Pharmacy Patient Liaison - (Patient Care Center) Hybrid

POSITION SUMMARY:

Boston Medical Center (BMC) provides a specialty pharmacy service to serve the complex medication needs of its chronic patients. BMC Specialty Pharmacy will provide patients who require specialty drugs a comprehensive service program that includes an on-site pharmacy staffed with a care team that includes: Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Liaisons. The cornerstone of BMC's Specialty Pharmacy approach is an unparalleled level of integration with the clinical team coupled with highly personalized service, thus driving better outcomes at lower cost. The Pharmacy Patient Liaison is a unique role that provides integrated support to patients and pharmacists by providing a 'hands-on' approach to total quality patient care. This position is considered essential to the growth and maintenance of the specialty pharmacy business line and is considered at the core of supporting health system operating margin. This hybridized role is a unique combination of patient service delivery and business performance. The Pharmacy Patient Liaison works closely with patients to deliver a full continuum of medication adherence support by utilizing BMC's various tools and applications. The Pharmacy Patient Liaison is responsible for providing technician pharmacy services with an emphasis on performing assigned tasks that require working independently with assigned tasks and increased competency skills relating to patient medication therapy.

Position: Pharmacy Patient Liaison - (Patient Care Center)

Department: Specialty Pharmacy

Schedule: Full Time, on-site days required (Hybrid)

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Care Center Operations

Make outbound calls to patients for refill confirmation and address verification. Make outbound calls to locations outside of BMC to request refill on the patient’s behalf when appropriate. Answer inbound calls in a timely and friendly manner. Evaluate problems and complaints of the callers and provide proper solutions to them. Respond to the needs of customers and provide personalized service. Provide information on the company's services and generate interest if appropriate.

• Research needed information using available resources
• Process orders, forms, and applications such as initiating prior authorizations, copay assistance or connecting patient with financial services
• Route calls to other team members whenever appropriate
• Make relevant notes from customer interactions. Identifying any pharmacy related issues that customers might be struggling with or need guidance for.
• Report on customer feedback
• Follow-up on customer calls and voicemail
• Boost customer loyalty by offering exceptional care and a positive experience over the phone

Under the direct supervision of leadership, supports the department in the ethical practice of pharmacy on a daily basis by providing effective, appropriate, and safe pharmacy services. Exemplifies the creation and maintenance of a healthy work environment. A healthy work environment is one where each member of the team feels supported and held accountable for their actions based on clearly defined standards and expectations.

• Conducts interpersonal communications and assistance with patients, visitors, physicians, and fellow team members in a courteous and friendly manner. Refers patients and visitors to pharmacist or manager on matters requiring their attention. 
• Greets customers and provide a positive customer service experience and service recovery conflict resolution when appropriate; assist customers with their questions, problems and complaints in person and via the phone in professional manner; obtains information for new prescriptions, while maintaining customer / patient confidentiality.
• For prescriptions related inquiries offer a pharmacist consult.  Refer all clinician and customer clinical questions to a pharmacist as appropriate.
• Communicates to pharmacists and/or pharmacy manager on the maintenance and malfunctioning of equipment and unsafe working conditions.
• Performs the packaging and shipping preparation steps of mailing prescriptions to patients with accuracy.
• High level functioning individual with an ability to perform assigned and responsible tasks independently.

• Patient Retention
  • Encourages patients of clinics to utilize BMC pharmacy to fully benefit from its superior patient care services
  • Work closely with patients to deliver a full continuum of medication adherence support by utilizing our various tools and applications
  • Provide outbound therapy/medication adherence check-ups by process refills to ensure no gaps in refills/treatment
  • Build relationships with patients by providing friendly, courteous and efficient service
  • Retention of patient business is essential for growth and thus is measured as closely as the sales and recruitment functions of patient liaisons

• Personnel Responsibilities - Responsible for building and maintaining relationships with provider, care teams, and ancillary support necessary to sustain sales and recruitment functions
  • Internal Relationships
  • Developing and growing trusting relationships with providers and hospital staff to provide highest level of care for a complex patient panel
  • Maintaining and supporting pharmacy interdepartmental relationships and management to ensure seamless transition of patient care from clinic to pharmacy
  • External Relationships
  • Developing and growing trusting relationships with patients to provide highest level of care

• Operational Responsibilities - Technical savvy, communicating at all levels of the hospital organization and problem solving are required
  • Navigate patient Electronic Medical Record (EMR) to effectively answer questions and/or provide documentation as needed for prior authorizations
  • Communicate with providers (Doctors, Nurses, Clinical Pharmacists) in person, over the phone, and through written transmission via EMR in a timely and professional manner
  • Communicate with Specialty Pharmacy Management, Medical Directors, and Practice Managers to provide support for new and ongoing hospital initiatives
  • Resolve high level patient care issues and situational awareness around when to involve managers and/ or clinicians
  • Demonstrate resourcefulness in the face of challenges and providing workable solutions to complex problems
  • Capacity to work independently by managing workload and meeting established goals in a fast paced environment
  • Train and support new staff in understanding and learning the expectations for day-to-day operations in a specific role

OTHER DUTIES:

• Possess competency to train/mentor other technician team members and become involved in staff development.
• Possess competency and a willingness to participate in special projects and tasks as assigned/appropriate by management.
• Possess competency and a willingness to participate within the departmental interview process,

Must adhere to all of BMC’s RESPECT behavioral standards.

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job.  The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

Requires a high school diploma (or state accepted equivalency). AA or BA preferred

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

Must be currently registered as a Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacy Intern with the Board of Pharmacy in Massachusetts by hired date.

Must have/maintain national technician certification through PTCB or exCPT.

EXPERIENCE:

Must have 4-5 years' of pharmacy experience

Pharmacy Interns - must be in their 2nd year

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Excellent English oral and written communication skills required; as well as ability to communicate professionally over the phone.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to provide superb personalized customer service and to instill confidence and to advocate for patients; ability to explain required information to customers in a comprehensible manner.
• Other professional skills and qualities: organized, strong attention to detail, ability to self-direct through multitasking and prioritizing, dependable, empathetic, focused on quality service, goal oriented.
• Cultural sensitivity, understanding, and comfort with a wide range of social, racial and ethnic populations.
• Must practice discretion and confidentiality as position deals with highly sensitive and private data.
• Ability to understand, explain, and actively promote the hospital's objectives through direct coordination and commitment to the program's goals.
• Flexibility to adapt to changes in the departmental needs including but not limited to: offering assistance to other team members, adjusting assignments, etc.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook. Ability to quickly learn other relevant applications that support management of patient care and assigned responsibilities; and ability to extract necessary information.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans

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