Summary

The Patient Care Assistant - Telephone Care/Community Care pharmacy technician is a certified pharmacy technician with the ability to support the Pharmacy Contact Center clinical programs at Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS). The incumbent is a highly specialized - efficient - motivated - and customer-friendly representative - who - under the authority of the Chief - Pharmacy Service - is responsible and will provide administrative - clerical - and clinical support.

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Education or Experience: None required for the grade level
• 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 Healthcareer 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 for GS-08 In addition to the basic requirements above - to qualify for the GS-08 you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-07 and demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) 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.) (b) Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures
• (c) Ability to evaluate - analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-08
• Physical Requirements: The work involves regular and recurring physical exertion including walking - bending - prolonged standing - stooping - lifting and carrying packages weighing up to 40 pounds
• Dexterity is required for the operation of Pharmacy equipment.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The duties of the Pharmacy Technician - Telephone Care/Community Care include: Receives faxed - mailed - electronically prescribed - or delivered prescriptions written by non-VA providers
• Reviews Community Care authorization of Non-VA/Community Care
• Communicates with patients concerning prescriptions received from unauthorized provider visits and handles prescriptions appropriately - whether forwarding to primary care provider or returning to patient
• Reviews authorized prescriptions for appropriateness using pharmacy technician knowledge - as well as knowledge concerning the national drug formulary and local VA formulary requirements
• Communicates with Non-VA/Community Care physicians and nurses to request clarification of prescriptions or medication changes due to VA formulary and forwards all changes and clarifications to a licensed pharmacist to receive from the Non-VA/Community Care representative
• Review all consults and notify Pharmacist for completion
• Initiates non-formulary/prior authorization process with the Non-VA/Community provider and records needed documentation
• Follows up via phone and/or fax with Non-VA/Community Provider regarding initiated communications concerning non-formulary/prior authorization medications - clarifications - or medication change requests
• Inputs authorized prescriptions or prepares electronically prescribed medications for the review and verification by the non-VA/Community Care Pharmacist or designee
• Contacts patients with updates on non-VA/Community prescriptions and documents in the electronic health record
• Scans non-formulary and prior authorization documents into the electronic health record as appropriate and files all prescriptions according to federal law and for easy retrieval
• Assists in the tracking and shipping of non-VA/Community prescribed controlled substances - as well as all non-VA/Community prescribed medications mailed locally or from the Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP)
• Reconciles prescriptions received via CBOC courier with their faxed copy
• Work Schedule: Full-Time - Based on the needs of the service Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 70379-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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 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)