Pharmacy Tech / Clinical Assistant

Job Description

Job Description

PHARMACY TECH / CLINIC ASSISTANT

As a Pharmacy Technician / Clinical Assistant, your job will consist of three functions: 1) assisting with daily operations of the retail in-house pharmacy, 2) assisting with conducting monthly and annual 340B, and 3) facilitating medication refills for the medical offices. The Pharmacy Technician / Clinical Assistant may float to other areas of the organization when the Pharmacy is slow. Maintain patient confidentiality and ensure compliance with HIPAA policies and procedures. 

SUPERVISORY   RESPONSIBILITIES

None

ESSENTIAL DUTIES &  RESPONSIBILITIES

In-house pharmacy responsibilities 

• This position will be a PRN and back-up technician for the in-house retail pharmacy. Weekly staffing responsibilities will be incorporated to allow for continued understanding of pharmacy operations. 
• Greet patients in a prompt, pleasant, and helpful manner and provides any necessary instructions/directions.
• Receive and process prescriptions that have been sent electronically, by phone, or by prescription drop-off.

- Create and update patient profiles appropriately in the pharmacy management system. Utilizes the electronic health record system to support this function, as necessary.

-Complete accurate and timely data entry of prescriptions received in the pharmacy.

-Use math to solve a problem, such as calculating day’s supply or dispense quantity of a prescription.

-Fill prescription orders with correct medication(s) and dosages and apply labels to the bottle. 

• Process (corrects and resubmits) third party claims in a timely and efficient manner, and performs other clerical duties, regarding prescription processing as assigned by the Pharmacy Manager/pharmacist on duty.
• Responsible and accountable for registering all related sales on the cash register, collects and handles cash as required. 
• Handle telephone calls that do not require personal attention of the pharmacist, including those to and from physicians’ offices. 
• Assist and support Pharmacy Department on inventory management activities including: 

-Check and remove outdated medications from usable pharmacy stock on a monthly basis.

-Determine if a particular medication should be ordered to maintain inventory. 

-Sort, label, and stock all incoming medication. 

-Manage OTC inventory and product placement. 

• Help facilitate the day-to-day activities of the 340B program in collaboration with the pharmacist on duty and troubleshoot any issues that arise for patients.

• Provide immunizations to patients when appropriate.

• Use effective time management skills to manage multiple competing responsibilities and appropriately prioritizes these items to execute appropriate patient centered care (data entry, filling prescriptions, managing patients at POS system, assisting with answering phones, etc)
• Able to anticipate when something is wrong or likely to go wrong; recognizing there is a problem and collaborate with the pharmacist on duty on resolution.
• Follow established procedures concerning quality assurance, security of controlled substances, and disposal of drugs designated as hazardous waste. 
• Comply with all state and federal laws and regulations regarding the practice of pharmacy.
• Comply with all security measures and quality standards outlined by Neighborhood Health policies and procedures. 
• Maintain compliance standards in accordance with the compliance policies and code-of-conduct. Report compliance problems appropriately.
• Engage in quality improvement initiatives that align with and support the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH). 

• Attend and participate in meetings and in-services as required. Participates in professional development activities. Serves on committees as requested.
• Perform duties in accordance with NHC Standards of Conduct and Mission Statement.
• Perform related work as required and other duties (similar physical requirements and OSHA risk level) as assigned. 

340B Auditing/Administrative Assistant responsibilities

• Develop and maintain an understanding of the 340B program.
• Understand the difference between 340B inventory and non-340B inventory.
• Assist the Senior Director of Pharmacy in overseeing the daily operations of the 340B program at contract pharmacies and in-house pharmacy.
• Complete monthly and annual audits of 340B program 
• Assist the Senior Director of Pharmacy in inventory replenishment at contract pharmacies.
• Facilitate qualifying referral based 340B eligible claims.

Clinical Assistant responsibilities

• This role will communicate and work effectively with patients and various members of the healthcare team including office staff, nursing triage units, and providers. Job responsibilities include but may not be limited to:

-Receiving prescription refill requests by e-prescriptions from pharmacies, patient portals, or patient phone calls.

-Authorizing prescription refills according to protocol using an Electronic Medical Record (EMR).

-Completing refill requests in a timely and accurate manner according to protocols.

-Utilizing the electronic health record to ensure patients are in compliance with laboratory and other monitoring for medications based on protocols

-Escalating requests to prescriber and/or office staff whe.n request requires is outside of the approved protocol and needs clinical review.

-Communicating effectively and efficiently with physicians, office staff, patients and/or pharmacies.

-Triages phone calls from pharmacies, patients, and providers.

-Troubleshoots patients and/or clinic staff refill questions and concerns.

-Provides high quality customer service to patients, family members and all care team members.

-Be able to organize refill and Prior Authorization (PA) requests as well as follow up with the appropriate parties to resolve.

-Facilitate operational needs in other departments based on availability and training.

REQUIRED SKILLS / ABILITIES

• Clinical—demonstrates a working knowledge of medical theory and practice to evaluate and provide patient care; skill in taking medical history to assess medical condition and interpret findings; maintains knowledge of, and acts in accordance with, current NHC policies and procedures. 
• Problem solving – identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner and gathers and analyzes information skillfully.
• Interpersonal skills—maintains confidentiality, remains open to others’ ideas and exhibits willingness to try new things; maintains friendly and supportive relationships with coworkers; talks through problems to keep channels of communication open and maintain a high level of trust; realizes the importance of, and practices, good customer service; and able to communicate effectively and build collaborative, supportive relationships with people of varying cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, languages, and educational levels. 
• Oral communication—speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations, demonstrates group presentation skills. 
• Written communication—edits work for spelling and grammar, presents numerical data effectively and is able to read and interpret written information.
• Planning/organizing —prioritizes and plans work activities, uses time efficiently. 
• Quality Control – understands the importance of compliance standards and pays close attention to accuracy and detail when performing duties; demonstrates a working knowledge of how grant requirements and federal/state laws impact the day-to-day operations of NHCI’s Pharmacy Department. 
• Adaptability – adapts to changes in the work environment, manages competing demands and is able to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events.
• Dependability – consistently at work and on time, follows instructions, responds to management direction and solicits feedback to improve performance.
• Safety and security – actively promotes and personally observes safety and security procedures, and uses equipment and materials properly. 
• Information Technology/Medical Equipment – proficient in the use of computers and other medical equipment/instruments to administer patient care and accurately retrieve/record patient data. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS :

Education / Training

High School Diploma or GED. Advanced training as a pharmacy technician. 

Experience

Five (5) years of community pharmacy experience preferred. 

Licensure/Certification

Possession of an Indiana State Pharmacy Technician license.

Within 1 year of employment, must successfully complete all training / testing required to receive certification as a Pharmacy Technician in the state of Indiana. 

Physical Requirements

Prolonged standing and walking, some stooping, bending, and stretching. Requires eye-hand coordination sufficient to operate medical instruments, equipment, and computer keyboard. Requires ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 lbs. Requires ability to handle and assist patients. Requires corrected vision and hearing to normal range to record, prepare, and communicate appropriate reports. Requires ability to work under stressful conditions. Requires exposure to communicable diseases and bodily fluids. 

Work Environment

Normal medical office environment. Work may include irregular hours, including evenings and weekends. Involves frequent contact with other staff, physicians’ offices, patients, and the public. Contact may involve dealing with sick, angry, or upset people. Frequent exposure to communicable diseases, toxic substances, medicinal preparations, and other conditions common to a clinic environment. OSHA Category I – Tasks involve contact with blood or body substances.