Drug Access Coordinator - Pharm Serv

The Drug Access Coordinator (DAC) primarily supports the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario and its satellites and the Renal Program. The DAC is dedicated to helping patients navigate the drug coverage system to maximize public funding, patient support program utilization, and private drug plan coverage to minimize out of pocket costs. Working within the interdisciplinary teams;
the primary focus of the DAC is to evaluate, facilitate and coordinate access to medications and medication cost coverage for patients.
The DAC facilitates medication funding and access via Special Access and Compassionate Use Programs, Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB), third party insurance companies or private payments.
The DAC also offers support to other clinical programs within KHSC upon request to help facilitate access to specially funded drugs or patient support programs.
The DAC organizes systemic treatment deliveries of medications to peripheral hospital satellite sites as part of the Regional Systemic Therapy treatment program of the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario (CCSEO).
Within this role the employee is accountable for contributing to the delivery of the Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) strategy. As an employee, one must demonstrate an awareness of and be responsible for actively promoting and supporting patient and family centered engagement and care in all we do.
**DUTIES &
RESPONSIBILITIES**:
Direct Patient/Family Interaction
- Evaluates, facilitates, and coordinates access to medication assistance for patients.
- Interviews patients and families to complete a needs assessment for financial assistance for medications not covered by Provincial Drug Reimbursement Programs.
- Ensures patients are aware of all public and private support and funding options available such as Ontario’s Trillium Drug Program and pharmaceutical company sponsored assistance plans.
- Assists patients with the completion of appropriate enrolment and access forms.
- Tracks status of special funding requests, coordinates submission of additional information when required, and communicates with patients when request approvals are received.
- Determines all possible access options for patients by maintaining up-to-date awareness of available reimbursement programs.
Contact with outside stakeholders (e.G. agencies and departments)
- Coordinates, on the patient’s behalf, all forms/ paperwork required for drug access requests through public, private, and industry sponsored programs. Completes and submits forms as necessary with all applicable documentation.
- Coordinates the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Exceptional Access Program (EAP) process on behalf of patients and physicians, and provides necessary clinical details regarding requests (indication, prior lines of treatment, etc.). Maintains tracking system for expiry of EAP forms and follows up with renewals if ongoing therapy required.
- Coordinates ordering and delivery of compassionate medication supply.
- Maintains professional relationships with Pharmaceutical Representatives to maintain current on funding status of commonly requested therapies.
- Coordinates and facilitates scheduling of unfunded parenteral treatments at private infusion clinics.
Interaction between primary care givers/providers
- Works with physicians to coordinate transmission of EAP requests to the ODB Program.
- Initiates and submits, on behalf of physicians, enrollment forms for industry sponsored patient assistance programs and monitors outcomes.
- Communicates all relevant information to patient care team as it relates to medication access.
- Maintains accurate records of all discussions (patients, benefit providers, patient care team).
- Provides follow-up to the primary care team, patients, and their families to communicate approvals/denials for all inquiries.
- Coordinates prescription dispensing with dispensing pharmacies.
- Coordinates the daily peripheral satellite site chemotherapy treatment approvals and delivery of chemotherapy and supportive drugs to peripheral satellite sites, in collaboration with pharmacy staff, CCSEO nursing staff, satellite site clinic staff, the CCSEO schedulers and the KHSC designated transportation of dangerous goods service provider.
Other
- Maintains all appropriate records of drug access and patient interventions, providing progress updates to the patient care team as it relates to medication access.
- Facilitates scheduling of patient appointments for pharmacist consultation and other related administrative tasks.
- Responds to telephone enquiries from patients, families, health care professionals, determines the nature of the query and re-directs accordingly.
- Provides coverage for the other Drug Access position(s) within the Pharmacy Department.
**BASIC QUALIFICATIONS**:
- 2-year Community College diploma in Medical Office Administration or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- One year previous related experience with clinical funding prog