Pharmacy Tech I

At Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, we honor all members of our community and acknowledge the dignity of each person we serve. Our purpose is to provide high quality, comprehensive primary health care to the communities of Washington and Yamhill counties with a special emphasis on migrant and seasonal farm workers and a view to removing barriers to health care. We strive to provide an environment that welcomes and values the people we employ and serve.

If you are unsure whether you meet all the required qualifications for this role but are interested and passionate about this potential position, we encourage you to apply.

Job Summary: The Pharmacy Technician I assists the Pharmacist to communicate with and provide good customer service to VG patients. This position answers phones, receives prescriptions, collects patient information, stocks medications, fills new and refill prescriptions, fills prescriptions labels, works with Rx insurance and assists with cleaning the pharmacy.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Read prescriptions, verify orders are complete and ready to fill and use software to type new prescriptions and create labels.
• Communicate politely and discreetly; clarify questions and refer any medication related questions to the pharmacist, assist pharmacist with particular patient communication needs, for example, patient’s literacy level, comfort with issue, etc.
• Translate medication information between patients and pharmacist as needed.
• Assist staff pharmacists in translating sensitive and confidential medical information in a professional setting via telephone.
• Cover other pharmacy technician positions at other sites on a temporary basis as needed.
• Maintain security of the work area; pharmacy locked when pharmacist not present.
• Maintain the highest possible degree of accuracy with all written, spoken and typed information.
• Ensure medications are stored properly.
• Pull expired medications at least monthly.
• Maintain inventory by ordering drugs as needed daily.
• Keep inventory of drugs in the pharmacy.
• Accurately document all transactions.
• Prepare medications for provider to administer or dispense.
• Maintain the IMP system, ensuring that forms are available.
• Complete paperwork for obtaining medications through IMP as directed by pharmacist or provider.
• Notify patients when IMP medications are received.
• Be available by phone for IMP patient questions/concerns.
• Keep IMP meds and expired meds separated.
• Follow through to ensure IMP applications are complete and are accompanied by all documents required by the manufacturer.
• Document and track IMP patients and their medications on Rx Assist or other computer software.
• Return to stock or dispose IMP meds not picked up or discontinued.
• Dispose of expired IMP meds in proper area.
• Contact patients when required.
• Perform other duties as requested by supervisor.
• Handle protected health information (PHI) in a manner consistent with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

HIPAA Requirements:

The Pharmacy Technician I will have access to PHI in the course of carrying out his/her duties. The Pharmacy Technician I will use the PHI when gathering personal information to fill prescriptions, bill insurance or charge patients, maintain up to date pharmacy records, and apply for patient assistance program medications. Applying the minimum necessary standard of HIPAA, the designated record sets to which this employee will have access include: the practice management system demographic and scheduling functions, information in the pharmacy management system as determined by the pharmacy director, the patient profile, and patient assistance program records. The pharmacy staff may also perform the duties of an interpreter and will follow HIPAA guidelines as per that job description.

Board of the Pharmacy Requirements

• Must obtain a Pharmacy Technician license from the Oregon Board of Pharmacy within 60 days of hire, with which VGMHC will assist the employee. Cannot perform pharmacy technician functions without an active license. Will be required to submit to background check; may be required to have drug screening at request of supervisor.
• Must become a Nationally Certified Technician by no later than the second June 30 from the Pharmacy Technician license issuance date.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficiency in English and Spanish, both spoken and written language required.
• QSI software experience is desired.

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Prior experience as pharmacy technician in busy pharmacy environment working with patients and with professional and technical staff, including order entry, filling prescriptions, insurance preparation, ordering/returns/stocking preferred.
• Other specialized experience, education or skills desired include: experience in multiple practice settings, compounding experience, continuing education, special interest areas in pharmacy, and inventory management.

Behavioral Competencies:

Accountability

• Role model VG’s mission, vision, and shared values

Customer-Focus

• Listen to the voice of the customer and strive to delight them by exceeding their expectations

Teamwork

• If someone needs help, help them

Initiative

• Be innovative, apply fresh ideas, and continuously improve how you do your work

Confidentiality

• Maintain strict confidentiality and respect the privacy of others

Ethical

• Demonstrate integrity, honesty, and stewardship in all encounters at work

Respect

• Demonstrate consideration and appreciation for co-workers and patients

Communication

• Demonstrate the ability to convey thoughts and ideas as well as understand perspective of others

Physical Requirements

• Standing: up to 100%
• Walking: up to 100%
• Sitting: up to 50%
• Lifting/Carrying: less than 5%
• Physical demanding tasks: Must be able to lift/carry up to 30 lbs.
• May occasionally stoop, bend: will reach frequently.
• May occasionally use step stool
• Must be able to type
• Must be able to open and close prescription and patient vitals
• Must be able to read for extended periods.

Working Environment/Physical Hazards

• Work in well-lighted, ventilated environment.
• Potential exposure to drug vapors or particles (e.g., powdered antibiotics that are reconstituted).
• Possible indirect exposure to blood borne Pathogens; expected to observe infection control.
• Possible exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals.

Equipment Used:

Office equipment

• Computer: pharmacy software, databases and word processing
• Telephone: must be able to hear and communicate
• Fax/copier
• Cash register

Pharmacy equipment

• Automated tablet counting machine
• Electronic ordering device

Immunization:

Staff members must meet immunization requirements as stated in VGMHC’s immunization policy and state and federal guidelines.

Job descriptions represent a general outline of the essential and major job duties, functions and qualifications required. They cannot be all-inclusive and comprehensive due to the dynamic nature of work performed to accomplish VGMHC’s Mission.

VGMHC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from consideration for employment because of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, veteran status, marital status, or physical challenges. The policy applies not only to recruitment and hiring practices, but also includes fairness in placement, promotion, transfer, rate of pay, and termination.