Medication Access Specialist

About the role

This job assists providers by ensuring patients' compliance with medications, lab monitoring, adherence to medication therapy, authorizing medication refills, maintaining accurate pharmacy preferences, identifying discrepancies or problems with medication history information, assisting patients with the medication authorization process, and helping patients overcome barriers to accessing medications.

You will communicate with patients, families, caregivers, healthcare providers, and pharmacy personnel to maintain accurate and complete medication history information while documenting encounters within the electronic health record (EHR). Any problems identified will be forwarded to a pharmacist, provider, or clinic staff for resolution.

Responsibilities

• Processes patient on-boarding.
• Coordinates with providers and patients to assess eligibility for financial support.
• Navigates the medication authorization process.
• Obtains and clarifies patients' home/chronic medication.
• Uses the EHR to input patients’ home/chronic medication lists.
• Communicates discrepancies identified via the medication history process with the pharmacist and makes clarifications with the patient and prescribers as needed.
• Collects patients’ prescription benefit information.
• Communicates and directs all questions or inquiries from patients or families that are outside the scope of taking the medication history to the appropriate caregivers or staff.
• Provides high-quality customer service to patients, family members, and care team members.
• Documents all appropriate findings into the EHR for ease of collaboration among providers, support staff, and other refill clinic staff.
• Adapts behavior to the specific patient population, including respect for privacy, method of introduction, adapting explanations of services or procedures, requesting permissions, and communication style.
• Performs other related duties as required.
• Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state, and local laws, accreditation standards, or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent (required).
• 2 years of experience as a pharmacy technician, medical intake, or healthcare employee working with medications (required).
• Experience working with insurance to process medication authorizations, working with outpatient clinics and processing medication refill requests, or experience with taking patient medication history (preferred).
• Medication Therapy Management Certification obtained through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) OR Medication History Certificate from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) must be obtained within 6 months of hire.

Skills

• Proficiency in using computers, software, and web-based applications.
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical mathematics.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills and ability to present information clearly and professionally.
• Ability to operate standard pharmacy and office equipment.

Physical and Environmental Demands

Medium Work - Exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements exceed those for Sedentary Work, including:

• Walking or standing to a significant degree.
• Sitting most of the time but entailing pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls.
• Working at a production rate pace entailing constant pushing and/or pulling of materials, even if the weight is negligible.

Normal routine involves no exposure to blood, body fluid, or tissue, and incumbents are not called upon to perform or assist in emergency care or first aid. There is no occupational risk for exposure to communicable diseases. However, within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning, and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.