Pharmacy Inventory Control Technician

The Pharmacy Inventory Control Technician reports directly to the Director, Pharmacy Business & 340B and indirectly to the Pharmacy Operations Manager. He/she supports pharmacy services by ensuring appropriate perpetual on-hand inventory of medications through manual and automated inventory control systems, maintaining accurate inventory records in compliance with DSCSA, Epic inventory management requirements, and other regulatory mandates. He/she ensures all barcoding, repackaging, transport, and storage of hazardous, non-hazardous, and controlled medications are processed efficiently and accurately, and supports wholesale operations for the hospital by coordinating receipt, verification, packaging, and shipping of all pharmaceutical products.

MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES / CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Receives all pharmaceutical orders into the pharmacy department(s) and stores medications in the appropriate location and under proper storage conditions.
• Reconciles deliveries and reports and investigates all discrepancies to the wholesaler and pharmacy leadership.
• Works directly with Lead Purchasing and Inventory Control Specialist and assumes the responsibility of the role and acts as the primary backup when necessary.
• Repackages all pharmaceutical products into their unit of use. Must ensure that each prepackaged product has the accurate NDC, lot number, expiration date and product description to ensure medication accuracy and 340B compliance.
• Affixes all necessary and accurate supplemental barcodes to each pharmaceutical product to ensure compliance with the hospital's bedside medication verification requirement.
• Evaluates, reviews, and maintains the accurate listing of medications with their NDCs in the auto-label and auto-packager software. Ensures barcode binder is up to date.
• Ensures proper inventory turnover through product rotation and participation in cycle count activities.
• Scans all pharmaceutical products received into the pharmacy department into the DSCSA software.
• Works with contract pharmacy partners to order, receive, package, and ship wholesale deliveries and support accumulator management and TPA invoicing activities for such.
• Properly operates, troubleshoots, monitors, and cleans department automation and equipment needed for unit-of-dose preparation such as the prepackager and barcode label makers.
• Assists in orientation and training of personnel on appropriate hardware and software such as DSCSA software, auto-label, auto-packager, and Talyst carousel and auto cool systems.
• Acts as a backup and coordinates third-party returns with the reverse distributor monthly.
• Assists processing all drug returns promptly and appropriately to the carousel machines, refrigerator, freezer, and/or medication storage room.
• Monitors and documents medication storage conditions, including temperature and humidity, in accordance with policy and regulatory requirements.
• Ensures that state-supplied medications are stored separately from hospital-acquired product.
• Ensures the appropriate storage and segregation of 340B and non-340B inventory as appropriate.
• Rotates the inventory within the medication bins in the carousels and medication storage room by utilizing the first-come, first-use approach.
• Collaborates with the Lead Purchasing and Inventory Control Specialist to maintain an optimal inventory turnover rate.
• Proactively alerts the Lead Purchasing and Inventory Control Specialist of low pars and restocking opportunities.
• Triages urgent patient medication needs dependent on receipt of wholesale order when appropriate.
• Supports the ongoing operational needs of Epic’s inventory management system.
• Ensures accuracy of carousel inventory counts.

QUALIFICATIONS / REQUIREMENTS:

• Registered pharmacy technician in the state of Connecticut
• National pharmacy technician certification (CPhT): required
• Three years pharmacy experience, preferably in an inpatient hospital pharmacy setting
• Demonstrated technology proficiency, particularly in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and Teams

PHYSICAL EFFORT:

Requires repetitive movement of boxes and storage supplies such as drug packages, boxes, coolers, and temperature gel packs up to 30 lbs.

MANUAL SKILLS:

Some portions of daily assignments involve application of manual skills requiring motor coordination in combination with finger dexterity.