Summary

Pharmacy Technicians in the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Clinical Contact Center are part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. The incumbent is a certified pharmacy technician who is efficient - motivated - focuses on customer satisfaction and - who - under the authority of the VISN CCC Pharmacy Director - or designee - is responsible for the technical management of all patient care assistance activities regarding pharmacy services in the Clinical Contact Center.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a)
• Education or Experience
• (1) None required.(2) 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
• The combined percentage is determined by adding total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level to the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level.(3)Certification
• For positions above the full performance level - the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: (1) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
• OR (2) National Health career Association (NHA) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician - GS-07
• Experience-Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• (Creditable Experience - To be creditable - experience must have required the use of knowledge - skills - abilities - and other characteristics associated with the scope of pharmacy technician practice.)Certification: For positions above the full performance level - the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:(a) PTCB as a CPhT.OR(b) NHA as a ExCPT
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs)-In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles - practices - concepts and theories providing for sound independent work
• (b) Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent
• (c) Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team - Veterans and external customers
• (d) Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students
• (e) Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations - policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution
• (f) Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases
• Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Pharmacy technicians at this level are nationally certified and can work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties
• These pharmacy technicians mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting
• They assist advanced/ specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives
• At this level - pharmacy technicians use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy
• They also function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy - including pharmacy contact centers Preferred Experience: Pharmacy contact center experience VA outpatient pharmacy experience References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/159 PART II APPENDIX G28 dated November 07 - 2023 Physical Requirements: Fine manipulation to include keyboarding (8 hours) - hearing (aid permitted) - employee will be required to sit at a computer for long periods of time in order to complete the duties of the position

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Pharmacy Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Pharmacy-Technician-Career-Flyer.pdf Major duties include: Works collaboratively with VISN programs - services - and interdisciplinary coordinated care team members to provide access to care and meet the needs of Veterans - their family members and/or legal representatives via various available contact modalities to include but not limited to telephone calls - secure messaging - chat - text messaging and video 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
• 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
• Consistently documents patient contact and call resolution in VISN CCC software (and the electronic healthcare record as applicable) to include but is not limited to what was requested - what action was taken and any other information which may be pertinent during future research
• Assists in the documentation of medication variances
• Seeks assistance from designated Lead Technician - a pharmacist or supervisor when responding to unusual questions or when reasonable attempts to satisfy a caller have been unsuccessful
• Actively and diligently treats all Veterans with respect and utmost dignity
• Seeks to solve Veteran's concerns at first contact
• When required - refers to other VA resources to assist in the resolution process
• Always resolves all Veteran issues in a timely and caring manner with emphasis on providing first contact resolution Participates in continuous daily improvement and VISN CCC initiatives
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - various tours of duty between the hours of 7:00am-7:00pm
• Future expansion of hours - to include evenings - weekends - and holidays - may be necessary to meet operational needs
• Compressed/Flexible: Not available Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay - higher or unique qualifications - or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Available (full-time telework position) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required