[Hiring] Lead Pharmacy Technician @Pittsburgh VA Medical Center

Role Description

The incumbent serves as a Pharmacy Lead Technician in a VISN Clinical Contact Center (CCC) as part of an interprofessional healthcare team.

• Receives telephone calls from and responds to veterans, their family members and/or legal representatives regarding a broad range of topics, including medication refills/renewals, basic billing inquiries, and procedural pharmacy activities.
• Routinely reviews computer medication profiles for therapeutic duplication, prescription non-compliance, and allergies/drug reactions. Transfers identified patients to a pharmacist or supervisor for further evaluation, if needed.
• Reviews patient medical record and medication profiles to identify situations of polypharmacy and/or abnormal laboratory findings. Reports identified patients to a pharmacist.
• Processes and submits patient requests for new prescription orders and renewals (including controlled substances) into the computer accurately, thoroughly, and in a timely manner. Uses approved Pharmacy Service protocols when appropriate to satisfy patient medication requests. Handles all refills, return-to-stock, and partial fill patient needs when appropriate.
• Under the supervision of a pharmacist, provides supplemental information concerning operational issues or the need for therapy compliance.
• Professionally handles issues escalated from team members and follows guidelines to address the issue appropriately.
• Is prompt in answering and dealing with telephone calls, supporting the goal of obtaining first call resolution.
• Leads the training of new staff.
• Provides training and encouragement for team members not meeting organizational goals.
• Participates in continuous daily improvement and VISN CCC initiatives.
• Completes additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education or Experience: None required.
• For all grade levels and positions that accept both education and experience to qualify, equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying.
• Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
  • Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
  • National Health Career Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Requirements

• GS-08 Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below.
• Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
  • PTCB as a CPhT.
  • NHA as a ExCPT.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):
  • Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology, and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding, controlled substances, automation, clinical pharmacy, contact center, etc.).
  • Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.
  • Ability to evaluate, analyze, and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy.

Benefits

• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Company Description

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications .