Application Support Specialist

This position provides information systems support of specified departmental and hospital software through maintenance of all associated database tables, hardware, and any associated peripheral systems to ensure consistency between and among various integrated systems. Maintains compliance with all regulatory and procedural standards. This position receives oversight of daily work from the Lead Pharmacist Clinical Informatics and supervision of work activities from the department operations, clinical and business leadership and pharmacists. This position reports directly to the Sr. Manager of Pharmacy Services. This position does not supervise any other position.

• Demonstrates the skills required and provides direct technical and operational execution to support build, maintenance and monitoring of pharmacy and hospital IT clinical, dispensing, and inventory management systems within the pharmacy and organization to ensure continuous function, availability, and accuracy of system databases, core functions, and interfaces.
  
• Proactively monitors system reports and trends and provides oversight to prevent the diversion or pilferage of legend drugs or controlled substances. Ensures that all points of entry and exit of drug products are continuously evaluated and strengthened. Demonstrates a strong attention to detail when investigating and monitoring patterns or behaviors suggestive of potential drug diversion and manages the proactive diversion IT software platform Pandora V™. Reports any actions related to a suspected legend drug or controlled substance diversion.
  
• Actively investigates and resolves known or potential discrepancies or diversion of legend and/or controlled substances and proactively notifies the Chief of Pharmacy, the Pharmacist in Charge, the department leadership and/or pharmacist on duty when deviations to policy or legal statues arise and provides support to any appropriate regulatory agencies as applicable.
  
• Proactively maintains current knowledge of pharmacy automation software and hardware advancements and monitors automated dispensing, clinical and inventory management systems operation to ensure continuous cost-effective outcomes.
  
• Provides consultative suggestions and recommendations to department leadership for continued enhancement to revenue base through analysis of automation charges, charge capture, CDM control, and inventory management. Develops financial and inventory control reports and tools for decision support.
  
• Actively schedules, loads, tests, and monitors results of software patches and proactively leads and participates in downtime events, recovery plans, and upgrades. Effectively executes both test and live environment activity prior to upgrades and installs to systems and ensures minimal interruption to operations and/or gaps in patient care. Troubleshoots and corrects problems in a timely manner.
  
• Serves as a liaison between Pharmacy, Information Technology, and other hospital areas to coordinate automation technology procedures, processes, technical problem resolution, priorities, and activities for optimal efficiency and effectiveness. Recommends process changes as appropriate.
  
• Collaborates effectively and in conjunction with all other clinical and non-clinical hospital information system specialists, educators, pharmacy staff, and leaders to coordinate and provide training, testing of application enhancements, database table build-outs, and patches to ensure activities achieve desired outcome throughout all affected systems.
  
• Provides proactive consultative information to department leadership and recommendations for system enhancements, improvements and additions to support patient care goals and prepares financial information for budgeting purposes.
  
• Performs miscellaneous job related duties as requested.
  

To advance hope, healing and the best healthcare for children and their families

Phoenix Children's will be the leading pediatric health system in the Southwest, nationally recognized for exceptional care, innovative research and advanced medical education.

We realize this vision by:

• Offering the most comprehensive care across ages, communities and specialties
• Investing in innovative research, including emerging treatments, tools and technologies
• Advancing education and training to shape the next generation of clinical leaders
• Advocating for the health and well-being of children and families

• We place children and families at the center of all we do
• We deliver exceptional care, every day and in every way
• We collaborate with colleagues, partners and communities to amplify our impact
• We set the standards of pediatric healthcare today, and innovate for the future
• We are accountable for making the highest quality care accessible and affordable