Pharmacy Operations Masters Intern

Location:

This role is scheduled to be 100% remote. While remote, finalists MUST reside in one of the following states to be eligible for employment with Kaiser Permanente: CA, OR, WA, HI, CO, GA, MD, VA, CT, DC, or IL.

Department Description: The Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Clinical Pharmacy Operations provides program oversight for more than 40 clinical pharmacy services, including diabetes care/primary care, oncology, anticoagulation, psychiatry, pain/chemical dependency, medication adherence, asthma/COPD, refill management, and other specialties. Our pharmacists work under collaborative practice agreements with our physicians to initiate, adjust, and discontinue medications for our members, often in tele-health clinics. 

The Regional Pharmacy Management Team that will work with you manages several dozen clinical pharmacists with areas of expertise in psychiatry, medication adherence, complex medication management, geriatric medicine, deprescribing, and pain/chemical dependence. Because we are a regional team covering the entire Northern California geographical area for Kaiser Permanente, our scope of work and impact are significant. You will work with executives, directors, managers, data scientists, front-line pharmacy personnel, and possibly patients to evaluate opportunities to improve our care. 

Target Majors: Data Science ;Business Administration; Public Health; Healthcare Administration;

Target Skills:  Ability to apply critical and systematic thinking to complex problems, using frameworks and gold-standard techniques to help us find our areas of improvement. Values cross-departmental collaboration and innovation. Possesses excellent communication skills, is organized, and has a self-motivated personality. Having experience in data analysis is not required but is preferred. One of the most difficult things we do in healthcare is to take an extraordinary amount of complex information and synthesize actionable insights to improve the care of our members – this is what you will help us do through your unique and fresh perspectives. We look forward to meeting you! 

Job Summary: This position provides support to a department, and the type of support will depend on the finalist’s skillsets, whether in business/healthcare administration, change management, competitive intelligence, benchmarking, data analytics, or other specializations. Under the guidance of a Project Manager/ Director, responsible for collecting and researching data/information, performing analysis/evaluations, presenting results, and providing or implementing recommendations. 

Projects with NCAL Regional Clinical Pharmacy Operations will ultimately be tailored to your core interests and skillsets, and could include projects relating to our current priorities:
- Enhance our newly developed mental health pharmacy programs by reviewing and integrating the latest research in technology-enabled medication management.
- Use benchmark methodologies to assess and articulate the value of clinical pharmacy services. 
- Conduct health equity research, possibly including patient interviews, to identify opportunities for bridging gaps. 
- Lead thought-provoking discussions on topics such as AI in healthcare, competitive analyses, and global healthcare trends. 
- Collaborate cross-departmentally on performance improvement projects or joint educational initiatives. 
- Refine our outreach messaging to ensure maximum impact and patient engagement. 
- If you are experienced in data science, we have opportunities for you to undertake significant data projects.  

Essential Responsibilities:

• Responsible for contributing high level analytical support to a project or department requiring application of knowledge in marketing, information management, finance, management, economics or statistics. This position contributes to a full range of project components.
• Assigned to at least one project and expected to produce results and report out as a member of a project team. Organizes assigned project tasks, identifies and structures information collection activities, and sets time lines for completion of required tasks as directed.
• Develops tools to identify and to document best practices. Prepares various excel, word or PowerPoint reports, and works with access database software (or similar tool) to develop data extracts and management information reports. May be asked to produce graphic information using excel or PowerPoint or similar software.
• Contributes to development of management information and analysis conducted, provides recommendations and assists with preparation of formal presentations to communicate results to various management levels. Identifies alternative solutions to project issues. Contributes to development project plans to ensure timely deliverables and successful completion of project and demonstrates an understanding of various business intersections. Assists with identification and development of training information.
• Kaiser Permanente conducts compensation reviews of positions on a routine basis. At any time, Kaiser Permanente reserves the right to revaluate and change job descriptions, or to change such positions from salaried to hourly pay status. Such changes are generally implemented only after notice is given to affected employees.

Qualifications - External

Basic Qualifications:

Experience

• N/A

Education

• Enrolled in or recent graduate of a MBA or other Masters level program with an accredited college or university.

License, Certification, Registration

• N/A

Additional Requirements:

• Solid analytical skills, problem solving, project management and critical thinking.
• Strong project management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to utilize at a working level Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access.
• Must be able to work in a Labor/ Management Partnership environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of SQL, R, Python, healthcare research, and/or advanced statistical modeling highly desirable.
• Experience in change management implementation highly desirable

Secondary Functions: 

• Temporary position - Duration is 12 weeks from effective date.

Disclaimer

Kaiser Permanente is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, parental status, ancestry, disability, gender identity, veteran status, genetic information, other distinguishing characteristics of diversity and inclusion, or any other protected status. External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants with arrest and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with federal and state laws, as well as applicable local ordinances, including but not limited to the San Francisco and Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinances.