The incumbent serves as a Pharmacy Technician in VISN 4 at the Altoona VA Medical Center. The Pharmacy Contact Center Technician will provide and support administrative and clinical activities as assigned. All assigned clinical activities and functions shall be completed in accordance with approved pharmacy protocols and standards of practice.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws FUNCTIONS: a. 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. b. Routinely reviews computer medication profiles for therapeutic duplication, prescription noncompliance and allergies/drug reactions. Transfers identified patients to a Pharmacist or supervisor, for further evaluation, if needed. c. 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 and standards of practice when appropriate to satisfy patient medication requests. d. Consistently documents patient contact and call resolution in VA 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. e. 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. f. 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 g. Maintains National Pharmacy Technician Certification. h. Participates in continuous daily improvement and VISN 4 Altoona initiatives. i. Assist in handling patient safety initiatives, first fill prescription contract, cost avoidance programs, and other initiatives as determined by the VISN 4 Pharmacy Executive or Altoona leadership. j. Completes additional duties as assigned. CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS: Meets the needs of customers while supporting the VA mission. Demonstrates good customer relation skills when addressing patients, their families and fellow employees. Does not cause problems or antagonize others through rudeness or lack of diplomacy. Personal interactions are free of valid complaints. Performance must show the ability to adjust to changes in workflow and the ability to function as a team member, helping the group effort where possible. Responds to customer inquiries in a helpful and timely fashion. If not able to remedy a situation, the employee is able to direct the opportunity to the appropriate resource. Promotes harmonious relationships within the work environment, which supports the needs of the team and the customers. PREFFERED EXPERIENCE: Three years' experience in a role as an Pharmacy Technician in an outpatient setting. Knowledge of call center processes and procedures. Very strong customer service skills. Experience resolving technical issues. Any call center experience Work Schedule: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. with rotating weekends and evening shift Compressed/Flexible: Not Athorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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. Education or Experience. A high school diploma or equivalent; or at least 3 months experience. Certification. Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacy technicians appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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).Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: GS-6 (a) Experience. One year experience at the next lower level, and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): (b) Certification. PTCB certification is required at this grade level and above. (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. Ability to solve problems and make recommendations, e.g., troubleshoot operational problems and refer for appropriate action. 2. Knowledge of the operation and care of automated equipment. 3. Knowledge of, and ability to follow, written instructions for compounding with aseptic technique for hazardous materials such as oncology agents. 4. Knowledge, and ability to perform, compounding with aseptic technique for routine sterile products. 5. Knowledge of policies and procedures for inventory management in specialized areas such as emergency carts. 6. Knowledge of the computerized prescription process demonstrated by the ability to input prescriptions and medication orders. (d) Assignments. Pharmacy technicians may be assigned to any area of the pharmacy including expanded distributive function assignments; for example assignment as team leaders for specific process improvement teams involving technical areas or performing more highly complex duties including preparation of oncology agents for clinical pharmacy specialists. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Experience at the lower level is considered: GS-5 (a) Education or Experience. Successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree that included at least 24 semester hours of courses related to pharmacy or pharmacy technology; successful completion of pertinent specialized training courses in pharmaceutical and pharmacy services while serving in the Armed Forces is creditable on a month-for-month basis up to the 1 year of experience required for the GS-5 level; or at least 1 year of experience at the next lower level that demonstrates the core competencies (KSAs) described at the GS-4 level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. Ability to operate and care for automated dispensing devices and equipment. 2. Knowledge of, and ability to perform, aseptic technique. 3. Knowledge of basic inventory procedures. 4. Knowledge of pharmacy information systems. Assignments. This is the full performance level for pharmacy technicians. Employees at this grade level serve as staff pharmacy technicians receiving little guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patients and procedures, and require minimal supervision References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/15, PART II, APPENDIX G28 dated 3/17/2006. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6 only. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-6 only. Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary in nature; call center environment.

Education

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.

Contacts

• Address James E Van Zandt VA Medical Center 2907 Pleasant Valley Boulevard Altoona, PA 16602 US
• Name: Tianna Miller
• Phone: 404-680-6127
• Email: [email protected]