Serves as the authoritative resource on medication safety and quality; assists the pharmacy management team with all aspects of medication management and clinical services, distributive functions, and ensures compliance with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements (TJC, MA BORP, DPH, FDA, etc.).
Serves as the designated person for USP 797 and USP 800; collaborates with pharmacy leadership and site clinical leads to ensure standardization of and compliance with USP 797 and USP 800 initiatives.
Coordinates the development of criteria for safe and effective medication use as well as monitors the compliance with established criteria and other quality improvement programs as defined by MSOPS.
Conceptualizes, designs, demonstrates, and documents in formulating policy and instituting practice models that promote medication safety in all aspects of the medication management process.
Serves as the medication safety expert and participates in Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committees. Participates in, or leads, multidisciplinary teams concerned with medication errors, adverse drug events and reactions, near misses, policy review, safe medication use, new product review, and patient safety to identify risk points and prioritize system improvements to reduce the potential for medication errors and patient harm.
Develops, evaluates, reports, and otherwise participates in Continuous Quality Improvement, Drug Utilization Evaluation, Adverse Drug Reaction reporting, Medication Use, and other projects as assigned.
Independently investigates medication safety events or issues, including specific error reports. Utilizes data driven performance-improvement methodologies and tools to identify and develop recommendations for action. Proactively analyzes current practices that contribute to medication errors and identifies steps for prevention. Facilitates and implements process and system changes to reduce the likelihood of occurrence and recurrence of error.
Collects, reviews and analyzes established departmental and system-wide Medication Quality and Safety programs including medication-use, medication error, adverse drug reactions, and continuous quality improvement data. Identify needed improvement; develop and lead implementation of high-leverage error-reduction strategies.
Constructs and directs root cause analyses. Evaluates systems and process change recommendations to determine where medication management risks exist and opportunities for improvement are needed. Develops plan for implementation of recommendations as well as increased awareness of the risks identified with this type of event.
Formulates recommendations for standardizing analytical and reporting processes for medication safety and adverse event reporting.
Encourages system-wide medication error reporting. Foster a culture of safety through "lessons learned" education and communication across the entire the system. Support principles of high-reliability organizations (HRO) within medication-use processes and workflows.
Implements clinical trending reports and other quality assurance activities as indicated to ensure appropriate and safe drug utilization; organizes, designs, and conducts drug utilization evaluations to promote rational drug therapy, quality improvement, and fiscal stewardship.
Assists in the design, implementation, and documentation of pharmacy clinical programs such as drug consults, pharmacokinetics, antimicrobial stewardship, medication safety, opioid stewardship, and other programs as determined appropriate based on patient populations and literature guidelines.
Responsible for formulary management, policy and procedure development, and education across the MSOPS organization.
Collaborates with the pharmacy management team to develop, review, implement, and evaluate clinical practice guidelines, policies and procedures, and process improvement initiatives that address cost-effective, safe, and appropriate drug therapy.
Provides, coordinates, and evaluates staff development opportunities for practicing pharmacists; develops and documents pharmacy staff education and competency in relation to medication safety and quality programs on an ongoing basis and assists the pharmacy management team in developing improvement plans when deficiencies in competencies are identified.
Develops and actively participates in training and mentorship programs for pharmacists, residents, students, technicians, nurses, and independent providers based on reports in the literature, responses to corrective action plans, and recommendations from committee activities.
Precepts and coordinates the precepting of pharmacy students and residents; serves as a role model to pharmacy students and residents; and acts as a project advisor in area of expertise or as assigned by the pharmacy management team.
In collaboration with the Residency Program Director, maintains the PGY1 residency standards as set forth in ASHP Accreditation Standard for Postgraduate Pharmacy Residency Programs.
Maintains excellent communication with the pharmacy management team on medication safety and quality issues on a consistent basis. Provides detailed action plans and documentation to support updates.
Manages medication safety issues driven by drug shortages, replacement drug products, and Look-alike/Sound-alike drugs.
Maintains knowledge of trends and developments in the patient safety field. Collaborate with external medication safety organizations, including Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Medwatch program. Share locally identified and reported medication quality and safety issues with national organizations and manufacturers as appropriate.
Provides guidance and coordination for medication related information systems and technologies. Provides operational, clinical, and safety recommendations related to installation, maintenance, and enhancements of Pharmacy related systems and technologies. Ensures information system and technology processes support established clinical standards of care, meet or exceed patient care quality standards, are in compliance with various regulatory agencies, and integrate with other departments.
Participates in the development, implementation, and evaluation of pharmacy information systems and technology to consistently meet or exceed customer's needs, through effective continuous quality improvement practices.
Maintains knowledge of leading-edge developments, best practices, and evolving information technology systems and solutions by participation in ongoing independent study, education related professional activities, and affiliations.
Work closely with Cardinal Health Accreditation, Regulatory, and Medication Safety Subject Matter experts to develop actions plans for identified areas of improvement.
Maintains understanding of and accountability for the requirements and all deliverables of the RFR/Contract and all attachments including but not limited to reports and hours of operation and coverage by management team to include weekends/holidays.
Maintains safety-integrity-professionalism of pharmacy at all times including communication with coworkers.
Provide in-services to pharmacy staff and professional staff.
Review of monthly medication area inspections for trends and areas of needed improvement.
Conducts periodic staff meetings to assure staff understanding of accreditation expectations.
Perform special projects as requested.
Perform as Staff Pharmacist as needed.
Other duties and work scheduled as assigned to assure continuity of service to MSOPS.
Work cohesively with Cardinal Health account leadership and accreditation team.
