Pharmacy Clerk and Courier

At Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, we honor all members of our community and acknowledge the dignity of each person we serve. Our purpose is to provide high quality, comprehensive primary health care to the communities of Washington and Yamhill counties with a special emphasis on migrant and seasonal farm workers and a view to removing barriers to health care. We strive to provide an environment that welcomes and values the people we employ and serve.

If you are unsure whether you meet all the required qualifications for this role but are interested and passionate about this potential position, we encourage you to apply.

Job Summary:

The Pharmacy Clerk/Courier is hybrid by nature and workload may vary at the discretion of the pharmacy manager and pharmacy operational needs. The Pharmacy Clerk assists the Pharmacist to communicate with VG patients and provide excellent customer service. This position answers non-professional phone questions, cashiers, stocks medications, sends and receives drug orders, participates in inventory counts, pulls outdated stock, works with mailing prescriptions including packaging, addressing, and mailing, curbside delivery and assists with cleaning the pharmacy.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Communicate with patients politely and discreetly, clarify questions and refer any medication related questions to the pharmacist. Assist pharmacist with non-clinical patient communication needs, for example, patient's literacy level, comfort with issue, etc.
• Verify identity of person picking up prescriptions.
• Cover other pharmacy clerk positions at other sites on a temporary basis as needed.
• Maintain security of the work area making sure no personnel in pharmacy and it is locked when pharmacist not present.
• May pull expired medications off shelves when directed.
• May assist with inventory of drugs in the pharmacy and maintain inventory by ordering drugs as needed.
• Keep IMP meds and expired meds separated.
• Contact patients as required.
• Work as cashier using Point of Sale system.
• Enter patient demographics and billing information into the computer.
• Accept refill requests by prescription number.
• File prescriptions in the pharmacy.
• Assist with curbside delivery and mailing prescriptions as needed.
• Transport filled medication prescriptions to the patient. Responsible for the timely transportation of filled medication prescriptions to and from the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Pharmacy in Cornelius and other sites including Beaverton, Hillsboro, McMinnville, and Newberg.
• Serve as courier to other VG sites. Responsible for the timely transportation of other medical equipment, interoffice mail, supplies, medical charts or miscellaneous on daily basis.
• Maintenance and upkeep of vehicle. Responsible for maintenance schedule for the vehicle (i.e. oil change; basic routine maintenance, etc.) and alerting management of maintenance issues. Responsible for the daily upkeep of the vehicle (i.e. cleaning out vehicle, charging or refueling, checking air, oil, and all other basic fluids). Keep vehicle in a "ready to go" basis at all times. Maintain calendar of scheduled vehicle care.
• Load products and materials for delivery into delivery vehicle in a safe and orderly fashion.
• Maintain full compliance with all Federal, State and Local laws and regulations.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Pharmacy Supervisor, Pharmacy Manager, Pharmacy Director, Medical Director, or Executive Director.

HIPAA Requirements:

The Pharmacy Clerk/courier will have access to PHI in the course of their duties. The courier uses PHI to transport filled medical prescriptions and charts to the correct location. Applying the minimum necessary standard of HIPAA, the designated record sets to which this employee will have access include: the patient demographics and the patient information, progress notes, diagnostic studies, and offsite records sections of the chart; as well as the practice management system demographic and scheduling functions and information in the pharmacy management system as determined by the pharmacy director. The pharmacy staff may act as non-medical interpreter and will follow HIPAA guidelines as per that job description.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Proficiency in English and Spanish, both spoken and written language required.
• Acceptable driving record.
• Effective Communication
• Valid Oregon driver's license, able to become part of Center's insurance policy
• Proof of liability insurance (must submit name, address and policy of insurance company).
• Have access to a reliable vehicle and/or be eligible to use company vehicle

Education and Experience:

• Over 21 years old
• High School Diploma or equivalent required
• Prior experience as pharmacy clerk in busy environment working with patients and with professional and technical staff, including ordering, returns, and stocking preferred

Behavioral Competencies:

Accountability: Role model VG's mission, vision, and shared values

Customer-Focus: Listen to the voice of the customer and strive to delight them by exceeding their expectations

Teamwork: If someone needs help, help them

Initiative: Be innovative, apply fresh ideas, and continuously improve how you do your work

Confidentiality: Maintain strict confidentiality and respect the privacy of others

Ethical: Demonstrate integrity, honesty, and stewardship in all encounters at work

Respect: Demonstrate consideration and appreciation for co-workers and patients

Communication: Demonstrate the ability to convey thoughts and ideas as well as understand perspective of others

Physical Requirements:

• Standing: up to 100%
• Walking: up to 100%
• Lifting/Carrying: up to 10% - frequently 5-20 lbs; infrequent 20-40 lbs
• Driving/Sitting up to 70%
• Will stoop, bend and reach frequently
• May occasionally use step stool.
• Must be able to type.
• Must be able to read for extended periods.

Working Environment/Physical Hazards:

• Work in well-lighted, ventilated environment.
• Potential exposure to drug vapors or particles (e.g., powdered antibiotics that are reconstituted).
• Possible indirect exposure to blood borne Pathogens; expected to observe infection control.
• Possible exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals.

Equipment Used:

Office equipment

• Computer: pharmacy software, databases and word processing
• Telephone, fax, copier, printer, scanner
• Cash register/ Point of Sale system
• Clinic vehicles

Pharmacy equipment

• Electronic ordering device

Immunization:

Staff members must meet immunization requirements as stated in VGMHC's immunization policy and state and federal guidelines.

Job descriptions represent a general outline of the essential and major job duties, functions and qualifications required. They cannot be all-inclusive and comprehensive due to the dynamic nature of work performed to accomplish VGMHC's Mission.

VGMHC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from consideration for employment because of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, veteran status, marital status, or physical challenges. The policy applies not only to recruitment and hiring practices, but also includes fairness in placement, promotion, transfer, rate of pay, and termination.