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The Specialty Pharmacy Manager reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Specialty Pharmacy Manager has the authority and accountability for the management of designated pharmacy areas. The Manager is key in the planning, leading, and organizing of activities related to quality patient care, human resources management, and function of the Pharmacy. This manager works closely with the medical staff, the nursing staff, and other Hospital departments to ensure that high quality pharmaceutical services are provided to Northwestern Memorial Hospital patients.

This position is responsible for financial management of the pharmacy cost centers and has accountability for establishing and monitoring the operating and capital budgets. This manager is responsible for translating the Hospital and Division's mission, objective, policies, and procedures into effective action.

Responsibilities:

• Plans staffing requirements, hires to meet needs, and schedules to ensure efficient management of pharmacy resources and work flow.
• Cooperates with peers in the scheduling and sharing of personnel resources.
• Assists with development of talent across sections in technical, clinical, and management positions through:
  • Early assessment of high potential.
  • Individual development plans.
  • Direct mentoring and monitoring of development plans.
  • Succession planning.
• Coaches and monitors staff to ensure compliance with standards and improvement in performance.
• Meets target goals for pharmacy specific turnover and vacancy rates.
• Uses appropriate resources to implement Department and hospital policies and procedures.
• Implements the NMH performance management process.
• Adheres to Patients First Management Standards on Leadership, Communication, and Visibility.
• Precept the pharmacy residents and pharmacy students, ensuring that programmatic goals are met and that formal evaluations are given.
• Precept new pharmacists during the initial orientation and clinical development phase of their employment.
• Assumes twenty-four hour accountability for quality of patient care, human resources, and overall section function.
• Develops section based goals to support hospital and division mission and objectives.
• Uses appropriate resources within the Hospital and the Department to provide consultation, education, technical, or information services to provide optimum pharmacy care.
• Monitors all research and investigational drug activity in the section to ensure compliance with hospital policies and procedures.
• Ensures compliance with all federal, state, local, JCAHO, ASHP Residency, ATF, and hospital regulations policies and procedures.
• Facilitates a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach to patient care and inter-departmental problem solving and service delivery.
• Develops and maintains relationships with all customers.
• Ensures that service standards are developed, implemented, and evaluated.
• Creates an environment of high morale and motivated professionals.
• Assumes delegated management responsibilities in the absence of the Level II Manager.
• Maintains Relative Value Unit (RVU), and other productivity systems.
• Participates in the development and implementation of the pharmacy information systems.
• Develops the cost center operating budget and submits for approval.
• Conducts variance analysis; identifies and explains trends in productivity volume, acuity, or service.
• Establishes programs to monitor and control costs in relation to volume and pre-established income targets.
• Develops and participates in preparation of new program proposals.
• Manages inventory, ensuring that cost center inventory is at the minimum to meet patient care needs that charges and credits are processed in an accurate and timely manner, and that storage is in compliance with standards.
• Participates in the negotiation of pricing and terms for supplies and maintenance agreements.
• Maintains inventory according to Hospital and Department standards.
• Ensures that outpatient third party billing is processed in a timely, accurate manner.
• Develops cost center capital budget and submits for approval.
• Develops major equipment purchase proposals, selection, prepares documents for equipment acquisition and participates in the negotiation process.
• Develops and participates in facility changes and planning.
• Works with physicians in developing criteria for drug use and in implementing and monitoring the criteria.
• Works with physicians on the resolution of distributive and clinical issues.
• Identifies and pursues activities and development opportunities which are appropriate for position and personal development.
• Ensures compliance with hazardous waste collection and disposal procedures.
• Verifies that the professional staff reports can competently evaluates and document population and patient specific variables, assessing if the dose regimen is appropriate for achieving the desired therapeutic outcome.
• Patient weight, body surface area, age, maturation, sex, renal and hepatic function, pharmacokinetic parameters, and concurrent conditions and medications should be considered in the determination of the dose and dose interval of any drug. Note: Special consideration should be given to the requirements of the neonatal and geriatric populations.
• Develop and maintain a quality management system that allows for consistent evaluation and improvement of services in relation to physician, nursing, and patient care requirements.
• Documents all significant activities and take corrective action as necessary.
• Establishes ongoing quality data collection systems that enable monitoring of service levels.
• Maintains knowledge and uses appropriate resources to provide regulatory, consultative, educational, technical, clinical, or information services as needed.
• Assigns personnel as required to accomplish quality management tasks.
• Develops systems for improvement of pharmacy services provided in relation to physician, nursing, and patient care requirements.
• Takes corrective action as necessary.
• Implements the drug use quality management system and the formulary system which are developed by the P & T Committee.
• Incorporates results of quality management audits in the improvement of services and enhancement of patient care, consistent with hospital policy.
• Ensures that the environment is clean, safe, and free from hazards for patients, staff, and visitors.
• Adheres to Patients First Management Standards.
• This position must effectively interact with a variety of individuals. The incumbent must work closely with peers to allocate resources, develop and implement procedures, and solve problems. The incumbent should have demonstrated progressive leadership, management, clinical, and professional expertise. The incumbent must be effective in communications and have good inter-personal skills.
• Problem solving and decision making skills and an ability to appropriately confront and resolve issues are key attributes.
• The incumbent must be able to motivate individuals and groups and be able to plan, organize and direct the activities of others. The incumbent must have unquestioned technical, clinical, leadership, and teamwork skills.

Required:

• Licensed Pharmacist in Illinois
• Knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to the completion of a Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy (5 years of college education) or a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (6 to 7 years of college education)
• Previous experience as a hospital pharmacist and at least one year of management experience.
• Preferred:
• Completion of a Pharmacy Residency; Pharmacy management experience in a teaching environment.

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.