Pharmacy Buyer

Children’s is one of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals. No matter the role, every member of our team is an essential part of our mission to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow. We’re committed to putting you first, and that commitment is at the heart of our company culture: People first. Children always.

About the role

Assists in acquiring medication, materials, and supplies as required by the department to ensure uninterrupted services and quality products.

Schedule

• Work Shift: Day
• Work Days: Monday-Friday
• Shift Start Time: 7:30 AM
• Shift End Time: 4:00 PM
• Worker Sub-Type: Regular

Primary Location Address: 1001 Johnson Ferry Rd

Responsibilities

• Orders and maintains inventory of supplies and services for the provision of pharmacy services.
• Reviews purchase requisitions for completion.
• Coordinates purchase of supplies via purchasing department.
• Adjusts quantities based on minimums or usage requirements.
• Effectively communicates with pharmacy staff to provide for patients' medication needs.
• Maintains file of product information.
• Reviews order confirmations for acceptance, backorders, and pricing.
• Appropriately allocates sufficient space for each inventory item.
• Organizes medications in logical categories.
• Ensures inventory items are stored in assigned locations.
• Ensures current labeling/label updates.
• Researches products, prices, and maintains a high level of contract compliance by:
  • Reviewing catalogs for product information and potential substitutes.
  • Reviewing group contracts for optimal utilization.
  • Analyzing contract differences between groups and/or hospital.
  • Making recommendations to evaluate products on group contracts based on pricing and quality.
  • Communicating group contract information or substitute products to staff.
  • Maintaining file of product information.
  • Informing CPS of usage of non-formulary medications.
  • Coordinating year-end inventory and spot checks of critical use drugs on a regular basis in order that inventory and budgetary projections may be made.
  • Handling recalls, shortages, and outdated products by:
    • Informing all affected areas of problems.
    • Ensuring floor stock in the pharmacy remains in date.
    • Removing recalls from the shelves.
  • Ensuring that interdepartmental requisition billing is communicated to Finance by the fifth day of the following month.
  • Maintaining actual prices.
• Reviews backorder reports daily, follows up on backorders with sales or customer service representatives, communicates backorder status to department, enters revised delivery date in computer, and locates substitute items for long backorder problems.
• Reviews invoice discrepancy screen daily, resolves discounted invoice discrepancies as soon as possible, researches problems by reviewing computer files and/or making contact with vendors or using department, dates and makes notation of all action taken towards resolving the invoice discrepancy, makes correction or charge to purchase order through receipts or invoice authorization, keys appropriate resolution code for tracking, and keeps invoice discrepancies current.
• Responds to customers' requests/needs by:
  • Answering phone within four rings.
  • Returning voicemail messages daily.
  • Promptly communicating results or problems with orders to the customer.
  • Anticipating requests and communicating updates on customer orders.
• Coordinates return goods by:
  • Obtaining appropriate information about the return from the department.
  • Contacting company for authorization.
  • Negotiating no restocking fees with vendor.
  • Noting return information in computer for accounting and receiving.
  • Forwarding instruction or paperwork to Receiving for pickup and return.
  • Coordinating with pharmacy staff to obtain maximum reimbursement on returns.

Requirements

• 1 year of experience as a pharmacy technician with IV Admixture experience.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Pharmacy Technician License.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field.

Skills

• Experience with the supply, process, and distribution phases of inventory management in a hospital pharmacy setting.
• Knowledge of computerized inventory management and contract compliance procedures.
• Must possess analytical and negotiating skills.