Medication Access Specialist Technician

Brown Medicine•Cranston, RI

3d•$27 - $28•Onsite

About The Position

Reports to the Pharmacist-in-Charge at Brown University Health Specialty Pharmacy. Under the supervision of a pharmacist and direction of the Pharmacy Technician Group Leader, performs advanced technical functions in preparing, formulating, and packaging medication and pharmaceutical supplies. Assists with coordinating specialty pharmacy activities within the scope of services provided and with consideration for the ages of patients served. Interacts effectively and compassionately with patients, families, providers, nurses, and other support personnel. Collects and processes patient information and payments, and uses multiple pharmacy system applications to access, enter, and retrieve information. Employees are expected to model Brown University Health’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, and demonstrate the core Success Factors: Instill Trust and Value Differences, Patient and Community Focus, and Collaborate. This position supports specialty pharmacy patient access and service, including benefits investigations, financial assistance, prescription refills, prior authorizations, patient outreach, call center operations, dispensing, and delivery support. It also contributes to medication safety, quality improvement, accreditation maintenance, staff training, and pharmacy operations. The role performs independently within department policies and refers complex issues to a supervisor when clarification is needed. No supervisory responsibility.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Current, unrestricted Rhode Island Pharmacy Technician licensure.
At least two years of pharmacy technician experience; commensurate related-field experience, such as benefits management, may be considered in lieu of technician experience.
Maintain current National Pharmacy Technician Certification (CPhT), or have at least one year of licensed pharmacy technician work experience, sit for the CPhT exam within six months of hire, and obtain and maintain CPhT certification within 12 months of hire.
Strong customer service presence and verbal and written communication skills for interacting with patients, providers, nurses, and support staff.
Ability to multitask and reprioritize while maintaining accuracy and service standards.
Obtain Medication Access Specialist Technician competency requirements within three months of hire and maintain them at least annually, including disease-state-specific training, accreditation updates, and other required operational competencies.
Ability to lift, carry, and maneuver medication delivery equipment and pharmaceutical inventories; grasp instruments; and perform finger-dexterity tasks.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
Visual acuity and manual dexterity to operate a computer and enter data using a keyboard and mouse.

Nice To Haves

One to two years of college.
Previous experience with specialty pharmacy services, call center customer service, and/or prior authorization management.

Responsibilities

Provide friendly, helpful, customer-oriented service to patients, providers, nurses, and support personnel.
Maintain pharmacy interdepartmental relationships to support transitions of patient care from clinic to pharmacy.
Support growth of the Specialty Pharmacy patient population through face-to-face interaction and recruitment.
Respond to questions about medication cost and availability, communicate wait times and drug availability issues, and advise on refill authorization for expired prescriptions.
Educate patients about the features and value of the Specialty Drug Patient Management Program (SDPMP).
Protect patient confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA guidelines.
Collect patient information needed for prescription filling and benefits investigations, including identifying, contact, date-of-birth, and insurance information.
Enter patient data into pharmacy systems for accurate insurance billing and payment processing, and collect and process payments.
Develop relationships with assigned patients to encourage retention; proactively contact patients to assess medication needs and estimated adherence, including medication supply on hand.
Help patients resolve identified problems and refer clinical questions, medication concerns, and potential drug interactions to a pharmacist.
Conduct benefits investigations for new SDPMP patients and identify coverage details patients or their representatives cannot provide.
Secure therapy-related financial assistance when possible, including manufacturer programs and recognized foundations; refer patients to or assist with applications to manufacturer assistance programs.
Navigate the Electronic Health Record (EHR) to answer questions and document information for prior authorizations and financial assistance applications.
Proactively secure medication refills and prior authorization renewals.
Assist pharmacists in identifying ancillary supplies needed for select medications, including sharps containers, needles or syringes, alcohol swabs, and bandages.
Assume responsibility for assigned pharmacy areas, including specialty pharmacy call center operations, non-sterile compounding, medication purchasing, prescription dispensing, and delivery support.
Keep medication supply areas orderly and store medications under proper light, temperature, and sanitation conditions.
Support accreditation maintenance and payer and medication access through documentation of required patient-care and operational data.
Participate in quality assessment and improvement activities and help identify opportunities and develop new processes.
Participate in medication safety initiatives and use approved processes to report actual, prevented, and near-miss medication errors.
Assist with training, onboarding, and supporting staff under the guidance of a pharmacist or Technician Group Leader.
Rotate to applicable Brown University Health Pharmacy Services assignments as needed, based on demonstrated competency and knowledge.