Pharmacy Technician *Upmc St. Margaret*

UPMC St. Margaret is looking for a Pharmacy Technician to join their team!

Many benefits to this position include but are not limited to on-site parking and a schedule of working every 6th or 7th weekend. In addition, UPMC offers a generous benefits package, an expansive total rewards package, the opportunity to grow your career through the UPMC Pharmacy Career Ladder, and much more. If this sounds like a position you are interested in, we encourage you to apply today!

• Applicants will be placed into the appropriate job title and salary based on their individual experience and education*

Sign-on bonus up to $5,000 with 2-year commitment!

Pharmacy Tech Associate:

General:

• Procure and maintain adequate inventory levels on daily basis in applicable areas such pharmacy medication stock rooms, automated medication carousels, and automated dispensing machines.

• Practice appropriate hand hygiene both in the pharmacy and in the units.

• Ensure that all medications in all areas have been safely and securely stored according to Department of Health, The Joint Commission, and State Board of Pharmacy regulations.

• Assist in the training of pharmacy personnel and students.

• comply with Federal and State laws such as HIPAA, regulations such as OSHA, and PBM contracting requirements such as FWA and CMS.

• Finalize sales using cash register, follow proper cash handling policies and procedures.

• Participate in departmental quality improvement activities in order to continually improve and evaluate pharmaceutical care as reflected by operational and patient care indicators.

• Maintain all patient information and records. Maintain the pharmacy computer system as required.

• Maintain all pertinent documentation as required. This includes eye wash logs, refrigerator logs, perpetual inventory logs etc.

• Audit and maintain accurate records for controlled substances. Assure that all such drugs are stored and dispensed in compliance with Federal, State, and Department Regulations.

• Provide and received information (via telephone, person-to-person, or written) to hospital personnel, patients and visitors. Refer all drug information questions to Staff Pharmacists.

• Develop and maintain a clean, organized, and adequately stocked work environment.

• Use computer skills to process and maintain all patient information and records.

• Maintain and update automated med stations, unit and department stock, emergency boxes, and crash carts.

• Demonstrate a high level of accuracy and skill in maintaining controlled substance records and the distribution process for controlled substances.

Distribution:

• Retrieve medications that have been discontinued and return (and credits if necessary) them to the appropriate pharmacy area.

• Participate in the distribution of medication including medication cassettes, emergency medication carts and the delivery of controlled substances per department policy and state and federal requirements.

• Develop and maintain positive and productive service relationships during medication distribution process.

Filling:

• Consistently has the ability to work in the Sterile Product area preparing cytotoxic and hazardous drugs (e.g. chemotherapy) using proper aseptic technique.

• Assist in the preparation of the proper oral and injectable medications (including intravenous admixtures and TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition)) for the correct patient for administration at the appropriate time. Use proper technique in the preparation of medications.

• Assist in filling medication orders through correct labeling, counting and stocking practices. Initial and date products as required.

• Assist in the procurement, accountability, storage, preparation and distribution of investigational and study drugs.

• Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned this job. They are not exhaustive lists of all duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skills, abilities and working conditions associated with the job.

Pharmacy Tech Intermediate:

Distribution:

• Develop and maintain positive and productive service relationships during medication distribution process.

• Participate in the distribution of medication including medication cassettes, emergency medication carts and the delivery of controlled substances per department policy and state and federal requirements.

• Retrieve medications that have been discontinued and return (and credits if necessary) them to the appropriate pharmacy area.

Filling:

• Assist in filling medication orders through correct labeling, counting and stocking practices. Initial and date products as required.

• Assist in the preparation of the proper oral and injectable medications (including intravenous admixtures and TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition)) for the correct patient for administration at the appropriate time. Use proper technique in the preparation of medications.

• Consistently has the ability to work in the Sterile Product area preparing cytotoxic and hazardous drugs (e.g. chemotherapy) using proper aseptic technique.

General:

• Audit and maintain accurate records for controlled substances. Assure that all such drugs are stored and dispensed in compliance with Federal, State, and Department Regulations.

• Demonstrate a high level of accuracy and skill in maintaining controlled substance records and the distribution process for controlled substances.

• Develop and maintain a clean, organized, and adequately stocked work environment.

• Ensure that all medications in all areas have been safely and securely stored according to Department of Health, The Joint Commission, and State Board of Pharmacy regulations. Comply with Federal and State laws such as HIPAA, regulations such as OSHA, and PBM contracting requirements such as FWA and CMS.

• Maintain all pertinent documentation as required. This includes eye wash logs, refrigerator logs, perpetual inventory logs etc.

• Maintain and update automated med stations, unit and department stock, emergency boxes, and crash carts.

• Participate in departmental quality improvement activities in order to continually improve and evaluate pharmaceutical care as reflected by operational and patient care indicators.

• Procure and maintain adequate inventory levels on daily basis in applicable areas such pharmacy medication stock rooms, automated medication carousels, and automated dispensing machines.

• Provide and received information (via telephone, person-to-person, or written) to hospital personnel, patients and visitors. Refer all drug information questions to Staff Pharmacists.

• Use computer skills to process and maintain all patient information and records. Maintain all patient information and records. Maintain the pharmacy computer system as required.

• Finalize sales using cash register, follow proper cash handling policies and procedure

Investigational:

• Assist in the procurement, accountability, storage, preparation and distribution of investigational and study drugs.

• Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned this job. They are not exhaustive lists of all duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skills, abilities and working conditions associated with the job.

Qualifications:

Pharmacy Tech Associate:

• Completion of high school diploma or equivalent required AND one of the following:

• Completion of an accredited pharmacy technician program

• Six months of previous pharmacy technician experience

• Six months experience as a Pharmacy Assistant within the UPMC Health System

• Enrollment in a college program and in good standing

Pharmacy Tech Intermediate:

• Completion of high school diploma or equivalent OR Completion of an accredited pharmacy technician program AND one of the following:

• Two years of previous Pharmacy Technician experience OR Enrollment in good standing as a pharmacy student.

• Demonstrated competency in THREE (3) of the following FOURTEEN (14) skills:

• ADJUDICATION/BILLING: Consistently exhibit the following actions; submission of prescription information to correct insurance processor, troubleshoot and resolve rejected claims, reliably coordinate multiple benefit payers, including Medicare obtaining all necessary paperwork including assignment of benefit forms.

• AUTOMATION: Possess a high level of knowledge and skill in working with pharmacy automation technologies, including RobotRx and packaging operations.

• CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC PREPARATION: Consistently has the ability to work in the Sterile Product area preparing cytotoxic and hazardous drugs (e.g. chemotherapy) with a high level of skill and expertise.

• CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE HANDLING: Assist with controlled substance ordering, receiving, and filling, and maintain appropriate inventory documentation in compliance with Federal, State, and Department Regulations.

• DECENTRAL PARTICIPATION: Engage in decentralized technician activities including automation management, cassette exchange, and expiration return, and demonstrate customer service during all interactions with nurses to facilitate the drug distribution process. Monitor pharmacy activities including but not limited to turn around time, stockouts, missing doses, central drop, and AcuDose footprints.

• INVENTORY PROCESSES: Maintain an understanding of best practices associated with inventory control processes, ordering, and receiving medication. Demonstrate a solid understanding related to laws, regulations, and policies and procedures related to procurement.

• MEDICATION ACCESS AND ADHERENCE: assist patients and health care providers with financial coordination using programs such as: copay assistance, pharmaceutical manufacturer assistance programs, foundation assistance and UPMC program. Promote quality and patient health through enrollment and management of adherence programs such as refill coordination and medication synchronization.

• MEDICATION RECONCILIATION: Interview patients and appropriate caregivers to obtain admission medication information and accurately enter it into the electronic chart for review by a pharmacist. Coordinate with health care professionals to facilitate any medication changes made throughout the hospital stay and ensure the filling of prescriptions for patients upon discharge. This may include transportation of the physical prescription and coordination of payment from the patient to the outpatient pharmacy.

• NON-STERILE PACKAGING: Able to package oral dosage forms including liquid formulations in the pharmacy packaging system.

• OR SERVICES: Understand and consistently assist with the daily operations within the operating room pharmacy, including drawing up syringes and filling kits, case trays, room boxes, etc., as well as appropriate inventory and ordering practices for OR satellites and areas.

• ORDER ENTRY: Assist with the order entry of medications into the pharmacy information system including IV admixtures and TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition), under the supervision of a pharmacist.

• PRIOR AUTHORIZATION PROCESSING: possess a high level of knowledge regarding insurance prior authorization process including communication with patient and health care providers, understanding of documentation needed from medical records and pharmacy benefit management websites, ability to complete needed paperwork and assist in the follow-up with the approval process.

• QUALITY IMPROVEMENT: participation in an active role as a lead contributor/developer in department and collaborative quality improvement, assist in data collection, program implementation and reporting of results.

• STERILE COMPOUNDING: Compound IV medications using appropriate aseptic technique in an accurate, efficient, and timely manner. Utilizing the pharmacy information system, generate any necessary sterile product reports, labels, or makes time changes; discontinue IV solutions with a high level of skill and accuracy. Able to perform the calculations involved in nutritional solution preparation.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

N/A

• Act 34

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran