POSITION SUMMARY:

The Medication Safety Officer is a pharmacist clinical leader who works under the direction of the Associate Director of Medication Safety and Regulatory Compliance and in collaboration with the Director of Quality and Patient Safety. The Medication Safety Officer in concert with medical staff, pharmacy staff, nursing staff, quality and patient safety staff, and other pertinent healthcare providers is responsible for guiding the design, implementation, maintenance and evaluation of safe medication systems within the hospital.

Duties include, but are not limited to: medication safety practice improvement, policy development/revision, regulatory compliance assurance, medication safety program development and staff development/education. The Medication Safety Officer evaluates BMC's current medication use processes and drug usage to identify opportunities aligned with improving safety, designs solutions to system failures and institutes practice changes. The Medication Safety Officer is responsible for working collaboratively with all members of the healthcare team to ensure that medication safety goals and quality improvement objectives are achieved.

The Medication Safety Officer is viewed as an organizational stakeholder and champion for all medication safety initiatives and works independently and collaboratively to investigate, implement and monitor medication safety initiatives.

Position: Medication Safety Officer

Department: Inpatient Pharmacy

Schedule: Full Time

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES

• Ensures that BMC is compliant with medication safety standards and regulations. Serves as an internal consultant on medication/patient safety and quality standards related to medication management (i.e. TJC, CMS, DPH, NQF, IHI, ISMP, Leapfrog, and FDA standards) to provide ongoing accreditation and regulatory readiness. Evaluates compliance with and assists with the implementation of TJC National Patient Safety Goals and other medication safety and management related requirements. Participates in TJC or other regulatory audits, communicating results to Director of Pharmacy, Director of Quality and Patient Safety or appropriate leadership and other necessary personnel.
• Reviews, coordinates, and implements inter- and intradepartmental medication safety initiatives as required. Works with multidisciplinary groups to ensure key quality initiatives are in alignment with organizational priorities. Maintains effective communication with service line directors and leadership teams on quality initiatives.
• Develops and presents quality improvement recommendations to Senior Management and appropriate committees of the institution when necessary.
• Facilitates reporting and detection of adverse drug reactions (ADR). Analyzes ADR data and disseminates information related to trends to providers with a goal of improving medication use.
• Reviews, analyzes and trends monthly medication related risk reports to identify and resolve potential system vulnerabilities, including those associated with centralized order entry. Ensures that a root-cause analysis is conducted for significant medication errors. Reviews medication related events for accuracy in RL-6 and categorizes if needed
• Evaluates the extent of the hospital's adherence to published best practices and guidelines relevant to medication-use safety. Conducts gap analyses to identify opportunities for proactive revision of medication use/protocols and gathers supporting documentation needed to implement initiatives. Ensures that modifications to protocols and ongoing operational improvements reflect medication safety best practices supported by literature (including recommendations from ISMP, TJC, USP, ASHP, etc) and that revisions address actual or potential system vulnerabilities.
• Develops and manages the facility Medication Safety Goals and related improvement plan.
• Leads facility efforts in ensuring appropriate and safe use of pharmacy technology including IV smart pumps, order entry systems, bar code management system, clinical decision support, and pharmacy dispensing automation. May also include providing continuous quality improvement data to facility leadership.
• Assists Director of Pharmacy in development, approval, and implementation and continuous review of policies and procedures with a strong focus on medication safety related policies such as High Alert Medications and Look-Alike Sound-Alike Medications.
• Participates in collaborative interdisciplinary practice through active participation in hospital committees as required to successfully achieve outcomes.
  • Serves as secretary of the Medication Safety and Quality Committee. Provides leadership with discussion topics including, but not limited to: ISMP quarterly review, policy review, tracers, accreditation survey results, MUE action items, STARS subcommittee activation/RCAs, FMEA, pump safety, Med Watch reports, and medication error reviews.
  • Participates as a member of the P&T Committee with a focus on safety evaluations of formulary requests, class reviews, and MUE findings. Safety evaluation includes reviewing characteristics that could result in a medication error or preventable ADE (including but not limited to common and rare adverse effects, special handling, preparation or administration techniques, and look-alike/sound-alike names).
  • Participates in the Patient Safety Steering Committee providing recommendations related to serious medication-related harm events.
  • Participates in other quality related committees as needed to provide medication safety recommendations and continuous quality improvement data.
• Attends administrative staff meetings and managerial sessions as assigned.
• Participates in education, research and other professional activities including precepting pharmacy students and/or residents. Coordinates the initiation, completion, evaluation, documentation, and publication of medication safety projects.
• Collaborates with the pharmacy administrative team and Director of Patient Safety in staff development, competency, training, and continuing education processes for facility staff as needed to promote safe and rational use of medications. Provides education to pharmacy staff, nurses, physicians, and other employees involved in the medication use process regarding safe medication practices (including new devices and technology).
• Assists Pharmacy, Nursing or other disciplines with educational materials/programs in response to changes in medication ordering, dispensing and administration of processes, policies and/or regulations.
• Develops and maintains medication safety training documents.
• Develops and maintains electronic medication safety content on facility intranet when applicable.
• Provides regular medication safety communication to facility staff.
• Contributes to a culture of safety. Models optimal behavior and encourages others to participate in safety initiatives.
• Utilizes hospital's core values and cultural beliefs as the basis for decision making and to support the hospital's mission and goals.
• Other duties as assigned

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• Advanced degree (PharmD or Masters) and preferred completion of a Pharmacy Residency Program.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

• Requires licensure as a registered pharmacist in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts within 60 days of hire date.

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of 5 years of pharmacy experience with at least two years of medication safety experience within a large acute care hospital preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Strong PC skills including word processing, spreadsheet, and database maintenance.
• Knowledge - thorough knowledge of medications, pharmacy operations and clinical pharmacy activities within a hospital environment. Previous patient safety work preferred. Thorough understanding of accreditation standards, policies and protocols related to mediation safety management.
• Organization - Proactively prioritizes needs and effectively manages resources.
• Communication - Able to communicate (verbal and written) clearly and effectively with other healthcare providers including pharmacists, physicians and nurses. Fosters team environment by building relationships between departments, providing clinical education, support, training to staff members.
• Leadership - Guides individuals and groups toward desired outcomes, setting high performance standards and delivering quality services. Previous management experience preferred.
• Customer orientation - Establishes and maintains long-term customer relationships, builds trust and respect by consistently meeting and exceeding expectations. Able to work with diverse work force.
• Policies and Procedures - Articulates knowledge and understanding of organizational policies, procedures and systems.
• PC Skills - Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications and other required operating systems such as, bar-coding systems, smart-pumps, automated dispensing systems, packaging equipment, Physician Order Entry, and clinical decision support systems. EPIC experience preferred.
• Project management - Able to assess work activities and allocate resources appropriately. Able to work independently, efficiently, and handle stress appropriately. Experience leading projects using IHI Model for Improvement or LEAN quality improvement methodologies is desired.

Successful candidates should have experience working with the EPIC EHR system, and in employing QI methodologies such as IHI Model for Improvement, LEAN, or other modalities to successfully drive improvement initiatives.
Req id: 29975