Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible. Responsibilities The Pharmacy lnformaticist is a licensed pharmacist and serves as a Pharmacy Informatics Specialist for the entire, multi-divisional Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS), who must possess a wide range of medication knowledge pertaining to route, indication, interactions, formulation, recommended dosages and basic pharmacology as well as healthcare information systems processing medication information. VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Provides patient care that is appropriate to the cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient. The incumbent must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of patients served in his or her assigned areas. Responsible for providing the medical center staff with accurate and comprehensive information about medications and their use and shall serve as the department's primary resource for meeting its drug information responsibilities. Develops, implements, and maintains a specialized computer training programs which include designing course outlines, preparing training materials, and participating in teaching supervisors, pharmacists, technicians, clerks, physicians, and nurses through individual or small group workshops or meeting presentations. Revises training content as hardware and software are modified/upgraded or as new resources are acquired. Participates in national meetings, conferences, and programs that provide exposure and insight into pharmacy applications. Maintains and continually develop technical skills used in the course of daily duties to include participation in VA and/or non-VA-sponsored training and education pending direct supervisor approval. Develops, supply, and interpret comprehensive computer-generated data on a regular basis to the pharmacy management team for planning and evaluating pharmacy operations and for use in reviewing pharmacy service program activities efficiency and effectiveness. The specialist will have service decision making authority and must understand the needs, desires, and proposed direction of service management. Responsible for revision of all service level policies and procedures related to automated data processing. Develops and maintains all Informatics-related contingency plans required by the Service and Medical Center. Remains active member of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and attends other meetings as assigned. Provides detailed formats, documentation, flowcharts, diagrams, and other information necessary to accomplish objectives. Serves as the Information Security Officer for Pharmacy Service. Maintains TVHS-mandated and pharmacy-related information security policies, procedures and practices for all pharmacy users. Knowledge of all EHR pharmacy programs, EHR service-integrated programs, the graphical user interface (GUI) employed by VHA, Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA), VistA and VA FileMan, Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server, Microsoft Power Bl, Pyramid Analytics, VHA Support Service Center Capital Assets (VSSC), and all related data visualization and dashboards created locally, by the VISN, or national. Reviews data collected manually and devises methodologies of converting manual data collection systems to automated systems. Collects, investigates, and triages operational problems experienced by Pharmacy Service staff. Work Schedule: Based on the needs of the service Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 71237-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN9HREDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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 trial period. 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). 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. 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 Tect (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. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Grade Determinations: GS-13 The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) and demonstrate the following KSAs: 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. 4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. 5. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is 13. Physical Requirements: Applicants must be able to perform the following duties: lifting (up to 50 lbs); carrying (up to 50 pounds). Applicants must have use of all fingers. Walking or standing for up to 8-hours. Kneeling intermittently multiple times for up to 8-hours. Use of both legs is required. Must possess visual acuity to read @typed print. Keen hearing (aids permitted). Mental stability must be required to handle rigors of the position. The loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated by satisfactory use of prosthesis. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
