Pharmacist Informatics Specialist - Huntsville Central Pharmacy

Pharmacy Informatics Specialist

The mission of Correctional Managed Care is to address the healthcare needs of underserved patient populations within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD).

This position is responsible for the design, configuration, implementation, optimization, maintenance, and support of intermediate to highly complex clinical systems related to pharmacy in compliance with all applicable regulations and organizational policies. In collaboration with Pharmacy Services and Information Services, Pharmacy Informatics Specialist participates in the analysis, design, implementation, education, and support of computer application systems (e.g., Epic, PACMed, Carousels, Robot, Pyxis, etc.); determines business requirements and user needs in developing solutions.

Essential Job Functions:

• Analyzes complex clinical operations and structure processes to facilitate decision-making regarding clinical information systems. Understand pharmacy data structures and perform assigned reporting task.
• Participates in system analysis and research related to current and proposed clinical information systems.
• Participates in the planning, development, implementation, upgrading, maintenance, and evaluation of clinical information systems. Activities may include data collection, cataloguing of gathered information, documentation of processes, and communication with members of IS and clinical services.
• Accurately and promptly analyzes the impact of information technology in clinical work processes.
• Communicates issues and topics with team members, pharmacy leadership, and IS leadership.
• Participates in interdisciplinary and process improvement teams to identify potential future uses of the information systems and potential improvements in the current use of the systems. Serves as a pharmacy informatics resource to individuals and teams throughout the facility.
• Coordinates and facilitates on-going information system evaluation, including user accuracy, data integrity, and system reliability. Develops and implements action plans as needed to support user accuracy, data integrity, and system reliability.
• Participates in post implementation change evaluation and supports users in maintaining changed processes.
• Designs processes and plans for measurement and evaluation of system installation, routine utilization, and/or enhancements.
• Participates in efforts toward maintaining components of the information systems, including revisions, testing system changes, and integration of changes into the operational environment.
• Applies analysis and documentation to support and understand problems. Understands components within a complex clinical system, as well as interaction with other intermediate to complex clinical applications.
• Provides status updates to pharmacy leadership.
• Participates in appropriate committees, work groups, or task forces as needed to facilitate the ongoing process of the design, implementation, and revision of automated and manual components of the clinical information systems.
• Evaluates the impact the information systems have on daily user workflow and coordinates work with users and Information Services to resolve conflicts between workflow and the information systems.
• Maintains open and active communication with vendors. Facilitates communications between vendors and clinical staff.
• Maintains open communication among clinical user groups to identify issues or problem areas and facilitates resolutions in a timely manner. Coordinates and provides for communication among users, IS, pharmacy, and other clinical services.
• Develops, documents, and leads processes for multi-disciplinary end-user input regarding clinical systems and processes.
• Maintains current knowledge of trends and advances in the fields of Pharmacy and Healthcare Informatics as well as new developments in hardware and software technology, operating systems, applications, operational analysis and protocols.
• Maintains current knowledge of Pharmacy practices, regulatory standards, organizational policies and procedures related to clinical practice, legal implications of the clinical information system, and organizational direction in order to support users and process teams.
• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure established for department.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Assists with data collection and handling of bi-annual inventory.
• Willing to assist and help train co-workers with software problems or issues.
• Requires strong analytical, organizational, communication and creativity skills in providing the necessary support of complex medication software systems.
• Strong technical, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and interpersonal skills.

Equipment: Standard patient care equipment, related supplies, office equipment and mechanical devices.

Work Environment:

• Work environment is located in a comfortable indoor area. May be required to work within the confines of a prison, jail, or juvenile detention center.
• Occasional lifting may be heavy and awkward, over 50 lbs.
• Vision, hearing, talking, and sense of touch abilities must be adequate enough to enable one to quickly and accurately perform tasks such as reading small print, reading from monitoring equipment, defining details, sending and receiving clear and accurate verbal and written communication.
• Frequent periods of concentrated or focused attention will be needed to interpret visual, auditory, and sensory inputs.
• Alertness and careful attention to detail will be required. Must be able to perform fine hand manipulation when using computer keyboard.
• May be required to be on standby and work extended shifts in situation deemed necessary by Pharmacy Director or designee.
• May be exposed to such occupational hazards as communicable diseases, bloodborne pathogens, ionizing & non-ionizing radiation, hazardous medications, and disoriented or combative patients or other.

Security clearance is required; pre-employment drug testing is also required.

Required Education/Experience: Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in pharmacy
• Two years of IS-related experience working with Electronic Medical Records (EMR) (e.g., Epic, Pearl, McKesson, Cerner, eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, GE Healthcaretc), or has pharmacy informatics residency or fellowship training
• Must possess sufficient educational background and/or experience to conduct clinical application analysis and/or programming of intermediate to complex systems, analysis of clinical workflows, and system adoption strategies. Experience building and implementing EMR protocols in a multi-facility hospital and clinic environment.

Preferred Qualification:

• Doctor of Pharmacy

Salary is commensurate with years of relevant work experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.