and task forces or workgroups as indicated.
• Participate in VISN Pain Committee and Community of Practice meetings and other VISN-directed activities as appropriate.
• Support and track implementation of the Stepped Care Model for Pain Management, including a functioning facility PMT/Pain Clinic and access to a VISN tertiary pain center with a CARF-accredited interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program.
• Facilitate implementation of the facility OUD stepped care model, particularly Step 1 of the SCOUTT program expansion within PMTs/Pain Clinics.
• Provide pharmacy-related informatics training and development to improve the learning experience and performance of providers and pharmacy staff.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and program approval; award amount may be up to $200,000 and eligibility period one to five years.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree