Pharmacy Technician

Job Title

Community Care Pharmacy Technician

Duties

Help Major Duties of the GS 8 Community Care Pharmacy Technician Include but are not limited to:

• Receives faxed, mailed, electronically prescribed, or delivered prescriptions written by Non-VA providers and processes all received prescriptions to include assessment of appropriateness and eligibility, prioritizing urgent prescriptions first.
• Utilizes electronic health record, or other related sites to determine authorization and eligibility of Non-VA Care by the VA Medical Center.
• Communicates with patients concerning prescriptions received from unauthorized provider visits and handles prescriptions appropriately, whether forwarding to primary care provider, returning to patient, and/or documenting in electronic health record.
• Reviews authorized prescriptions for appropriateness using Pharmacy Technician knowledge, as well as knowledge concerning the national drug formulary and local VA formulary requirements.
• Communicates with Non-VA providers and staff to request clarification of prescriptions or medication changes due to VA formulary and forwards all changes and clarifications to a licensed pharmacist.
• Initiates the non-formulary/prior authorization process with the Non-VA provider and records needed documentation in electronic health record.
• Follows up via phone and/or fax with Non-VA Provider regarding initiated communications.
• Enters non-formulary or prior authorization consult requests in electronic health record for review and completion by the Community Care Clinical Pharmacist.
• Inputs authorized prescriptions or prepares electronically prescribed medications in VISTA for the review and verification by a Clinical Pharmacist.
• Contacts patients with updates on Non-VA prescriptions and documents in electronic health record.
• Reviews the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) website to ensure appropriateness of received prescriptions and to prevent duplicate and/or overprescribing of controlled substances and documents in electronic health record.
• Maintains a current knowledge of national, state, and local laws, regulations, directives, policies, and procedures pertaining to controlled substances.
• Monitors prescription profiles for abuse potential and notifies Community Care Program Manager or Outpatient Pharmacy Supervisor if discovery is made.
• Assists in the tracking and shipping of Non-VA prescribed controlled substances, as well as all Non-VA prescribed as needed.
• Communicates with Procurement Pharmacist or Procurement Technician when specialty medications need to be ordered.

Community Care Telephone Triage:

• Assists the Community Care Clinical Pharmacist with inbound and outbound phone calls relating to community care that do not require a pharmacists' knowledge.
• Utilizes pharmacy information systems to answer patient or provider questions related to status of their prescription(s), completion date, package tracking, etc.
• Monitors community care pharmacy voicemail regularly throughout shift and addresses messages promptly.

General Outpatient Pharmacy Support:

• Performs technical support work in the pharmacy under the supervision of a registered pharmacist.
• Operates the automated dispensing system and prepares daily.
• Contributes to the maintenance and operation of all equipment in the outpatient pharmacy area

Other duties:

• Functions as a backup to the controlled substance/vault technician, Clinical Pharmacy Technicians, when delegated
• Participates in quality assurance, process improvement activities, and performance monitors.
• Maintain competence by participating in staff development programs.
• Provide in-service programs for appropriate clinic personnel and pharmacy technicians as assigned.
• Performs all the duties of a pharmacy technician at the lower grades as assigned.
• Assists in other patient care areas as deemed necessary to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 - 4:00 pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 08309F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized