Pharmacy Technician - Clinical

Veterans Health Administration • Des Moines, IA

20d • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacy Technician supports clinical operations of the Pharmacy Department, including Care in the Community prescription triage and acceptance, electronic health record modernization tasks, clinical support and scheduling for the Pharmacy Centralized Anticoagulation Clinic, and support for assigned Clinical Pharmacists and Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners. All clinical decision-making is reviewed by a Clinical Pharmacist and/or Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner, and assigned clinical activities are performed according to approved protocols and procedures.

The role includes reviewing medical charts and medication profiles, conducting patient interviews and medication history reviews, monitoring laboratory results, entering medication and applicable laboratory orders for pharmacist verification, preparing documentation, and providing supplemental patient education. It also provides telephone and scheduling support, including appointment coordination and follow-up of patients who miss appointments. The position schedules outpatient clinic appointments and completes related consultation and electronic record documentation.

This is a full-time, onsite position with a work schedule of 0730–1600. Telework and virtual work are not available. The full performance level is GS-8.

Requirements

• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level.
• For positions above the full performance level, active national certification as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), or as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT) through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology, and policies in a specialized pharmacy area.
• Skill in training and orienting pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.
• Ability to evaluate, analyze, and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized pharmacy area.
• Compliance with applicable background and security investigation, onboarding, identification, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Selected applicants must serve a one- or two-year trial period and receive written certification for continued employment after that period.

Nice To Haves

• Three years of experience as a pharmacy technician.
• Proficiency with medication order entry and transcription.
• Ability to write and communicate professionally.
• Familiarity with CPRS, Cerner, or both.
• Proficiency in accurate and timely completion of self-directed work.

Responsibilities

• Support Pharmacy Department clinical operations, including Care in the Community prescription triage and acceptance, electronic health record modernization tasks, anticoagulation clinic support, and assigned pharmacist support.
• Review charts to confirm active or approved Care in the Community consults and perform initial acceptance or rejection of prescriptions.
• Review daily patient appointments and monitor clinic flow to support timely patient visits.
• Interview patients about medication history, medication effectiveness, and refill needs.
• Review computer medication profiles for prescription duplication, therapeutic duplication, noncompliance, and allergies or adverse drug reactions; report completed medication history reviews to the assigned clinical pharmacist.
• Review laboratory monitoring reports for selected disease states, identify results outside normal limits, and report patients to the assigned clinical pharmacist.
• Review patient charts and medication profiles for polypharmacy and report identified cases to the assigned clinical pharmacist.
• Obtain and assess information about medication compliance, dosages and changes, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, bleeding symptoms, and general health; communicate relevant information to the clinical pharmacist.
• Enter medication and, when appropriate, laboratory orders for pharmacist verification and signature.
• Provide supplemental patient education about operational matters and therapy compliance.
• Run required reports and review data for clinical pharmacist input; document assigned clinical and operational activities.
• Use population health tools to identify patients who may be appropriate for comprehensive medication management by a clinical pharmacist practitioner.
• Complete electronic progress notes, schedule appointments, complete consults, and document data in Pharmacy or patient electronic medical records.
• Communicate medication or diet changes, possible reasons for INR changes, abnormal laboratory findings, and relevant complications or other problems to pharmacists and, when appropriate, providers and nursing staff.
• Provide telephone support for rescheduling missed appointments, patient phone interviews, and triage of calls from patients, family members, and other health providers.
• For anticoagulation clinic scheduling, review daily schedules, no-show or lost-to-follow-up reports, and patient charts; identify follow-up gaps and reasons for missed appointments, reschedule patients who need follow-up, and refer complex problems to a clinical pharmacist or clinical pharmacist practitioner.
• Run lists of patients with INR laboratory results, conduct triage calls for appropriate review, and assign cases to appropriate staff levels.
• Schedule outpatient clinic appointments, visits, and consultations using the current scheduling package and established business rules; complete required training for the outpatient scheduling process.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefit eligibility depends on position type and other applicable criteria.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed