Pharmacy Buyer

Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center is an 881-bed quaternary care academic medical center that is a joint venture between Baylor College of Medicine and St. Luke’s Health. Located in the Texas Medical Center, the hospital is the home of the Texas Heart® Institute, a cardiovascular research and education institution founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD. The hospital was the first facility in Texas and the Southwest designated a Magnet® hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, receiving the award five consecutive times. Baylor St. Luke’s also has three community emergency centers offering adult and pediatric care for the Greater Houston area. 

St. Luke’s Health, now part of CommonSpirit Health formed by the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) and Dignity Health, has been serving our community since 1954. Operating 137 hospitals and more than 1,000 care sites across 21 states, making our services accessible to nearly 1 in 4 U.S. residents. We proudly provide a vast array of services that help us keep our community safe and healthy.

The Pharmacy Buyer coordinates the timely and accurate inventory of medications, biotechnology products, pharmaceutical supplies, and IV solutions and supplies utilized by pharmacy personnel and maintains appropriate inventory levels necessary for effective operation of the hospitals and clinics. Coordinates the acquisition of all IV therapy solutions, tubing, and related supplies required for mixing intravenous solutions by pharmacy personnel for the inpatient and outpatient pharmacy if applicable. Supports the pharmacy Carousel purchasing database to ensure products are appropriately bar-coded. Acts as a subject matter expert and supports and answers ordering related questions from the pharmacy team and leadership. Maintains and produces all required documentation in accordance with Federal and State law. Ensures the pharmacy is ordering the most cost efficient inventory items. Maintains the cost catalog in the pharmacy operating system.

Accountable for maintaining a clean and safe environment; orders and handles controlled substances

appropriately; completes all educational modules; attends regular staff meetings; keeps abreast of

departmental changes/current CSH policy and procedures and pharmacy accreditations and licensure.

Essential Key Job Responsibilities

• Coordinates all pharmaceutical ordering for the Pharmacy Department through hospital pharmacy employees via non-stock requisitions and is responsible for follow-up on these items.
• Coordinates any applicable centralized purchasing of high cost, low use or nominally priced items for maximum efficiency and savings.
• Procures emergency supplies involving suppliers and transportation of such merchandise. Reviews back order lists and procures merchandise from alternate vendor if necessary. Minimizes need for emergency purchases through close coordination with pharmacy staff.
• Reviews and approves orders along with the Regional Procurement Manager from other hospitals to ensure contract compliance; shares information in a timely fashion with other pharmacy employees.
• Coordinates centralized procurement of medications that are in short supply, either through the wholesaler or direct via the manufacturer.
• Meets inventory turn rate goals set regionally and system-wide.
• Oversees all regional electronic pharmacy purchasing and troubleshoots electronic purchasing issues.
• Maintains the electronic database including maintenance and update of 340B issues if applicable.
• Acts as the primary point of contact with the carousel database vendor for software updates and regulatory ordering changes.
• Trains and mentors the Pharmacy employees responsible for purchasing.
• Trains new Pharmacy employees on the Carousel system.
• Acts as a subject matter expert to resolve all technical electronic ordering questions.
• Provides guidance to the Pharmacy employees in reference to recalls and to addressing the lack of availability of certain products. Checks to see if the product is in stock at other hospitals when there is a lack of availability. Sends the product to the hospital that is out of stock. Works with the individual Pharmacy employees at the sites to identify and remove recalled stock and order the replacement products.
• Maintains current contract files; reviews contract updates for cost savings opportunities.
• Prepares and submits all billing documents in a timely manner to the Accounts Payable department.
• Compiles usage figures from the wholesaler’s computer order entry system, reports and other purchasing documents; interviews vendors, reviews and compiles information on item sources for addition of products to the Formulary when requested.
• Responsible for the timely reconciliation and maintenance of any loans or borrows from other locations.
• Unpacks, prices, and rotates the medication stock received and oversees the stocking of the pharmacy department with assigned employee.
• Ensures all items received are matched against department request sheet, packing list or invoice sent from wholesaler and reviews all printouts and lists for accuracy of pricing and receipt of product.
• Tracks specific product line purchases as requested by pharmacy managers on an ongoing basis.
• Resolves discrepancies with wholesaler representatives. Coordinates reconciliation within one month of occurrence.
• Communicates with designated pharmacy personnel, buying group representatives and wholesaler representatives concerning contracting issues, product backorders, issues with rebates, etc.
• Checks for outdated merchandise in assigned area on a monthly basis.
• Deletes obsolete, recalled and/or discontinued pharmaceuticals, and returns these items to the wholesaler or the manufacturer for credit, using a reverse wholesaler service where applicable.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent is required
• Two (2) years of pharmacy experience required, preferred in a hospital setting
• Registered Pharmacy Technician license with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy