Diversion & Medical Program Coordinator

Job Info

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY:

Provides oversight, strategic direction, and management of daily operations for the Medication Safety, Drug Diversion Prevention, Detection, and Response Program. The Medication Diversion and Safety Coordinator r is accountable for all aspects of drug diversion prevention, education, monitoring, investigating, and reporting at United Regional Health Care System. In addition, will provide a leadership role in formulating policy and instituting models that promote medication safety in all aspects of the medication management process. In conjunction with designated facility leadership, the role is responsible for coordinating all activities related to medication safety provided by the facility. These activities involve reporting, system and process evaluation, formulation of recommendations and initiatives, coordination of intervention strategies, and monitoring of activities related to medication safety. This individual is responsible for identifying key projects related to medication safety and is accountable for the coordination and the implementation of these projects system wide. This individual serves as a liaison to facility pharmacy, nursing, and the medical staff leadership personnel.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Manage changes in the medication-use system to enhance medication safety, ensure that appropriate measures are taken to address and resolve medication safety issues, and see that hospital staff and faculty are supported in providing safe care for patients.
2. Encourage organization wide medication error reporting through an established and accepted error reporting system that utilizes appropriate error detection methods (e.g., trigger tools) and through other appropriate avenues such as the pharmacy and therapeutics committee and quality and safety committee.
3. Develop effective methods for spreading best medication-use practices throughout the organization.
4. Conduct medication-use safety research through well-designed, externally validated studies and implement evidence-based practices for medication safety and diversion.
5. Share information about actual or potential medication errors or harm with safety organizations such as ISMP, FDA, drug or product manufacturers, and state error reporting programs.
6. Establishes and maintains a comprehensive surveillance and auditing program to identify gaps in security, accountability, and reconciliation and to prevent and detect drug diversion at the entity level and outpatient pharmacy as directed.
7. Develops and maintains up-to-date medication handling, diversion prevention, detection, and reporting policies and procedures.
8. Serves on various United Regional committees as requested.
9. Develops and monitors all medication handling processes, including controlled substances, in all settings to ensure compliance with current policies and procedures.
10. Develops and contributes to the achievement of established department goals and objectives and adheres to department policies, procedures, quality and safety standards.
11. Ensures compliance with hospital/facility policies and procedures and governmental/accreditation regulations.
12. Oversees a comprehensive auditing program to detect drug diversion and medication handling violations.
13. Delegates auditing functions as appropriate.
14. Leads the Diversion Response Team in the investigation of suspected drug diversion incidents, using patient charge review and review of data from automated dispensing systems, as well as other information deemed pertinent.
15. Maintains a secure diversion database containing all data collected that may relate to diversion.
16. Collects, analyzes, and trends diversion-related and medication-related data from across the institution, including but not limited to medication handling compliance issues, medication security issues, concerns about relevant healthcare associate/provider behavior/performance, and patient complaints related to unrelieved pain.
17. In collaboration with pharmacy, analyzes data regarding controlled medications, high-cost medications, and other medications that have an appeal for diversion.
18. Creates, implements, and leads an effective medication use and drug diversion education program for all hospital associates and providers, as appropriate for their work responsibilities.
19. Works collaboratively with all relevant departments and serves as a hospital-wide medication safety and diversion resource.
20. Prepares and periodically presents institutional medication safety reports to the Quality and Safety Committee, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and other committees as appropriate. Report content and efficacy metrics will be determined by the Committees receiving the reports.
21. Prepares and periodically presents institutional drug diversion reports to the Drug Diversion Oversight Committee and other committees as appropriate. Report content and efficacy metrics will be determined by the Drug Diversion Oversight Committee.
22. Maintains current knowledge of relevant DEA, FDA, Department of Health, Boards of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Medicine, the Joint Commission (TJC), and EPA regulations related to medication use, controlled substance management, and diversion activities.
23. Ensures that internal and external regulatory reporting occurs as required following each medication or diversion event.
24. Conducts security assessments of medication and controlled substance handling and storage.
25. Participates in multidisciplinary quality and service improvement teams as appropriate. Participates in meetings, serves on committees, and represents the department and hospital/facility in community outreach efforts as appropriate.
26. Performs other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Current license to practice nursing in the state of TX required.
• 5 years of hospital nursing experience preferred.
• Previous experience with drug diversion management, and medication safety preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• High level of analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to perform objective investigations and interviews.
• Ability to achieve results and meet deadlines with explicit instructions.
• Ability to influence professionals irrespective of reporting relationship.
• Understanding of and the ability to establish/monitor techniques, policies, and procedures used by those who deliver care.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with patients and other healthcare providers.
• Exceptional verbal, written communication, and presentation abilities.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, constantly changing environment.
• A natural curiosity and energetic, creative, and collaborative approach to working and problem solving.
• Highly motivated self-learner with a passion for excellence.
• Enjoys working on teams.

Job Category: COORDINATOR

Posting Date: 2025-03-04T21:45:23 00:00

Job Schedule: Full time

Job Shift: Full-Time Regular

Locations: 1600 11TH ST WICHITA FALLS TX 76301