The Pharmacy Quality Specialist will lead the implementation and ongoing quality improvement initiatives with regard to medication safety practices within the Regional Pharmacy Department. Analyze, track, trend and prepare reports for medication errors and near miss data. Act as support to the Medication Safety Subcommittee and the Pharmacy Policy and Procedure committee by preparing and maintaining minutes and tracking documents. Execute regular medication safety assessments in the Clinical Modules and Pharmacies of KPNW. Supervise support personnel assisting in the medication safety assessments. Assist the Regional Pharmacy Quality Coordinators in achieving patient safety goal and initiatives to include meeting all departmental and regional information for progress reports; tracking of staff training and competency in regard to Pharmacy Policy and Procedure review; preparing for and completing outside agency accreditation surveys; systems and human factors review for the identification of causality and remediation. May work under the indirect supervision of the Regional Pharmacy Quality Coordinators in collaboration with pharmacy managers and staff, Quality Resource Management, the Patient Safety Committee, the Medication Safety Committee, the Pharmacy Medication Safety Subcommittee, the Nursing Practice Committee and Drug Utilization Initiative Team.
Essential Functions:
- Work closely with pharmacy personnel to complete all compliance and time requirements necessary to maintain safety and accreditation. Assist with the preparation for outside agency inspections, e.g., NCQA, MDQR,The Joint Commission
- Develop, conduct and coordinate quarterly Medication Safety Assessments for a large number of pharmacy and clinical areas. Oversee support staff that assist in completion of the assessments
- Initiative and analytical ability to research and prepare reports around patient safety
- Demonstrate competence in utilizing the Intranet and Internet as a research tool
- Assist in the development and maintenance of electronic system to register and track pharmacy staff completion of competencies
- Evaluate medication safety practices and implement interdisciplinary practice improvements
- Effectively and efficiently work with interdisciplinary staff to implement quality improvement and medication safety initiatives
- Assess compliance with medication safety initiatives and Pharmacy, Nursing and Quality Resource Management Policies & Procedures
- Assist in the coordination and implementation of the Patient Safety Reporting System and support a Blame Free Reporting culture
- Analyze, track, trend and report medication errors as identified by the Patient Safety Reporting System
- In manager's absence, triages all administrative matters to appropriate resource
- Effectively support staff to assist in accomplishing Medication Safety Assessments in the Clinical Modules and Pharmacies
- Prepares, reviews and approves documents necessary for design, purchase of equipment and system changes
- Serve as the secretary of the Medication Safety Subcommittee and the Pharmacy P&P Committee
Qualifications:
Basic Qualifications:
- 5 years of working experience in health care including Pharmacy and Administration
- 3 years of experience in quality
- Technician registration in the state of Oregon and/or Washington
- Proven experience handling difficult encounters and/or service breakdowns
- Demonstrated project management experience
- Proven research capabilities utilizing written and computer reference materials, including facility library reference materials, professional references, Intranet and Internet sites and outside reference facilities
- Ability to adapt quickly to challenging and changing environments
- Ability to work with interdisciplinary groups to affect a patient safety focused outcome
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervising personnel, co-workers, subordinates, employees and representatives from outside service/agencies
- Ability to train, give and receive instructions
- Proficient in Lotus Notes; Windows; Microsoft Office including Word, Excel and Access; SABA and all electronic systems utilized in the regional pharmacies
- Excellent analytical and problem solving skills, including data manipulation, review and presentation
- Ability to act independently with minimal supervision
- Willing to travel 25% of the time within the region
Preferred Qualifications:
- Practice experience to include knowledge of IV admixture, compounding, technician functions and cashiering in the ambulatory care pharmacy
- Able to facilitate Root Cause Analysis and Failure Modes Effects Analysis on issues identified for evaluation/education
- Able to handle stress relative to rush projects and meeting deadlines, work under pressure in a highly productive office, and set priorities
- Able to support implementation of departmental and organizational process changes, policies and procedures, and audits
- Proficient in KPNW systems, including Pandora and KP HealthConnect
- Strong working knowledge and development of databases
External hires must pass a background check/drug screen.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.