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Pharmacy Services Director

Location: Houston Methodist Hospital
6565 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030
Job Ref:
68633
Talent Area:
Leadership Management
Job Shift:
1st - Day
Job Type:
Full-Time
Posted Date:
March 24, 2025

At Houston Methodist, the Director Pharmacy Services position is responsible for the provision of quality pharmaceutical care in accordance with accepted ethical and professional practices and all legal and regulatory requirements. The Director Pharmacy Services position shall establish and maintain pharmacy services on a 24/7 basis that are sufficient to meet the needs of the patient population. This position plans, directs, controls and evaluates innovative programs, functions and services to maintain successful operations, clinical practice, formulary management, quality assurance and financial stability. The Director Pharmacy Services position works in conjunction with the medical and nursing staff in monitoring and governing all aspects of drug use. This position also utilizes clinical and professional practice knowledge to advance the profession and employs team leadership within the department to accomplish hospital goals.

The Director position responsibilities include overseeing the activities of the department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency to accomplish strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position is accountable for employee engagement, adequate staffing levels, budget development and compliance, staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also ensures training, monitoring and operations initiatives are implemented which secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/government regulations.

Requirements:

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Directs, develops and implements strategic and operational/high level projects and processes either through independent/highly autonomous work or through the facilitation of work teams to enable the effective and efficient completion of objectives.
  • Oversees management of and ensures development for staff to meet overall objectives in terms of quality, service and cost effectiveness. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Directs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees.
  • Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.
  • Provides leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes.
  • Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals. Drives the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Oversees department operations, designated projects, schedules and activities as needed to ensure that goals or objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.
  • Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.
  • Serves as a liaison between medical, nursing and allied health staff and the department of pharmacy for operational issues.
  • Ensures pharmacy services are supporting the needs of all customers across the organization including nursing, leadership, patients, other departments, etc.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines. Responsible for staff maintenance of credentials and competencies, per accrediting/ licensing agency and/or department guidelines as applicable.
  • Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes and information systems by monitoring and improving the department workflow and enhancing operations, using peer-to-peer accountability and identifying solutions via collaboration. Implements process improvements utilizing tools such as lean principles. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.
  • Responsible for employee compliance to policies and procedures and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., licensure/certification compliance, focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).
  • Maintains integration of pharmacy services throughout the entity to ensure compliance with legal requirements set by federal, state, and local agencies as well as rules and regulations of other accreditation/regulatory agencies that govern the practice of pharmacy.
  • Promotes positive patient outcomes and experiences through the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals.
  • Provides leadership and expertise in the medication management process and integrates most effective use of people and technology.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Develops and manages department operational and capital budgets, approvals, and ongoing maintenance of the department(s), ensuring operation in a cost-effective manner. Proactively identifies and plans for capital needs related to current equipment and future department projects. Ensures staffing plans and schedules meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.
  • Creates department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.
  • Optimizes drug therapy costs and revenue cycle as they relate to drug formulary decisions for the organization. Ensures system medication utilization and pursues cost savings initiatives.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department, entity or system operations by leading unit projects and/or other department/ system-directed activities. Proactively leads task forces and committees. May represent HM at assigned community or professional organization meetings.
  • Drives change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures. Partners effectively with stakeholders as appropriate.
  • Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates My Development plan (MDP) on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development and MDP.
  • Maintains active involvement in professional organizations to stay abreast of current trends and to contribute to the growth of the pharmacy profession.
  • Promotes and participates in education and research programs, including preceptorship with accredited residencies and undergraduate pharmacy programs.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

Qualifications:

EDUCATION
  • Graduate of education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credential(s) indicated below in the Certifications, Licenses and Registrations section
  • An advanced degree (i.e., master's degree or Pharm.D) strongly preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE
  • Five years of previous hospital pharmacy management experience to include experience with computerized drug distribution systems, drug preparation and drug use control systems, drug product selection, purchasing, inventory control, clinical, and ambulatory pharmacy services; for internals, three years of management experience in healthcare with HM performance that demonstrates leadership responsibility
  • Experience with specialized drug delivery devices is preferred
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED
  • PHRM - Pharmacist - State Licensure -- or eligible for Texas Pharmacist License within 90 days AND
  • IV Certification - Intravenous certification (ACPE) -- If applicable to primary work assignment within 60 days

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

  • Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
  • Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially about activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
  • Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization
  • Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one's own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved
  • Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills
  • Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences
  • Extensive knowledge of regulatory and accreditation agency requirements that impact department; stays abreast of industry changes
  • Demonstrates highly effective communication skills-strong written communications and platform presentation abilities
  • Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
  • Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace
  • Capable of leading teams/facilitating groups, building consensus and garnering highest confidence in professionalism and work product by senior leadership
  • Ability to work under pressure and balance many competing priorities; highly responsive and solution/action oriented
  • Proficiency in spreadsheet, word processing, and presentation software
  • Maintains a positive and supportive attitude and demeanor
  • Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information
  • Must be familiar with clinical, administrative, educational, and research activities in contemporary hospital pharmacy practice
  • Working knowledge of sterilization and aseptic techniques
  • Ability and willingness to contribute to the pharmaceutical literature
  • Understanding of the basic principles of rational drug therapy and ability to train others in providing rational drug therapy
  • Knowledge and ability to fiscally manage a hospital pharmacy division
  • Basic background knowledge of biostatistical techniques and research methodology in drug evaluation techniques
  • Professional knowledge, database, and judgment to accurately dispense medications and appropriately intervene in monitoring drug therapy for patient age groups, neonate to geriatric
  • Professional and technical competence in the critical selection, evaluation, and utilization of the pharmaceutical, medical, and scientific literature
  • Ability to integrate distributive, supportive, and clinical activities within the respective areas of responsibility
  • Ability to monitor compliance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations pertaining to drugs and drug delivery devices in the respective work areas
  • Knowledge and ability to apply continuous quality improvement (CQI) principles to the provision of pharmacy services (i.e., PDSA, Six-Sigma, Lean, FMEA, etc.)

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

  • Uniform No
  • Scrubs No
  • Business professional Yes
  • Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

  • On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

  • May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
  • May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

Company Profile:

Houston Methodist Hospital is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 hospital in Texas and one of America’s “Best Hospitals.” As a full-service, acute-care hospital located in the Texas Medical Center and the flagship hospital of Houston Methodist, it has evolved into one of the nation’s largest nonprofit teaching hospitals and a leader in innovative medical research with a comprehensive residency program. Two of Houston Methodist’s primary academic affiliates are among the nation’s leading health care organizations: Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Houston Methodist also has affiliations with Texas A&M University and the University of Houston. With 948 operating beds, 85 operating rooms and more than 8,400 employees, Houston Methodist Hospital offers unparalleled care for thousands of patients from around the world.

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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