Pharmacy Technician- Procurement/Inventory

Pharmacy Procurement and Inventory Management

Duties of the position include, but are not limited to:

FUNCTIONS:

• Procurement (General)
  • Has operational responsibility for ongoing inventories of drug products and pharmaceutical supplies and their procurement. Cost-effective turnover must be consistently identified and maintained. As a result, he/she must possess a thorough knowledge and understanding of procurement sources (i.e., prime vendor, open market, government excess, posted stock, and local), VA manual and associate circular procedures, and hospital procurement policies and procedures. Display a thorough understanding of policies, procedures, basic accounting and budgetary skills, the incumbent assures that pharmaceuticals and supplies are procured and maintained in the most cost-effective manner.
  • Maintains accountability of daily purchases and coordinates receipt, controls budget ledger, assures consistent delivery schedules are employed and handled, and appropriately disperses stock into designated storage areas.
  • Keeps current on contracts, product availability, and prices to identify appropriate sources and ensures most cost-effective products are purchased through the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS). Utilizes the prime vendor to order FSS items, involving direct contact with the prime vendor and placement and receipt of drug order after an assessment of the various contracts available and selection of the most cost-effective item.
  • Works closely with appropriate staff (administrators, information technologists, supervisory, pharmacists, and other procurement technicians) to ensure seamless operation of the Drug Accountability Program. Resolves issues relating to drug accountability; identifies problems and corrects or elevates them to the appropriate level.
  • Has knowledge of all aspects of drug characteristics and nomenclature including generic and brand names, various systems of weights and measures, drug product codes, drug interchangeability and equivalence, characteristics of drug packaging, what drugs are used for and how they are used, agency/institutional pharmacy regulations and policies, drug storage requirements, and special requirements for procurement, storage, and handling of various classes of drugs. Has a comprehensive knowledge of the operation and care of specialized pharmaceutical equipment.
  • Has knowledge of specifications and characteristics of a wide variety of prosthetic and supply items which Pharmacy supplies to outpatients. These include, but are not limited to colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy bags (and associated products), irrigation sets and bags, IV solutions/bags, internal and external urinary catheters, syringes, needles, and bandages.
  • Assists pharmacists in determining high priority or emergency requirements and initiates procurement activity to local wholesale sources. Assists in development and/or execution of procedures to procure "special order" products available only through manufacturer-created specialty programs.
• Inventory Management
  • Determines, establishes, and modifies, as necessary, appropriate ordering intervals, inventory levels, most efficient/effective ordering quantities, sources of supply, etc., based on current financial conditions in pharmacy, seasonal variations in drug usage, changing patterns of medical practice, delivery time requirements, urgency of medical need, alternative sources of availability, etc. Maintains contact with vendors to get status of orders and expedite delivery.
  • Takes a lead role In preparation, performance, reporting and analysis of periodic inventories of pharmaceutical and supply items as instructed by management with intent to maintain inventory turn performance that meets or exceeds VISN and National goals and expectations.
  • Maintains current awareness of additions/deletions to the VA National Formulary and local facility patterns of drug utilization. Coordinates stock requirements analyses and recommends appropriate stock levels and quantities to order based on utilization trends.
  • Functions as a resource to all members of the pharmacy staff regarding product availability, inventory status, contracts, fiscal considerations, and control. The incumbent can assess needs and utilizes an extensive knowledge of Pharmacy operations, policies, and procedures to provide training and orient new employees and other staff.

Work Schedule : 7:00am-3:30pm or 8:00am- 4:30pm; 8 Hour Shift; M - F; Varies based on the needs of the service.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 000000

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

US Department of Veterans Affairs