A CPhT Story: Past, Present, and Future Visions from

Transcription

1 A CPhT Story: Past, Present, and Future Visions from a PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician Sylvia Banzon, CPhT, CQiA, PMP Sutter Health Sacramento, CA Objectives Explain new or modified roles for pharmacy technicians that have developed as a result of PPMI. Identify training, certification, and competencies needed to enhance pharmacy technician roles. 2 Quick poll: Who is in the audience? How many Pharmacists? How many Pharmacy Technicians? Any Students in the audience? Which of the following are important to the effective integration of pharmacy technicians into new roles and responsibilities? A. Support of integration plans from pharmacists B. Education and training about new roles and responsibilities C. PTCB certification D. All of the above 4 True/False The pharmacy landscape continues to evolve and offer new roles and responsibilities for pharmacy technicians. Technician Landscape: 1987 Technicians were primarily trained in i.v. compounding, unit dose cartfill, extemporaneous compounding, and repackaging Technician programs were only taught by pharmacists Pharmacy operations were not entirely computerized (example: four-color pen) Only pharmacists could compound chemotherapy and IV medications 5 6 Page 1 of 6

2 Personal Timeline 1987 Became a Pharmacy Technician 1988 Took a voluntary eight-hour course in chemotherapy provided by employer to advance our duties 1990 First technician to work in the Bone Marrow Satellite 1992 Assistant Supervisor of Outpatient Pharmacy My Journey as a CPhT I maintained PTCB certification initially because I envisioned this becoming the standard of the profession, now I maintain it as a personal commitment t to raise the profession to a higher h standard through example Lead Pharmacy Technician Instructor 1996 Obtained PTCB Certification 7 8 Impact of Pharmacist Support Managers and Directors integral to my career Provided: Encouragement and guidance Ability to grow in my positions Ability to be open minded Autonomy Support for conferences, leadership training, in-house certificate programs Tuition reimbursement (company) Without support and encouragement, I would be a very different pharmacy technician! Personal Timeline 1998 Lead Pharmacy Technician 1999 Technician Supervisor 2007 Present Regional Data Quality Coordinator 2007 Present CSHP Technician Board Director 9 10 Technician Supervisor Responsibilities Hiring, training and coaching of staff Scheduling of Pharmacy Interns, Technicians, and Assistants Pharmacy daily operations Project Lead/Technology Coordinator Quality Improvement Coordinator Manager on-call rotation (sick calls, problems, etc..) Number of people supervised 30 Pharmacy Technicians 4 Pharmacy Assistants Technician Supervisor Technician Supervisor Training On the job training Hospital Leadership Program ASHP Summer meetings Quality conferences Quality Improvement Program and Certification Project Management Certification Most difficult part about supervisory role Competing priorities Availability Coaching employees Annual performance evaluations Page 2 of 6

3 Tips for Technician Supervisors Focus on growth and staff development Training is critical to competence of staff Develop Standard Operating Procedures Develop Audit Procedures Incorporate objective and quantitative goals on technician evaluations Make sure that items being assessed are applicable to technicians Encourage peer review/recognition Programs and Projects Implemented Audit System Pyxis refills accuracy Aseptic technique assessments Surface cleanliness Narcotic counts Purchasing receipts Near misses Programs and Projects Implemented Clinical Pharmacy Technician positions Outsourcing of medication compounding TPN PCA Development of workflows to improve efficiency Documentation Workstations Clinical Pharmacy Technician Positions Nursing Liaisons/Customer Service Pyxis Manager Project Team Leads IV to PO Conversion Staff Technology Trainer Current Role RDQC for Sutter Health in Sacramento, CA (non-profit hospital system of 28 affiliated hospitals) Responsibilities: Conduct data abstraction and quality audits of patient charts Work in Quality Process Improvement projects at different hospitals Provide input into the standardization of practices, forms, and programs for various facilities A Rewarding Job As a Regional Data Quality Coordinator: The most rewarding part of my job is being a part of Quality Improvement projects (i.e. working on efficiencies, streamlining processes, and problem solving) I am able to work behind the scenes, providing tools and efficient processes to help get the pharmacists to the bedside Knowing what I am doing is ultimately helping a patient! Page 3 of 6

4 ASHP PPMI 2010 and Beyond The goal is to significantly advance the health and well being of patients by developing and disseminating a futuristic practice model that supports the most effective use of pharmacists as direct patient t care providers. Two of Six recommendations about pharmacy technicians made during the summit including: Pharmacy technicians who have appropriate education, training, and credentials should be used to free pharmacists from drug distribution activities Assigning medication distribution tasks to technicians would make it possible to deploy pharmacists to drug-therapy management services 19 PPMI Impact: Positions Created or Under Consideration Decentralized/Clinical Pharmacy Technicians ED Technicians Automation Specialists OR Technicians Medication Reconciliation Technicians Technician Supervisors Quality Coordinator Inventory Management Technicians To enable pharmacists more clinical time, we are planning to implement: Tech-Check-Tech program 20 Technician Landscape: Today Technology s Impact on Technicians Expanded roles I have seen include: Ordering medications & pharmacy supplies Monitoring and maintaining automated dispensing machine stock Supervising and training technicians and pharmacy interns Operating pharmacy systems (i.e. Pyxis) Database administration and analytics for pharmacy information systems Acting as a resource for pharmacy benefit management reconciliation Managing technician pools for chain drug stores Instructing pharmacy technicians Leading and volunteering in professional pharmacy organizations Owning/managing retail pharmacies and pharmacy staffing companies 21 Technological advancements have: correlated with technician advancements (computerized order entry systems, automated dispensing cabinets and/or robots, etc.) allowed technicians to take on additional roles, allowing pharmacists more time to spend with patients created new roles (data collection for i.v. to PO conversion, quality audits, narcotic management, inventory management of automated dispensing cabinets, and training new personnel on technology) 22 Technology s Impact on Technicians Technology has Upgraded traditional roles Inventory Clerk to an Inventory Management Technician to help with the recall and drug shortage issues, barcode scanning, robotics, and tracking of medications Increased number of Career Technicians As opportunities for advancement increase, technicians are more likely to move up within an organization vs. hitting a ceiling and switching employers In the Workplace Local or State Level National Level Opportunities are ENDLESS! Get Involved! Page 4 of 6

5 Examples of Workplace Involvement Committee Participation Lifelong Learning Opportunities Certifications: PTCB Certification Quality Improvement Associate (QIA): 2003 Project Management Professional (PMP): 2008 Green Belt Six Sigma Training: 2009 Healthcare Quality Professional (CPHQ): In progress Examples of Opportunities on the State Level California Society of Health-System Pharmacists: Technician members are appointed to CSHP committees, councils, and task forces, including: Tech-Check-Tech Task Force Government Affairs Advisory Committee Practitioner Recognition Program Committee Committee on Goals Membership Committee Public Relations Committee Council on Professional Affairs Continuing Pharmacy Education Committee Board of Directors Examples of Opportunities at the National Level CPhT Spotlights ASHP Section Advisory Group on Support Services Created to assist ASHP Section of Inpatient Care Practitioners Enhances safe medication practices as it relates to the advancement of the entire pharmacy team and workforce Responsible for MCM programming, webinars, web-site resources, AJHP column Sylvia Banzon, CPhT, CQiA, PMP Christina Andrade, CPhT PTCB Item Writer Volunteer for a committee Programming opportunities Spotlights PTCB C.R.E.S.T. Summit- Technician Perspective Attended as a participant and keynote speaker Audience represented all stakeholders Forum provided an avenue for open discussion and debate Enlightening to hear all perspectives Encouraging to hear support of pharmacy technicians! My Vision Technicians: managing pharmacy operations and quality activities; acting as experts in compounding and repackaging; managing pharmacy inventory, technology, and databases. Pharmacists: Working side-by-side with physicians, providing clinical expertise and/or counseling patients in medication management and compliance Page 5 of 6

6 Which of the following are important to the effective integration of pharmacy technicians into new roles and responsibilities? A. Support of integration plans from pharmacists B. Education and training about new roles and responsibilities C. PTCB certification D. All of the above True/False The pharmacy landscape continues to evolve and offer new roles and responsibilities for pharmacy technicians Thank You! Contact Information: Sylvia Banzon, CPhT CQiA PMP SHSSR Data Quality Coordinator Sutter General Hospital-HIS Dept 2801 L Street Sacramento, CA banzons@sutterhealth.org (916) Page 6 of 6