Pharm Buyer

HCA Houston Healthcare; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Tuition assistance

401(k) plan with company match

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

HCA Houston Healthcare is seeking a Pharmacy Buyer to manage hospital pharmaceutical inventory, purchase items, and ensure proper labeling and barcoding. The role collaborates with the Director of Pharmacy and clinical team to maximize formulary compliance and contract adherence.

The position supports ADC cabinet management, inventory optimization, and staff training, while overseeing subcontracted vendors and maintaining accurate inventory records across the facility.

Qualifications

• High School graduate or GED: Required.
• Associates or Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Accounting, or Supply Chain Logistics: Preferred.
• 3 years of inpatient pharmacy technician experience: Required.
• 2 years of hospital pharmacy buyer experience: Preferred.
• PTCB Certification: Preferred.
• State Board of Pharmacy Registration (if applicable for state): Required.

Responsibilities

• Manage inventory and purchasing within budget constraints.
• Oversee receiving, storage, and return of medications to suppliers or CDC.
• Maintain invoicing and process wholesaler invoices for payment.
• Provide training on inventory handling and automation systems.

Skills

Pharmacy purchasing

Inventory control

Contract compliance

Staff training

Education

High School diploma or GED

Associates or Bachelors in Business/Accounting/Supply Chain

PTCB Certification

State Board of Pharmacy Registration

Tools

ADU systems

Job description

Do you have the career opportunities as a(an) Pharm Buyer you want with your current employer? We have an exciting opportunity for you to join HCA Houston Healthcare Medical Center which is part of the nation's leading provider of healthcare services, HCA Healthcare.

Job Summary And Qualifications

The Pharmacy Buyer is responsible for managing the pharmaceutical inventory in the assigned hospital including purchasing of pharmaceuticals and related products, oversight of receipt and placing these items in stock, optimization of pharmacy inventory both in the facility pharmacy and automated cabinets. This position ensures that all pharmaceutical products are appropriately labeled with barcodes including repackaging of products for patient administration. The buyer works with the director and clinical team to ensure formulary compliance and maintains contract compliance. The Buyer assist the automation coordinator or individual in similar role with respect to Automated Dispensing Cabinet (ADU) inventory management including the maintenance of controlled substance inventory and handling the request for an addition of new items to the pharmacy inventory. The Pharmacy Buyer also assists in training personnel on inventory handling and overseeing workflow in the pharmacy when the tech supervisor or pharmacy manager is unavailable.

• Under the supervision of Director of Pharmacy, participates in all activities of the pharmacy department that involve the inventory management of drugs, medication storage areas and department related supplies.
• Functions in accordance with standard written policy & procedures, guidelines, and state and federal regulations
• Establishes AND maintains appropriate inventory levels of drugs/supplies
• Makes decisions in purchasing while complying with budget limitations, and achieving a maximum inventory turnover rate
• Communicates in real time shortages of medications or changes in medication stock availability
• Assists Pharmacy Director and Clinical Manager on all product substitutions when backorders occur during the normal procurement process
• Oversees receiving, storage, and return of medications to the Pharmacy wholesaler or Consolidated Distribution Center (CDC) if applicable
• Maintains invoicing for all drug and supply accounts
• Processes wholesaler invoices for payment by accounts payable according to Policy and Procedures
• Provides training, technical support and/or in-service education to pharmacy staff regarding pharmacy inventory management products/systems
• Coordinates and documents disposal of all expired medications
• Monitors trends in utilization of reverse distributors to minimize wastage
• Assists with maintenance of database and/or paperwork on medication recalls
• Prepares Pharmacy Department for annual inventory by updating shelf labels, inventory supply forms, and databases as needed
• Provides leadership and performs physical inventory counts during inventory and cycle counts
• Interprets and communicates purchasing procedures to departments; assists departments in initiating requisitions and orders, and solves problems with orders
• Examines and analyzes departmental purchase requisitions for completeness and accuracy of information; contacts department or initiator to clarify or complete information; determines method to process requisition based on dollar amount, timeliness required, existing open contracts, and/or to comply with other corporate standards
• Assists DOP or designee in establishing and maintaining appropriate stock levels in automatic dispensing cabinets including but not limited to maintenance of expiration dating of medications in cabinets
• Establishes, maintains, and monitors of the ADC medication expiration process
• Supervises and facilitates facility process to optimize inventory management in the automated dispensing cabinets quarterly
• Assists with design, testing, implementation, maintenance and optimization of automated pharmacy systems at facilities
• Participates in new employee training regarding purchasing and automation systems including conducting initial and ongoing training as well as validation of staff competency with pharmacy automation systems
• Collects system and/or related process or facility performance metrics and generates periodic management reports
• Uses existing tools to analyze and improve ADC cabinet efficiency with respect to utilization and availability of stocked medications
• Is responsible for the new drug addition, change, deletion process and monitors compliance with process
• Evaluates contract compliance and implements changes in all pharmacy purchasing areas of the hospital when appropriate
• Manages the transfer of drugs between areas of the pharmacy, the hospital and non-hospital accounts
• Is responsible for the new drug addition, change, deletion process and monitors compliance with process
• Demonstrates working knowledge with the general duties of a Pharmacy technician including knowledge, and maintenance of competency and understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the position to which he/she is assigned which may include: unit dose cart fill, Automated Dispensing Cabinet functionality, IV preparation (e.g. syringes, admixtures, chemotherapy, continuous renal replacement therapy, total parenteral nutrition, etc.), unit dose packaging, filling outpatient prescriptions, bar-coding, Pharmacy inspections, oral liquid compounding, and code cart processes
• Is cross trained to perform Lead Technician responsibilities based on the discretion of the Director of Pharmacy
• Analyzes annual spend on identified products to identify savings opportunities
• May assist facility Supply Management Action Team’s with product analysis
• Facilitates Formulary standardization by coordinating efforts among Pharmacy Director (DOP), Clinical Manager (CM) and Pharmacy Wholesaler
• Works with DOP and CM to identify drug cost variances on a monthly basis and develops ongoing action plan to better manage those factors that can be controlled
• Maintains appropriate pharmacy inventory through optimal purchasing practices
• Runs bid compliance checks and makes recommendations for formulary changes as necessary to ensure maximum savings for contracts
• Assists internal control on price changes and resolving price discrepancies
• Monitors new releases (contract and or generic) and communicates to pharmacy staff
• Assists internal control on price changes and resolving price discrepancies
• Monitors new releases (contract and or generic) and communicates to pharmacy staff
• Ensures contract compliance and works to increase purchases from the CSC Other
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Practices and adheres to the “Code of Conduct” and “Mission and Value Statement”

What qualifications you will need:

High School graduate or GED: Required

• Associates or Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Accounting, or Supply Chain Logistics: Preferred
• 3 years of inpatient pharmacy technician experience: Required
• 2 years of hospital pharmacy buyer experience: Preferred
• PTCB Certification: Preferred
• State Board of Pharmacy Registration (if applicable for state): Required

HCA Houston Healthcare Medical Center offers a total rewards package that supports the health, life, career and retirement of our colleagues. The available plans and programs include:

• Comprehensive benefits for medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, behavioral health and telemedicine services
• Wellbeing support, including free counseling and referral services
• Time away from work programs for paid time off, paid family leave, long- and short-term disability coverage and leaves of absence
• Savings and retirement resources, including a 401(k) Plan with a 100% match on 3% to 9% of pay (based on years of service), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, flexible spending accounts, preferred banking partnerships, retirement readiness tools, rollover support and financial wellbeing counseling
• Education support through tuition assistance, student loan assistance, certification support, dependent scholarships and a partnership with Galen College of Nursing
• Additional benefits for fertility and family building, adoption assistance, life insurance, supplemental health protection plans, auto and home insurance, legal counseling, identity theft protection and consumer discounts

Learn More About Employee Benefits

Note: Eligibility for benefits may vary by location.

HCA Houston Healthcare Medical Center is a 445+ bed acute care hospital located in the heart of central Houston, adjacent to the Medical Center and Museum District, and provides quality care for the greater Houston area. Established in 1975, our hospital has been serving Houston for more than 40 years. We provide a wide range of medical services, including cardiology, bariatrics, orthopedics, neurology, emergency care and more. Our comprehensive medical specialties are here to offer individualized care to every individual that walks through our doors. We also offer 24/7 emergency services and two intensive care units: surgical intensive care unit (SICU) and medical intensive care unit (MICU). We are an accredited Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Center and an accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI. We are members of HCA Houston Healthcare, the most comprehensive family of hospitals in the region and part of the leading provider of healthcare in the country, HCA Healthcare. Together we are stronger, smarter and more accessible in providing the patient-centered care you need close to home. HCA Healthcare has been recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute more than ten times. In recent years, HCA Healthcare spent an estimated $3.7 billion in cost for the delivery of charitable care, uninsured discounts, and other uncompensated expenses.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.