What are the responsibilities and job description for the Pharmacy Technician position at Rural Health Services Inc?
Position Summary:
The Pharmacy Technician supports the safe and effective delivery of pharmacy services under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. This role assists with prescription preparation and dispensing, maintains accurate patient records, manages inventory, and ensures compliance with federal, state, and facility regulations. The Pharmacy Technician provides professional, patient-centered service, responds to inquiries, and supports quality assurance initiatives, including the Patient-Centered Medical Home model. Additionally, the role helps maintain a safe, organized, and compliant pharmacy environment to support overall clinic operations.
Essential Functions:
- Provides courteous, professional customer service to patients in person and by telephone; receives requests, responds to general inquiries, and routes clinical questions to the pharmacist.
- Maintains patient confidentiality and handles protected health information in compliance with HIPAA, South Carolina Board of Pharmacy regulations, and FQHC policies.
- Assists the pharmacist in the non-clinical preparation and dispensing of prescription medications under direct supervision, in accordance with South Carolina law.
- Performs technical functions related to prescription processing, including:
- Receiving written, electronic, and pharmacist-authorized verbal prescriptions
- Entering prescription and patient demographic information into the pharmacy system
- Documenting drug allergies and relevant non-clinical patient information
- Prepares prescriptions for pharmacist verification by:
- Selecting appropriate medications and devices from available stock
- Counting, measuring, or packaging medications
- Placing medications in suitable containers
- Generating and affixing accurate prescription labels
- Accepts refill requests from patients and processes them in accordance with pharmacy policy and pharmacist authorization.
- Receives, verifies, and stocks pharmaceutical inventory, including legend drugs and devices; ensures proper storage, rotation, and security of medications.
- Conducts routine inspections for expired, damaged, or recalled medications and removes them from active inventory per facility and regulatory requirements.
- Assists with 340B pharmacy operations, including inventory management and documentation, as permitted within the technician's scope and under pharmacist oversight.
- Processes prescription sales transactions only after the pharmacist has personally offered and/or provided required patient counseling, in compliance with South Carolina law.
- Collects prescription payments and assists with daily cash handling, reconciliation, and audit documentation.
- Processes returned medications, credits, and disposal of expired (done via pharmalink) or unusable products according to facility policies and applicable regulations.
- Assists with patient assistance programs, medication access initiatives, and other non-clinical administrative support activities.
- Supports a safe and compliant pharmacy environment by assisting with equipment maintenance, security procedures, and housekeeping to maintain clean, orderly work areas.
- Performs other duties as assigned that are consistent with the South Carolina pharmacy technician's scope of practice and support the mission of RHS.
Skills/Certifications:
- Ability to interact effectively and professionally with patients, family members, caregivers, community partners, and interdisciplinary health center staff in a culturally competent manner.
- Strong communication and customer service skills, with the ability to handle sensitive information and maintain patient confidentiality in compliance with HIPAA.
- Demonstrated ability to perform the technical and administrative duties associated with pharmacy and medical office operations, including attention to detail and adherence to established policies and procedures.
- Proficiency in basic mathematical functions required for pharmacy operations, including accurate counting, measuring, dosage calculations, inventory reconciliation, and cash handling.
- Ability to accurately handle cash receipts, process payments, and assist with daily reconciliation; must be eligible for bonding in accordance with facility policy.
- Working knowledge of pharmacy workflow, prescription processing, and inventory management.
- Ability to use pharmacy management systems and standard office software efficiently and accurately.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize workload, and function effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a healthcare team and follow direction from a licensed pharmacist.
- Knowledge of compliance with applicable state and federal regulations, including South Carolina Board of Pharmacy requirements.
Education
- High school graduate or equivalent.
- Registered Pharmacy Technician in the State of South Carolina.
- National and State Certified Pharmacy Technician preferred.
- Good typing, computer and organizational skills.
- One year in a related medical or pharmaceutical area.
DISCLAIMER
This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required and the responsibilities of the position may change.