Pharmacy Technician I

The best thing about this role

Are you looking to make a difference by improving the health of our patients?  Here you will find an innovative culture that is patient-focused and dedicated to making a difference.  We are committed to helping the population we serve, and our communities, achieve optimum health and enjoy the best quality of life possible. 

What you'll do

Inpatient Pharmacy Technician

Performs pharmacy technician duties in hospital inpatient pharmacy

Performs a wide variety of tasks under direct pharmacist supervision

The technician provides excellent customer service to caregivers and patients, is involved in most aspects of the pharmacy, including medication preparation and distribution, all aspects of inventory management, and quality assurance activities, including direct participation in USP 797/800 Sterile Compounding compliance standards (when required by location)

Compounds sterile medications under immediate pharmacist supervision (when required by location)

Technicians work with the pharmacist to ensure that all daily functions are performed efficiently and accurately ensuring quality of patient care in accordance with hospital standards and New York State law

They provide a wide variety of services for a smooth operation and efficiently functioning pharmacy department.

• Participates fully in medication distribution to patients, stock areas, and clinics.
  
• Assists in the process of unit dose medication distribution to all inpatients under the supervision of a pharmacist
  
• Refill and maintain automated dispensing system including monitoring and rotation of expiring medications and routine maintenance of the devices.
  
• Effectively utilizes electronic clinic inventory system to accurately and efficiently prepare stock orders for clinics and health centers.
  
• Packages unit does medications including the preparation of complete and accurate medication labels.
  
• Monitors patients own medications and assures proper handling.
  
• Participates effectively to ensure that the department continues to be an efficient member of the healthcare team
  
• Willingly assists Pharmacists as requested.
  
• Works cooperatively and within departmental standards within the Inpatient Pharmacy department and with other departments.
  
• Quickly and calmly answers phones and directs calls according to departmental policy.
  
• Willingly assists in the training of new pharmacy technicians.
  
• Treats all customers, co-workers, and staff with courtesy and respect as observed by supervisor.
  
• Relays inventory needs to appropriate person or initiates ordering as required
  
• Consistently monitors medication and supply inventory in pharmacy, storerooms, and IV room and utilizes departmental ordering processes to ensure continuous supply availability.
  
• Consistently and fully participates in departmental quality assurance and quality improvement processes.
  
• Performs daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning and disinfecting procedures in the sterile and non-sterile compounding areas (as required by location).
  
• Consistently and accurately utilizes personal protective equipment in accordance with departmental policy (as required by location)
  
• Consistently handles hazardous medications in accordance with departmental policies.
  
• Regularly monitors for expired and/or unusable medications in pharmacy and hospital.
  
• Consistently and accurately documents quality assurance tasks.
  
• Follows departmental policy for removal, waste, and segregation of unusable medications.
  
• Identifies and escalates non-conformities and occurrences in the pharmacy department and hospital.
  
• Purchasing and Receiving Duties; assists with and/or directly performs the purchasing, receiving and inventory control functions for the Inpatient Pharmacy Department in order to meet the medication needs of all patients
  

  Orders appropriately; assuring correct storage and maintaining adequate inventory. 

• Performs similar or related duties as requested or directed

Outpatient Pharmacy Technician

Performs pharmacy technician duties in community pharmacies

Performs a wide variety of tasks under direct pharmacist supervision at all times

The technician provides excellent customer service and is involved in most aspects of the pharmacy including prescription intake, order entry, cash management, managing telephone inquiries, ordering and inventory management

Technicians work with the pharmacist to ensure that all daily functions are performed efficiently and accurately ensuring quality of patient care in accordance with hospital standards and New York State law

They provide a wide variety of services for a smooth operation and efficiently functioning pharmacy department.

• Purchasing and Receiving Duties; performs the purchasing, receiving and inventory control functions for the Outpatient Pharmacy Department in order to meet the medication needs of all patients
  

  Orders appropriately; assuring correct storage and maintaining adequate inventory.

• Places orders to wholesaler electronically and manually as required.
• Outpatient: Reviews wholesaler catalog to determine which drugs are available under contractual agreements
  

  If product is not on contract, chooses an equivalent alternative if possible
  

  Consults with manager and staff pharmacists regarding 340b ordering.

• Outpatient: Orders OTC medications to ensure adequate stock available for patients.
• Evaluates vendor shortages and selects alternative products when needed
  

  Informs Supervisor Outpatient Pharmacy and/or staff pharmacist of shortages and expected return to stock.

• Contacts other pharmacies as needed to determine if medication is available for patients in an emergency or non-stock situation
  

  Communicates this information to the patient and pharmacist.

• Follows up on back orders with the vendors and reports on-going problems to the pharmacist(s)or Supervisor
  

  Places items on backorder as needed to ensure adequate supply

• Sends and Receives order from wholesaler electronically and physically
  

  Ensures all electronic orders are added into inventory correctly
  

  Ensures orders are accounted for and places products in the correct storage location
  

  Designates hazardous medications according to USP 800 standards and departmental guidelines

• Accounts for substitutions in ordering and follows all necessary steps to add into inventory.
• Contacts wholesaler regarding missing medication, short dating or damages and follows through
  on credits or replacements.
• Inventory Control Responsibilities.
• Responds to safety alerts and recalls by alerting Supervisor or pharmacy team and assisting in removing all recalled drugs, processing paperwork, and arranging for return to vendor as observed by pharmacist and Supervisor.
• Maintains inventory by checking inventory levels on hand compared to in QS1 and corrects discrepancies for non-controlled medications
  

  Alerts pharmacist regarding discrepancies in controlled substance inventories

• Assists manager and Pharmacists in determining appropriate par levels for medications and adjusts as usage changes.
• Check inventory monthly for outdated items and overstocked medications to ship back to wholesaler for credit following departmental policies
  

  Reconciles what was returned with credit received as noted by Pharmacist or Supervisor.

• Adds new drugs into QS1 drug file accurately
  

  Adds appropriate wholesaler ordering numbers, pars, current inventory and pricing into the drug file.

• Prescription Filling.
• Receives prescriptions from patients or, in the case of electronically transmitted prescriptions, verifies receipt of prescriptions at patient request and informs pharmacist and staff that patient is waiting
  

  Obtains accurate demographics, drug allergies, and insurance information.

• Profiles and processes prescription including insurance adjudication in a timely manner
  

  As necessary arranges for interdepartmental payment

• Processes electronic prescriptions, IVR refill requests and prescriber refill responses in a timely manner with accuracy.
• Alerts pharmacist to any DUR, allergy warnings or drug interactions displayed in pharmacy processing software when processing prescriptions.
• Retrieves appropriate medication from storage location as observed and checked by pharmacist.
• Accurately counts medication and labels medication with pharmacy label in a timely manner and provides to pharmacist for checking.
• Handles hazardous medications in accordance with departmental policies.
• Answers telephone using appropriate telephone etiquette and responds to fax machine as noted and observed by pharmacist
  

  Assists patients both on the phone and in person with requested needs and obtains assistance from pharmacist when needed
  

  Refers patients to appropriate departments as needed
  

  Listens and responds to voicemails in a timely manner.

• Contacts insurance companies and payers for assistance with claim processing as needed.
• Cashier Function.
• Responsible for the receipt of currency, checks and credit card payments coming into the pharmacy from patients and third parties
  

  Processes third party checks according to department procedures and provides required information to Accounts Receivable.

• Responsible for a daily reconciliation accounting for cash, checks and credit card payments received according to departmental procedures
  

  Responsible for identifying and reviewing all cash drawer and petty cash variances, which will be investigated and reconciled at the time of cash-up as observed and supervised by pharmacist.

• Responsible for packaging and retrieving completed prescriptions accurately
  

  Responsible for mailing designated prescriptions to patients and completes and maintains all required documentation

• Maintains electronic and paper counselling logs as required by law and third-party payers
• With each customer transaction, offers counseling by a pharmacist as required by state pharmacy regulations
  

  Ensures patient is receiving the correct prescription by verifying patient’s date of birth. Uses other acceptable patient identifiers if needed.

• Follows up on unclaimed prescriptions and returns prescriptions to stock after 14 days.
• Maintains a clean and organized work area in the pharmacy.

What we need from you

Education:

• High School Diploma or GED, preferred

Experience:

• Minimum 1 year Pharmacy Technician experience, preferred
• Successful mastery of required tasks and operations as taught and mentored by pharmacy staff by the end of six months of employment