Pharmacy Technician, Inter./Associate/Assistant

UPMC Williamsport is seeking a motivated Pharmacy Technician to join our inpatient team If you are looking for a new opportunity and are interested in working in a hospital pharmacy environment, we invite you to apply today

This role will work Days with Rotation, with the primary shift being 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Additionally, there is an every-other-weekend rotation and two holidays per year requirement. This is subject to change based on staffing needs. 

We offer a competitive wage, a generous total rewards benefits package, and a pharmacy technician career ladder to help you grow professionally

Applicants will be considered at the Pharmacy Assistant, Pharmacy Technician Associate, and Pharmacy Intermediate levels. 

*Applicants will be placed in the appropriate job title and salary based on his/her individual experience, education, and certifications at the time of hire.

Pharmacy Technician Associate Range: $18.21-27.36 

Pharmacy Assistant Range:  $17.78-26.69

Join our team at UPMC Health System as a Pharmacy Technician, Intermediate, where you’ll provide exceptional pharmaceutical care to our patients. You’ll excel in essential technician functions such as sterile and non-sterile medication preparation, packaging, labeling, filling, and distribution. Your work will comply with the Department of Health, The Joint Commission, and the State Board of Pharmacy regulations.

Key Responsibilities:

General Duties:

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• Maintain a clean, organized, and well-stocked work environment.
  
  
• Keep all necessary documentation up-to-date, including eye wash logs, refrigerator logs, and inventory logs.
  
  
• Ensure safe and secure storage of medications in compliance with regulations.
  
  
• Participate in quality improvement activities to enhance pharmaceutical care.
  
  
• Use computer skills to manage patient information and records.
  
  
• Finalize sales using the cash register and follow proper cash handling procedures.
  
  
• Audit and maintain accurate records for controlled substances.
  
  
• Procure and maintain adequate inventory levels in various pharmacy areas.
  
  

Filling Duties:

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• Prepare cytotoxic and hazardous drugs (e.g., chemotherapy) using proper aseptic techniques.
  
  
• Assist in filling medication orders with correct labeling, counting, and stocking practices.
  
  
• Prepare oral and injectable medications, including intravenous admixtures and TPN, for the correct patient at the appropriate time.
  
  

Distribution Duties:

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• Develop and maintain positive service relationships during the medication distribution process.
  
  
• Participate in the distribution of medication cassettes, emergency medication carts, and controlled substances.
  
  
• Retrieve and return discontinued medications to the appropriate pharmacy area.
  
  

Investigational Duties:

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• Assist in the procurement, accountability, storage, preparation, and distribution of investigational and study drugs.
  
  

Communication:

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• Provide and receive information to and from hospital personnel, patients, and visitors.
  
  
• Refer all drug information questions to Staff Pharmacists.
  
  

Additional Responsibilities:

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• Maintain and update automated med stations, unit and department stock, emergency boxes, and crash carts.
  
  
• Demonstrate high accuracy and skill in maintaining controlled substance records and distribution processes.
  
  

Note: The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not exhaustive lists of all duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skills, abilities, and working conditions associated with the job.

Education and Experience:

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• Completion of a high school diploma or equivalent OR completion of an accredited pharmacy technician program.
  
  
• AND one of the following:
  
  
  • 
    
  • Two years of previous Pharmacy Technician experience.
    
    
  • Enrollment in good standing as a pharmacy student.
    
    
  
  

Quality Improvement:

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• Actively participate as a lead contributor and developer in departmental and collaborative quality improvement initiatives.
  
  
• Assist in data collection, program implementation, and reporting of results.
  
  

Prior Authorization Processing:

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• Possess extensive knowledge of the insurance prior authorization process.
  
  
• Communicate effectively with patients and healthcare providers.
  
  
• Understand necessary documentation from medical records and pharmacy benefit management websites.
  
  
• Complete required paperwork and assist in follow-up for approval processes.
  
  

Medication Access and Adherence:

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• Assist patients and healthcare providers with financial coordination using programs such as copay assistance, pharmaceutical manufacturer assistance programs, foundation assistance, and UPMC programs.
  
  
• Promote quality and patient health through enrollment and management of adherence programs like refill coordination and medication synchronization.
  
  

Decentral Participation:

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• Engage in decentralized technician activities, including automation management, cassette exchange, and expiration return.
  
  
• Demonstrate excellent customer service during interactions with nurses to facilitate the drug distribution process.
  
  
• Monitor pharmacy activities, including turnaround time, stockouts, missing doses, central drop, and AcuDose footprints.
  
  

Medication Reconciliation:

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• Interview patients and caregivers to obtain admission medication information and accurately enter it into the electronic chart for pharmacist review.
  
  
• Coordinate with healthcare professionals to facilitate medication changes during hospital stays and ensure prescription filling upon discharge.
  
  
• Manage transportation of physical prescriptions and coordinate payment from patients to the outpatient pharmacy.
  
  

Automation:

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• Demonstrate high proficiency in working with pharmacy automation technologies, including RobotRx and packaging operations.
  
  

OR Services:

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• Assist with daily operations within the operating room pharmacy, including drawing up syringes, filling kits, case trays, and room boxes.
  
  
• Maintain appropriate inventory and ordering practices for OR satellites and areas.
  
  

Inventory Processes:

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• Understand best practices for inventory control processes, ordering, and receiving medication.
  
  
• Demonstrate knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies related to procurement.
  
  

Non-Sterile Packaging:

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• Package oral dosage forms, including liquid formulations, in the pharmacy packaging system.
  
  

Controlled Substance Handling:

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• Assist with ordering, receiving, and filling controlled substances.
  
  
• Maintain appropriate inventory documentation in compliance with Federal, State, and Department regulations.
  
  

Chemotherapeutic Preparation:

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• Prepare cytotoxic and hazardous drugs (e.g., chemotherapy) in the Sterile Product area with high skill and expertise.
  
  

Sterile Compounding:

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• Compound IV medications using aseptic techniques accurately, efficiently, and timely.
  
  
• Generate necessary sterile product reports, labels, and make time changes using the pharmacy information system.
  
  
• Perform calculations involved in nutritional solution preparation.
  
  

Order Entry:

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• Assist with the order entry of medications into the pharmacy information system, including IV admixtures and TPN, under pharmacist supervision.
  
  

Adjudication/Billing:

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• Submit prescription information to the correct insurance processor.
  
  
• Troubleshoot and resolve rejected claims.
  
  
• Coordinate multiple benefit payers, including Medicare, and obtain all necessary paperwork, including assignment of benefit forms.
  
  

Skills Competency:

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• Demonstrated competency in three (3) of the following fourteen (14) skills:
  
  
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  • Quality Improvement
    
    
  • Prior Authorization Processing
    
    
  • Medication Access and Adherence
    
    
  • Decentral Participation
    
    
  • Medication Reconciliation
    
    
  • Automation
    
    
  • OR Services
    
    
  • Inventory Processes
    
    
  • Non-Sterile Packaging
    
    
  • Controlled Substance Handling
    
    
  • Chemotherapeutic Preparation
    
    
  • Sterile Compounding
    
    
  • Order Entry
    
    
  • Adjudication/Billing
    
    
  
  

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:
N/A

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran