Specialty Pharmacy Technician - Infusion Center

JOB SUMMARY (overview of job)

• This position is responsible for working with the Specialty Pharmacy Coordinator, Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacists, the Medication Assistance Coordinator, and the Specialty Pharmacy staff to provide support for patients receiving specialty medications prescribed by St. Peter’s Health providers.
• Major duties include but are not limited to: Insurance Authorization – perform benefits investigation, obtain insurance prior authorization for specialty medications, pursue appeals for insurance denials, communicate with the specialty pharmacy on the status of medication orders, documents information as needed and follows up on problems or issues; Reimbursement Services – guides patients through the complex approval process to procure specialty medications, assist patients with enrollment in assistance programs including third party, manufacturer, and locally funded plans, follows up with funding programs to confirm patient eligibility and gather all required documentation, communicates with patient, pharmacist, and provider on the status of financial assistance applications and funding; Communication – communicates effectively with insurances companies and internal health care providers, screen, identify and resolve clinical or processing issues related to specialty medications, gather patient information and transmit to specialty pharmacy as directed by the pharmacist, documents all patient interactions.

Knowledge

Knowledge of pharmacy practice including dispensing systems, systems of measurement, pharmaceutical calculations, drug nomenclature including brand and generic drug names, general principles of drug therapy, insurance formularies and prior authorization processes, and pharmacy law. Must have knowledge of and ability to efficiently utilize technology in the practice of pharmacy.

Licensure/Certification/Experience

Licensure as a Certified Pharmacy Technician required. Experience in hospital and/or retail pharmacy practice required. Experience with adjudicating prescription drugs, corresponding with insurance companies, and medication assistance programs preferred. Familiarity with specialty medications and operations preferred.

Aptitudes

• Demonstrated ability to set goals, provide appropriate peer support and demonstrate accountability for project completion. Demonstrated independent judgement in system development and team activities. Demonstrated ability to work efficiently and use time wisely. Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks at the same time. Possession of cognitive, organizational, and emotional abilities to deal effectively with multiple tasks, deadlines, difficult situations and/or customer needs. Ability to accept direction and work effectively with providers, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and financial staff. Outstanding customer service and communication skills.