Site Name
Novant Health
Primary Intended Outcomes
- Perform data analytics of key pharmacy clinical, safety, and operational data;
- Consolidate and communication pharmacy data and dashboards to health-systems pharmacy leadership;
- Optimization of pharmacy data gathering (e.g., streamlining information streams, development of reports).
Site Description
The Novant Health network consists of more than 1,100 physicians and 24,000 employees who make healthcare remarkable at more than 450 locations including 15 medical centers, three hospitals, and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. Novant Health Pharmacy Services delivers on its promise to provide optimal medication management across all dimensions of care through providing acute, ambulatory, specialty, retail, and infusion pharmacy services across the southeast. The pharmacy team includes over 600 Pharmacists and technicians, many of whom are board certified or CPhT.
Advanced Role Description
The Business Systems Analyst role was developed prior to 2008 from a need to optimize the maintenance of pharmacy systems integral to business and provide reports for critical decision-making and cost-saving initiatives. Since its inception the role has necessitated a strong pharmacy background. Additionally, the role requires an analytical-focused individual who can balance priorities of multiple levels of pharmacy leadership.
Revenue and Expense Parameters
The position is a central source for data management for health-systems pharmacy. An advanced technician contributes value-added to their organization, limiting unnecessary data management by pharmacy leadership, providing a significant opportunity cost for these individuals. This resource is the go-to for analytical questions and their knowledge of the health-systems data structure (e.g., data streams, data availability, reporting, data interfaces) is integral for environmental scanning of data technology and implementation into health-systems pharmacy.
Training and/or Education Requirements
Required: Associate’s Degree; knowledge of computers and database management.
Preferred: Pharmacy background; CPhT; advanced degree (e.g., Bachelor’s or Master’s); familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite; knowledge of NDC’s, DRG’s, ICD-9, CPT, and J codes. Familiarity with SQL and Crystal reports.
Outcome Measures
Short-term Results
Weekly: Ad hoc report development and retrieval; development and maintenance of health-systems pharmacy SharePoint sites; routine retrieval of reports and analysis for pharmacy leaders and committees (e.g., medication safety, P&T Committee, Infusion Services).
Monthly: Retrieval and analysis of health-systems pharmacy dashboards (e.g., financial, operational, medication safety, employee engagement); dissemination of information to health-systems pharmacy leadership team; presentation of health-systems dashboard at monthly health-systems pharmacy leadership meeting.
Long-term Goals
Optimization of health-systems pharmacy dashboard; centralization of health-systems pharmacy data; ongoing environmental scanning of data analytics to further assist pharmacy leadership with frontline and longitudinal decision-making; preparation and presentation of health-systems annual report which encompasses facility level and health-systems roll-up.
Lessons Learned
- Importance of strong pharmacy background for success in this position;
- Ongoing professional development, e.g., education, professional skills, and mastering data structure/technology within a health-system;
- Ensuring proper access to health-system data systems is vital to the success of the role;
- Optimizing relationships of Business Systems Analyst within health-systems team.
References
Original Business Systems Analyst job description [PDF]
Current Senior Business Systems Analyst job description [PDF]
