Pharmacy Buyer

About the role

The Pharmacy Buyer position at Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital is responsible for various activities related to the drug procurement process. Duties include reviewing medication purchase orders, assessing contract compliance, identifying alternative product selections, and facilitating procurement of pharmaceuticals and related supplies.

Responsibilities

• Completes a variety of activities related to the drug procurement process, including reviewing medication purchase orders, assessing contract compliance, identifying alternative product selections, and facilitating procurement of pharmaceuticals and related supplies.
• Collaborates with staff members and vendors to resolve backorder issues and secure acceptable product substitutions as needed to achieve identified patient specific goals.
• Negotiates with HM departments to utilize existing items as applicable.
• Participates in negotiations for pricing, terms, service, additions to current contracts, and delivery of pharmaceuticals.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of vendor contracts and resolves and notifies management of contract, purchasing, and/or supply issues and opportunities.
• Evaluates the use of off-contract and/or non-formulary purchases and ensures adequate justification exists for such purchases.
• Reviews all drug orders to assure vendor selection complies with optimal contractual advantages.
• Manages price changes and average wholesale price (AWP) updates, ensuring orders match price quotations and price changes are in accord with contract terms.
• Prepares, records, and reconciles monthly required information of borrows and loans with hospitals involved and routinely clears outstanding balances.
• Works with wholesalers to manage automated ordering and inventory control systems, looking for opportunities to create economies of scale and streamline supply chain processes.
• Assists with special projects to reduce costs and consolidate processes.
• Seeks opportunities to expand learning beyond baseline competencies with a focus on continual development as a Pharmacy Buyer.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)
• Two years of college preferred
• Three years of relevant pharmacy and/or purchasing experience
• Experience in healthcare and working with vendor contracts highly preferred

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Advanced level of knowledge of the procurement process experience in a hospital or related field
• Possesses proficient computer knowledge; operates multiple computer systems to include, but not limited to, word processing software applications
• Exhibits strong interpersonal and team player skills with all levels of the healthcare team and assures delivery of excellent customer service to all patients, visitors, physicians and co-workers

Benefits

Not specified

Pay

Not specified

Schedule

Not specified

Supplemental requirements

• Work attire: Uniform - No Scrubs - Yes Business professional - Yes Other (department approved) - Yes
• On-call: Yes
• Travel: May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area - No May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area - No