Pharmacy Tech Handout #1

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, exam scoring requirements per www. ptcb. org The pharmacy technician coifs activities related to three broad function areas. The specific responsibilities and activities that pharmacy technicians may perform within each function area are I. Assisting the Pharmacist in Serving Patients (66% of exam) A. Receive ethical drug/ medicine govern(s) from affected role/patients good example, prescriber, or other healthcare professional 1. have got new prescription medicine/ music order from patient/patients representative, prescriber, or other healthcare professional 2. Accept new prescription/ practice of medicine order electronically (for example, by telephone, fax, or electronic transmission) 3. Accept refill request from patient/patients representative 4. Accept refill authorization from prescriber or other healthcare professional electronically (for example, by telephone, fax, or electronic transmission) 5. Contact prescriber/originator fo r clarification of prescription/ music order refill 6.Perform/accept transfer of prescription/medication order(s) B. Assist the pharmacist in accordance with federal rules and regulations in obtaining from the patient/patients representative such information as diagnosis or desired therapeutic outcome, illness state, medication history (including over-the-counter OTC medications and dietary supplements), allergies, uncomely reactions, health check history and other relevant patient information, physical disability, and payor information (including both self-pay and third party reimbursement) C. Assist the pharmacist in accordance with federal rules and regulations in obtaining from prescriber, other healthcare professionals, and/or the checkup usher such information as diagnosis or desired therapeutic outcome, disease state, medication history (including OTC medications and dietary supplements), allergies, adverse reactions, aesculapian history and other relevant patient inf ormation, physical disability, and payor information (including both self-pay and third party reimbursement) D. Collect and guide patient-specific data (for example, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol levels, therapeutic drug levels, immunizations) to assist the pharmacist in monitoring patient outcomes E. Collect and communicate data related to dependent drug dispersion programs (for example, thalidomide, isotretinoin, and clozapine) F. Collect and communicate data related to investigational drugs G. Assess prescription or medication order for completeness (for example, patients name and address), accuracy, authenticity, legality, and reimbursement eligibility H. Update the medical cross-file/patient profile with such information as medication history (including OTC medications and dietary supplements), disease states, compliance/adherence patterns, allergies, medication duplication, and/or drug-disease, drug-drug, drug-laboratory, drug-dietary supplement and/or OTC, and d rug-food interactions I. Assist the patient/patients representative in choosing the best payment assistance plan if multiple plans are available to patient J. serve well a prescription/medication order 1. Enter prescription/medication order information onto patient profile 2.Select the appropriate product(s) for dispensing (for example, brand names, generic substitutes, therapeutic substitutes, formulary restrictions) 3. earn pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including equivocal substances, controlled substances, and investigational products) from inventory 4. Calculate quantity and days supply of ideal dosage forms for dispensing 5. Measure or count quantity of finished dosage forms for dispensing 6. Process and handle radiopharmaceuticals 7. Perform calculations for radiopharmaceuticals 8.Process and handle chemotherapeutic medications commercially available in finished dosage forms (for example, Efudex, mercaptopurine) 9. Pe rform calculations for oral chemotherapeutic medications 10. Process and handle investigational products 11. Package finished dosage forms (for example, blister pack, robotic/automated dispensing vial) 12. Affix label(s) and auxiliary label(s) to container(s) 13. Assemble patient information materials (for example, drug information sheets, patient packet inserts, Health Information Portability and business Act HIPAA literature) 14.Check for accuracy during processing of the prescription/medication order (for example, National Drug Code NDA number, bar code, and data entry) 15. check the data entry, measurements, preparation, and/or packaging of medications produced by other technicians as allowed by law (for example, tech check tech) 16. Prepare prescription or medication order for final check by pharmacist 17. Prepare prescription or medication order for final check by pharmacy technician as allowed by law (for example, tech check tech) 18. Perform Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) required checks for radiopharmaceuticals K. Compound a prescription/medication order 1. Assemble equipment and/or supplies necessary for combining the prescription/medication order 2. Calibrate equipment (for example, scale or balance, total parenteral nutrition TPN compounder) needed to compound the prescription/medication order 3. Perform calculations required for preparation of compounded IV admixtures 4. Perform calculations for extemporaneous compounds 5. Compound medications (for example, topical preparations, reconstituted antibiotic suspensions) for dispensing according to prescription and/or compounding guidelines 6.Compound medications in anticipation of prescriptions/medication orders (for example, compounding for a specific patient) 7. Prepare sterile products (for example, TPNs, piggybacks, IV solutions, ophthalmic products) 8. Prepare radiopharmaceuticals 9. Prepare chemotherapy 10. Record preparation and/or ingredients of medications (for example, lot number, co ntrol number, expiration date, chemotherapy calculations, type of IV solution) L. Provide prescription/medication to patient/patients representative 1. Store medication prior to distribution 2.Provide medication and supplemental information (for example, package inserts) to patient/patients representative 3. Package and ship pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) to patient/patients representative liPlace medication in dispensing system (for example, unit-dose cart, automated systems) 4. Deliver medication to patient-care unit 5. Record distribution of prescription medication 6. Record distribution of controlled substances 7. Record distribution of investigational drugs 8.Record distribution of restricted drugs (for example, isotretinoin, clozapine, thalidomide) 9. Record distribution of prescription/medication to patients home M. Determine charges and obtain reimbursement for products and services N. snuff it with third-party payers to determine or verify coverage O. Communicate with third-party payers to obtain prior authorizations P. Communicate with third-party payers and patients/patients representatives to rectify rejected third-party claims Q. Identify and resolve problems with rejected claims (for example, incorrect days supply, incorrect ID number) R. Provide supplemental information (for example, disease state information, CDs) as requested/required S. Direct patient/patients representative to pharmacist for counseling T. Perform drug administration functions under appropriate direction (for example, perform drug/IV rounds, check pumps, anticipate refill of drugs/IVs) U. Process and dispense enteral products II. Maintaining Medication and Inventory Control Systems (22% of exam) A. Identify pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) to be ordered B. Place routine orders for pharmaceuticals, durable and nondurable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) in compliance with legal, regulatory, formulary, budgetary, and contractual requirements C. Place emergency orders for pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) in compliance with legal, regulatory, formulary, budgetary, and contractual requirements D. Receive pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) and verify against specifications on original purchase orders E. Place pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) in inventory under proper storage conditions bandage incorporating error prevention strate gies F. Perform nonpatient-specific preparation, distribution, and maintenance of pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) while incorporating error prevention strategies (for example, crash carts, clinic and nursing floor stock, automated dispensing systems) G. Remove from inventory expired/discontinued/slow moving/overstocked pharmaceuticals, durable and nondurable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) H. Remove from inventory recalled pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) I. Dispose of or destroy pharmaceuticals or supplies (for example, hazardous substances, investigational products, controlled substances, non-dispensable products) J. Communicate changes in product availability (for example, formulary chan ges, recalls, shortages) to pharmacy staff, patient/patients representative, physicians, and other healthcare professionals K. Implement and monitor policies and procedures to deter theft and/or drug diversion L. Maintain a record of controlled substances ordered, received, and removed from inventory M. Maintain a record of investigational products ordered, received, and removed from inventory N. Perform required inventories and maintain associated records O. Maintain record-keeping systems for repackaging, non-patient specific compounding, recalls, and returns of pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) P. Compound non-patient specific medications in anticipation of prescription/medication orders Q. Perform quality assurance tests on compounded medications (for example, end product exam and validation) R. Repackage finished dosage forms for dispensing (for example, unit dos e, blister pack, oral syringes) Participate in quality assurance programs related to pharmaceuticals, durable and non-durable medical equipment, devices, and supplies (including hazardous substances and investigational products) III.Participating in the judiciary and Management of Pharmacy Practice (12% of exam) A. Coordinate written, electronic, and oral communications throughout the practice setting (for example, route phone calls, faxes, verbal and written refill authorizations spread out policy and procedure changes) B. Update and maintain patient information (for example, insurance information, demographics, provider information) in accordance with federal regulations and professional standards (for example, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIPAA) C. Collect productivity information (for example, the number of prescriptions filled, fill times, payments collected, rejected claim status) D. Participate in quality assurance activities (for example, medicat ion error prevention, node satisfaction surveys, and internal audits of processes) E. Generate quality assurance reports (for example, compile or summarize data collected for evaluation or action plan development, descend cause analysis) F. Implement and monitor the ractice setting for compliance with federal regulations and professional standards (for example, Materials Safety Data Sheet MSDS, Occupational Safety Health Administration OSHA, enounce Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations JCAHO, United States Pharmacopeia USP) G. Implement and monitor policies and procedures for infection control H. Implement and monitor policies and procedures for the handling, disposal, and destruction of pharmaceuticals and supplies (for example, hazardous substances, investigational products, controlled substances, non-dispensable products, radiopharmaceuticals) I. Perform and record routine sanitation, maintenance, and calibration of equipment (for example, automated disp ensing equipment, balances, TPN compounders, and refrigerator/freezer temperatures) J. Update, maintain, and use manual or electronic information systems (for example, patient profiles, prescription records, inventory logs, summons materials) in order to perform job related activities K. Use and maintain automated and point-of-care dispensing technology L. Perform billing and accounting functions for products and services (for example, self-pay, third-party adjudication, pharmaceutical disregard cards, medication reimbursement) M. Communicate with third-party payers to determine or verify coverage for products and services N. Coordinate and/or participate in staff training and continuing commandment O. Perform and/or contribute to employee evaluations and competency assessments P. Participate in the establishment, implementation, and monitoring of the practice settings policies and procedures