Summary

Marion VA Medical Center is currently hiring for Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - PMOP Coordinator. The PMOP Coordinator serves within the Marion VA Health Care System (VAHCS).

This announcement is open to all U.S. Citizens. Current Marion VA employees, other VA agency employees, and employees of other federal agencies, please apply to announcement: CBSS-[redacted]-26-JCR.

Duties

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

The Facility PMOP Coordinator will provide professional consultation to VA medical facility management concerning planning and coordination of the programmatic responsibilities related to policy and services in pain management, opioid safety, and prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs).

The duties for the Facility PMOP Coordinator include (but are not limited to):

• Working in close collaboration with the VISN PMOP Coordinator, Facility Pain POC, Primary Care (PACT) Pain Champion, Academic Detailing pharmacists, the Pain Management Team (PMT)/Pain Clinic team members, and other facility stakeholders.
• Supporting a high-functioning Pain Committee that includes stakeholders from across the facility, and supporting subcommittees, task forces/work groups as indicated.
• Developing processes/procedures to ensure implementation and compliance with national policy related to pain management, opioid safety and risk mitigation strategies, Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND), management of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), initiatives in compliance with national policy, clinical practice guidelines, and regulatory requirements. Participates in developing criteria for drug utilization evaluations, data collection, trending reports, and other quality assurance activities as required ensuring appropriate and safe drug utilization.
• Supporting review of community provider opioid prescribing practices as required by the MISSION Act Section 131. Utilizes the highest level of clinical privileges for Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner to manage assigned patients.
• Supporting OSI reviews, data-based risk reviews for opioid-exposed patients (including Stratification Tool for Opioid Risk Mitigation (STORM) data-based reviews), and other interdisciplinary pain care forums.
• Supporting and tracking full implementation of the Stepped Care Model for Pain Management (SCM-PM), including a high functioning PMT/Pain Clinic at the facility, and access to tertiary pain center within the VISN including a CARF accredited interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program.
• Facilitating implementation of the OUD stepped care model within the facility, in particular for Step 1 of the Stepped Care for Opioid Use Disorder Train-the Trainer (SCOUTT) program expansion, e.g., within PMTs/Pain Clinics.
• Supporting access to integrative health modalities.
• Supporting and facilitating veteran outreach events, inclusive of women's health initiatives for pain management.
• Identifying opioid safety improvement and risk mitigation opportunities for facility leadership and developing strategic planning efforts in accordance with VA policy, inclusive of, but not limited to PDMP compliance, urine drug screening, and establishing population management processes for targeted risk mitigation.
• Collaborating to evaluate acute pain care prescribing and processes at the facility.
• Tracking facility level dashboards regarding pain management, opioid safety, and PDMP, including key parameters such as access, productivity, workload, and staffing. Measuring and reporting quality and compliance outcomes related to pain management, opioid safety, and PDMP.
• Partnering with Academic Detailing and other stakeholders to monitor and disseminate best practices.
• Participates in VISN Pain Committee/Community of Practice meetings and other VISN directed activities as appropriate.
• Reporting to the VISN PMOP Coordinator quarterly, with a formal written report at least twice per year describing progress in implementing PMOP office initiatives and status of pain management and opioid safety initiatives and mandates throughout the facility.
• Facilitating facility responses to formal, sensitive inquiries related to pain and opioid safety per patient reported concerns as presented by Patient Advocacy, Executive Leadership, VISN, Congressional, and others.
• Preparing responses to formal inquiries from the PMOP office
• Performing other related duties as assigned by PMOP and SCS leadership.
• The incumbent works closely with other Supervisors, Associate Chiefs, and the Chief of Pharmacy to meet all needs of the department, including resolution of discrepancies, policy implementation, and meeting attendance, while promoting optimal patient care within budget appropriations.
• The PMOP Coordinators will also support review of community provider opioid prescribing practices as required by the MISSION Act Section 131.
• Accurately completes all assignments in a timely manner as defined by Associate Chief of Pharmacy, Clinical.
• In addition to the above listed duties, involvement in clinical care delivery at their facility is equivalent to 20% of their time

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30 pm

Telework: Adhoc Only

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #:

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
• Valid Driver's License

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.
• 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 [redacted]; phone: [redacted], 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 2 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. a7 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.

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:

Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level:

• 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 6 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 Based 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.

Preferred Experience:

• Completion of ASHP Accredited Pharmacy Residency Program
• Pharmacy Board Certification
• Previous experience in a direct patient setting working under a Pharmacy Scope of Practice

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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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.