Pharmacy Technician

The Community Care Clinical Pharmacy Technician (Outpatient) position at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) functions in the outpatient section of the Pharmacy service line under the Associate Director's Office. This assignment involves the receiving, assessing, processing, and documenting of all Community Care prescriptions.The Pharmacy Technician assists the Community Care Clinical Pharmacist in all daily tasks concerning Community Care prescribed prescriptions and related tasks.

Major Duties:

Community Care Prescription Support:

• Receives faxed, mailed, electronically prescribed, or delivered prescriptions written by Non-VA providers and documents all received prescriptions in electronic health records.
• Utilizes electronic health records, or other related sites to determine authorization of Non-VA Care by the Tomah VA Medical Center.
• Communicates with patients concerning prescriptions received from unauthorized provider visits and handles prescriptions appropriately, whether forwarding to primary care provider, returning to patient, and/or documenting in electronic health records.
• 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 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 representative, and documents these actions in electronic health records.
• Initiates the non-formulary/prior authorization process with the Non-VA provider and records needed documentation in electronic health records.
• Follows up via phone and/or fax with Non-VA Provider regarding initiated communications concerning non-formulary/prior authorization medications, clarifications, or medication change requests frequently, and documents in electronic health records.
• Enters non-formulary or prior authorization consult requests in electronic health records for review and completion by the reviewing Pharmacist, after all needed documentation has been received.
• Inputs authorized prescriptions or prepares electronically prescribed medications in electronic health record for the review and verification by a Clinical Pharmacist.
• Contacts patients with updates on Non-VA prescriptions and documents in electronic health records.
• Files all prescriptions for easy retrieval on the Pharmacy shared (S) drive.
• Assists in the tracking and shipping of Non-VA prescribed controlled substances, as well as all Non-VA prescribed medications mailed from the Tomah VA Pharmacy or Charleston Consolidated Mail-Out Pharmacy (CMOP).
• Communicates with Procurement Pharmacist or Procurement Technician when specialty medications need to be ordered.
• Initiates requests for medications from specialty pharmacies, releases medication once delivery confirmation received, files prescription packet appropriately, and communicates with procurement team regarding delivery receipt confirmation.

Controlled Substance Non-VA Prescription Support
Telephone Triage
Outpatient Drug Distribution
Operates as procurement/CS backup

Work Schedule: Full-time; M-F, 8:00am-4:30pm
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

To qualify for this position, internal Tomah VA applicants must meet all requirements within 15 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a.
• Education or Experience: A high school diploma or equivalent; or at least 3 months experience associated with the scope of Pharmacy Technician practice.
• Certification: Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at the GS-6 level and above. A COPY OF YOUR CERTIFICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH YOUR APPLICATION.

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements listed above, you must meet the following GRADE REQUIREMENTS.

GS-08 GRADE REQUIREMENTS
Specialized Experience: Must have one year of experience equivalent to at least the next lower level (GS-07) that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. You must fully meet the KSAs at the GS-7 level which includes: ability to solve problems and make recommendations, e.g., troubleshoot operational problems and refer for appropriate action; knowledge of the operation and care of automated equipment; knowledge of, and ability to follow, written instructions for compounding with aseptic technique for hazardous materials such as oncology agents; knowledge, and ability to perform, compounding with aseptic technique for routine sterile products; knowledge of policies and procedures for inventory management in specialized areas such as emergency carts; and, knowledge of the computerized prescription process demonstrated by the ability to input prescriptions and medication orders.
AND
You must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skill, and Abilities:
1. Ability to evaluate, analyze workflow, and coordinate work activities.
2. Ability to independently gather, evaluate, and analyze data to generate reports and/or for other
projects/statistical purposes.
3. Knowledge of pharmacy policies and procedures sufficient to train and orient new employees and
other staff
4. Comprehensive knowledge of the operation and care of specialized pharmaceutical equipment.
5. Comprehensive knowledge of the procurement and formulary process.
6. Comprehensive knowledge of investigational drug policies and procedures.
7. Comprehensive knowledge of controlled substance policies and procedures, and the ability to identify
and investigate discrepancies in these policies and procedures.
8. Comprehensive knowledge of, and ability to, analyze data in VA information systems.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G28 Pharmacy Technician Qualification Standard

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08.

Preferred Experience: Proficient in Microsoft 365 software including Word, Excel, Outlook. Prefer individual with Cerner/ Oracle experience.

Physical Requirements: Physical movements involve completion of routine pharmacy functions which include, but are not limited to: significant computer work/typing, prescription order entry and processing, contact of patients (both face to face and via phone). Certain tasks are repetitive in nature and require multiple steps performed in succession for success. The incumbent should be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds without significant difficulty. Incumbent must be able to stand or sit in one place for considerable time during completion of complex tasks. Complexity of mental processes involved is extensive, demanding, and challenging.

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.