Pharmacy Purchasing Senior Specialist

SUMMARY

Reports to the Manager, Pharmacy Supply Chain. Under the supervision of the Pharmacy Purchasing Supervisor, is responsible for supervising pharmacy purchasing specialists, pharmacy technicians, and support staff. Oversees the coordination of workflow and services related to medication and supplies procurement processes.

Monitors and is responsible for purchasing, inventory, distribution, and record keeping for medications for the Pharmacy Department. Oversees the initiation of purchase orders for medications and supplies, receiving and distribution of supplies, and processing of purchase requisitions. Authorizes payment for wholesaler invoices.

Collaborates with Supply Chain leadership to manage shortages, backorders, and recalls; identifies sources of selected alternate products. Collaborates with Pharmacy Information Systems (IST) and Brown University Health Information Services (IS) to maintain the Charge Description Master (CDM). Collaborates with the 340B Coordinator and Pharmacy IST teams to maintain 340B computerized systems and split-billing software programs.

Serves as a primary resource for product and vendor information, and group purchasing contracting.

Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers, and one another.

• Oversees medication and pharmaceutical supply purchasing processes, including but not limited to, drug and pharmaceutical supply procurement operations, stock receiving operations, and inventory management to ensure critical drug availability, accurate inventory value assessment, optimized inventory turns, minimized drug expirations, and compliance with 340B Program policies and procedures, the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), United States Pharmacopeia Chapter 800, Hazardous Drugs - Handling in Healthcare Settings, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommendations for hazardous drug handling.
• Prepares, secures authorized signatures, and processes purchase orders, as necessary. Provides expertise and assists with training, education, and communication to new pharmacy supply chain members, hospital pharmacy staff, and external departments regarding updates to pharmacy supply chain policies and procedures. Collaborates with Pharmacy IST and Brown University Health IS teams to establish and maintain a standard approach for updating the CDM for new products, product changes, and product removals to ensure the accuracy of utilization reports and the efficiency and accuracy of the charge process.
• Collaborates with necessary teams to maintain pharmacy information systems, automated drug dispensing technology (e.g., Omnicell), and other computerized or automated hardware and software used in the procurement or distribution of medication and related supplies. Identifies and coordinates management of backorders and secures acceptable product alternatives when necessary using purchasing reports and resources such as Out of Stock (OOS) reports, Alternate Distribution Center requests, the Novaplus Enhanced Supply Portal, and Med Shorts.
• Reports known, expected, or suspected supply disruptions to the Clinical Pharmacist, Drug Shortage Management, in a timely manner and collaborates with the Drug Shortage Committee to mitigate supply disruptions. Continually generates, assesses, and leverages pharmacy supply chain-related reports to optimize drug spend and minimize drug waste, including 340B/Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) activity, price changes, Average Wholesale Price (AWP) updates, drug utilization to adjust stockroom par levels, pharmacy own-use reporting, breakage, waste, contract utilization, and generic compliance.
  
  Continually leverages pharmacy supply chain resources to optimize drug spend and minimize drug waste, including Cost Check and Vizient.
• Collaborates with the 340B Coordinator and Pharmacy IST teams to maintain computerized systems, split-billing software programs, and technologies utilized in purchasing operations related to the 340B Program. Generates reports related to pharmacy supply chain operations as requested by departmental leadership.
• Oversees and manages purchasing contracts including, but not limited to, vendor or manufacturer outreach, initiating purchase requisitions, market share requirements, and attending quarterly business reviews. Oversees the maintenance of purchase records, invoices, receipts, and inventory control records. Coordinates and maintains timely flow of purchasing receipts to Accounts Payable. Escalates credit holds immediately to facilitate timely resolution and prevent stockouts.
• Oversees and maintains responsibility for tracking credits, rebates, and drug replacement. Oversees and maintains responsibility for documentation and reconciliation of the borrowed and loaned medication system. Collaborates with the Pharmacy…