Pharmacy Technician (Care in the Community)

Pharmacy Technician

The incumbent is responsible for the receiving, assessing for appropriateness, and processing of all authorized Care in the Community prescriptions for approval by the Care in the Community clinical pharmacist. The pharmacy technician assists the Care in the Community clinical pharmacist in all daily tasks concerning Care in the Community prescriptions.

Care in the Community Prescription Support

• Receive and document prescriptions from community providers (fax, mail, electronic, or delivered) into CPRS and the CITC workflow.
• Verify VA authorization for community-care prescriptions using TriWest/Optum and CPRS.
• Communicate with patients about prescriptions from unauthorized visits and route them appropriately.
• Review prescriptions for accuracy, clinical appropriateness, and formulary compliance.
• Review PDMP when needed to confirm due dates, prevent duplication, and ensure safe controlled-substance prescribing.
• Maintain current knowledge of controlled-substance laws, policies, and regulations.
• Communicate with community providers for clarifications and formulary-related medication changes; forward updates to the pharmacist.
• Initiate, document, and follow up on non-formulary and prior authorization requests.
• Enter consults in CPRS once all required documentation is received.
• Scan non-formulary and authorization documents for recordkeeping.
• Enter or prepare authorized prescriptions in VistA for pharmacist verification.
• Reconcile hard-copy prescriptions from CBOCs with electronic copies.
• Provide prescription status updates to patients and document all communication.
• Assist in tracking and shipping controlled and non-controlled medications dispensed through VA pharmacies or CMOP.
• Answer the CITC pharmacy phone line and resolve inquiries not requiring a pharmacist.
• Use pharmacy systems to answer patient/provider questions regarding prescription status, processing, and shipping.
• Communicate with procurement when specialty or critical medications require ordering.

Pharmaceutical Care

• Accurately interpret, fill, and prepare outpatient, inpatient, and clinic prescriptions for pharmacist verification.
• Dispense medications to patients and healthcare staff after final pharmacist verification.
• Answer drug-distribution related questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel.
• Provide basic patient education such as explaining the refill process, and escalate clinical questions to a pharmacist.
• Ensure proper storage of all medications, including high-risk, look-alike/sound-alike, and refrigerated items in accordance with USP and VA guidelines.
• Monitor inventory levels, remove outdated medications, and coordinate with procurement for replenishment.
• Monitor refrigerator and freezer temperatures to maintain medication integrity.
• Reconstitute oral medications with accurate calculations and complete documentation for pharmacist review.
• Operate, stock, and maintain automated dispensing systems (Omnicell, ScriptPro, Parata), ensuring packaging accuracy.
• Troubleshoot minor automated system issues and report or escalate major technical problems to supervisors, vendors, or IT support.

Prescription Fulfillment

• Assemble prescriptions accurately with correct drug, strength, quantity, and labels for pickup or mail after pharmacist verification.
• Use barcode scanning to ensure correct medication selection and complete manual fills when automation is not used.
• Ensure timely processing of all prescriptions.
• Verify patient identity and ensure all medications-refrigerated, controlled, bulk, and supplies-are correctly provided.
• Prepare and ship prescriptions using USPS, FedEx, or UPS, packaging items securely (ice packs, insulation, bubble wrap).
• Update patient information, generate shipping reports, and coordinate delivery of refrigerated items with patients.
• Use VA systems to troubleshoot delivery issues, including cases without a physical address.
• Maintain an organized work environment, complete administrative tasks in VistA/EHR, and accurately process new and renewal prescription requests.
• Train and support new staff, participate in performance and quality improvement initiatives, and complete all required VA and VISN trainings.
• Communicate effectively with providers, nursing, pharmacy staff, and VISN programs across multiple platforms to resolve issues and support veteran care.
• Document all patient interactions and actions taken in VISN and EHR systems while adhering to all VA policies and procedures.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm (8-hour work schedule). Tour may be further adjusted or extended (including holiday/weekend) to meet patient care needs.

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 51741-F

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

US Department of Veterans Affairs