Medication Safety and Diversion Prevention Officer - Flagstaff
Job Description
Job Description
Overview
The Medication Safety & Diversion Prevention Officer, in conjunction with designated system leadership, leads and coordinates all Northern Arizona Healthcare activities related to medication safety and controlled substance diversion prevention. This dual-focused role encompasses reporting, system and process evaluation, formulation of recommendations and initiatives, coordination and implementation of intervention strategies, and monitoring of activities related to both medication safety and diversion prevention. Articulates the direction in formulating policy and instituting models that promote medication safety and prevent diversion in all aspects of the medication use system to improve the culture of safety and prevent patient harm. Leads the planning, development, and oversight of the Medication Diversion Prevention Program (MDPP), ensuring best practices in medication handling and regulatory compliance to prevent and detect diversion of controlled substances across all facilities. The officer collaborates with health care professionals, support staff, management, nursing, compliance, legal, and risk teams to consider all components of the medication-use process in both inpatient and outpatient settings when implementing evidence-based practice change. Recommendations are reported to health-system administrators, the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, the Safety Committee, and the Diversion Prevention Committee.
Responsibilities
Medication Safety & Practice Leadership* Serves as an authoritative system-wide resource on medication safety, diversion prevention, and safe medication‑use practices.
* Leads the Medication Safety Committee and Diversion Prevention Committee, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
* Leads the Medication Reconciliation Sub‑Committee to improve transitions of care and reduce medication‑related errors.
* Investigates medication safety events, opportunities for improvement (OFIs), and diversion incidents; implement evidence‑based corrective actions and system redesigns.
* Maintains up‑to‑date knowledge of emerging trends, regulatory expectations, and best practices in medication safety, patient safety, and diversion prevention.
* Reviews internal and external safety bulletins, alerts, and advisories; assess organizational systems to identify vulnerabilities and improvement opportunities.
* Facilitates development, revision, and implementation of medication‑use policies, procedures, and standard work.
* Partners with IT and clinical informatics teams to define system requirements that support safe medication‑related decision‑making.
* Implements and optimizes best‑practice safety features in medication‑use technologies, including automated dispensing cabinets, smart pumps, and EHR‑integrated tools.Medication Safety Analytics & Data Governance* Develops system‑wide dashboards and analytics tools to monitor medication safety trends and diversion patterns.
* Administers and maintain the Medication Diversion Prevention Program (MDPP) across all care settings.
* Collects, reviews, and analyze medication‑use data, errors, adverse drug reactions, and diversion incidents.
* Applies advanced data‑analysis methods to identify system vulnerabilities and guide error‑reduction and diversion‑prevention strategies.
* Translates business and clinical requirements into accurate, actionable business‑intelligence dashboards.
* Serve as a strategic consultant to senior leadership on medication‑related data interpretation and system‑level insights.
Audit and Investigative Oversight* Designs and operationalize internal audit frameworks for medication reconciliation, inventory validation, and controlled substance monitoring.
* Coordinates surveillance and audits of the entire medication lifecycle Oversees sensitive investigations involving patient data, employee records, and disciplinary actions.
* Investigates suspected diversion incidents with discretion and efficiency.
* Maintains confidentiality throughout all investigative procedures.
Quality Improvement and Project Management* Leads Quality Improvement Projects based on safety event analysis and diversion surveillance data.
* Employs quality-improvement methodologies (FOCUS-PDCA, Lean, RCA, FMEA) to PI and QI efforts.
* Tracks project monitoring plans to ensure sustained results.
* Shares knowledge through written publications and public presentations.
Leadership and Culture Development* Oversees planning and refinement of the medication safety plan and diversion prevention program.
* Develops and implements error prevention and diversion prevention strategies.
* Participates in planning and implementation of medication-use technology and automation systems.
* Leads multidisciplinary committees to identify risk points and prioritize system improvements.
* Builds a culture of safety and accountability through education and communication.
Direct Supervision of Support Staff* Provides direct supervision, guidance, and performance management to assigned support staff.
* Conducts regular performance evaluations and provides constructive feedback.
* Assist with recruitment, selection, and onboarding of support staff.
* Address staffing issues, including scheduling, workload distribution, and conflict resolution.
* Supports the professional development and career growth of direct reports.
* Ensures support staff compliance with organizational policies, procedures, and safety standards.
Mentorship, Training, and Education* Mentors and trains pharmacy staff, nursing, security, and associated staff in medication safety and diversion prevention based on role-specific risks.
* Develops and implements education, policies, and competency assessments.
* Instructs staff on reporting medication safety events and suspected diversion.
Compliance/Safety* Report safety-related incidents timely through the Midas/RDE tool Attend all safety-related training programs.
* Monitor work environment for safety issues.
* Stay current with state and federal regulations and company policies.
* Maintain current certifications and licenses.
* Complete all mandatory modules and required job-specific training.
Qualifications
Education
Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from an accredited college of pharmacy - RequiredExperience3 years of healthcare leadership experience in complex operations or program coordination - RequiredCertification & LicensuresArizona State Board of Pharmacy license that is active and in good standing - Required
Lean Six Sigma Certification - Preferred
Certified Professional in Patient Safety - PreferredCALL REQUIRED:No