Medication Access Pharmacist

About the role

The Department of Pharmaceutical Services provides a full range of services for patients cared for by the Medical Center at UCSF and its providers and payors. These services include, but are not limited to: drug procurement, storage, and security; safe, accurate and timely preparation and distribution of drugs; clinical pharmacy services for patients; development of drug use policies within the Medical Center; drug information services for clinicians and patients; and participation in technology assessment and quality assurance programs.

Responsibilities

• Medication Access Facilitation - Prior Auth, Appeals and Financial Assistance
  Oversees pharmacy technicians in the Prior Authorization (PA) and Financial Assistance (FA) process.
  Performs medication benefits investigation and accurately submits appeals (or PAs when applicable) to insurance manually, electronically, or telephonically as necessary.
  Notifies the patient and documents the status of Appeals in APeX.
  Follows up with health insurance payors that don’t respond to submitted Appeal requests.
  Works with providers for any denials and peer to peer needs.

• Medication Refill Authorization
  Receives and processes refill requests from clinic personnel, a pharmacy or patients.
  Using a refill protocol, evaluates refill requests for adherence to the refill protocol criteria; this involves reviewing APeX and contacting a patient.
  Notifies providers of specific refill criteria that are not met after assessment.
  Notates the need for a provider appointment or other reason to not approve a refill request, where applicable.
  Discusses recommendations and other pertinent information with provider if necessary.
  Conducts a search for any lab test(s) that is needed to fulfill the refill criteria and analyzes EMR for any needed lab test(s) and notates this need; if needed, inform patients about needed labs.
  Signs medication order or request for provider appointment based on pharmacist judgment via APeX.
  Properly documents each refill request in the patient’s chart.

• Other Patient Care Activities
  Provide safe and effective patient-centered care by actively designing, implementing, and monitoring patient-specific therapeutic plans if applicable.
  Evaluate patients for therapeutic outcomes and side effects of medications.
  When appropriate, develop and implement an alternate therapeutic plan.
  Consult with other healthcare team members to facilitate a change in the therapeutic plan, optimize medication therapies, and ensure continuity of care/medication access.
  Provide appropriate follow-up care to ensure therapeutic goals are achieved.
  Provide in-depth and patient-specific medication education to patients and their caregivers, where appropriate, with the objective of improving adherence, optimizing drug therapy response, and minimizing adverse drug events.
  Respond to patient inquiries regarding medication therapy and relevant health issues.
  Document care provided in the medical record (e.g., progress notes or other appropriate sections) and other appropriate platforms.
  Communicate relevant therapeutic information to other healthcare providers in a timely manner to coordinate medication therapy.

• Advancing Practice
  Effectively perform assigned administrative functions (e.g., medication error reports, adverse drug reaction reports, special projects, etc.).
  Effectively perform and participate in medication-related reports and projects (e.g., drug monographs, medication use evaluations, quality improvement projects, formulary evaluation in area of oversight, etc.).
  Participate in and occasionally chair patient care, quality improvement, or Pharmacy and Therapeutics-related committees.
  Participate in clinical research.
  Keep up to date on protocols/policies, pharmacy practice standards, healthcare delivery trends, reimbursement systems, and emerging roles and responsibilities of pharmacists as they pertain to the area of specialty.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications:

  • Graduated from an accredited school of pharmacy and possesses a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD) or equivalent degree as determined by the National Board of Pharmacy.
  • For graduates in a non-US country or jurisdiction, pharmacists must have earned a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) Certification as determined by the National Board of Pharmacy.
  • 2 years of experience as a Pharmacist in a health system or health care, or equivalent combination of experience and education.
  • Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Residency, or at least 3 years of equivalent experience in ambulatory services (e.g., clinics, outpatient pharmacies, specialty pharmacy).
  • Experience with medication access processes (e.g., in health systems, managed care or health plans).
  • Must possess a current license in good standing to practice pharmacy in the State of California.
  • Current certification for Basic Life Support (BLS) from the American Heart Association.

About UCSF

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It is the only campus in the 10-campus UC system dedicated exclusively to the health sciences. We bring together the world’s leading experts in nearly every area of health. We are home to five Nobel laureates who have advanced the understanding of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, aging and stem cells. Pride Values UCSF is a diverse community made of people with many skills and talents. We seek candidates whose work experience or community service have prepared them to contribute to our commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence – also known as our PRIDE values. In addition to our PRIDE values, UCSF is committed to equity – both in how we deliver care as well as our workforce. We are committed to building a broadly diverse community, nurturing a culture that is welcoming and supportive, and engaging diverse ideas for the provision of culturally competent education, discovery, and patient care. Additional information about UCSF is available here.

Salary Information

Your placement within the salary range is dependent on a number of factors including your work experience and internal equity within this position classification at UCSF. For positions that are represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range will be guided by the rules in the collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about the benefits of working at UCSF, including total compensation, please visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html.