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P H A R M A C Y B E N E F I T M A N A G E M E N T T E C H N I C I A N C E R T I F I C A T I O N P R O G R A M

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B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S U P D A T E S | A N N O U N C E M E N T S | F A Q S The Pharmacy Benefit Management Technician (PBMCT) Program is pleased to provide this quarterly newsletter with updates regarding your certification program.

I M P O R T A N T R E C E R T I F I C A T I O N A N N O U N C E M E N T !

Effective January 1, 2020, the Pharmacy Benefit Management Certified Technician (PBMCT) Program will be updating all PBMCT certificants to a year-end expiration date.

Certificants will still be required to recertify in the year that their certification will expire; however, the deadline for recertification will be December 31st of that year.

Examples: Initial certification date is any day during 2018; the new expiration date is 12/31/2020. Initial or recertification date is any day in 2019; the new expiration date is 12/31/2021. The PBMCT Program expects that this change will streamline the process of tracking expiration dates and renewing certifications.

If you have questions regarding the change in certification dates, please contact the PBMCT Program Staff at heretohelp@distancelearningnetwork.com. You can also join a 1st Wednesday of the month PBMCT Program staff meeting. Register to attend a meeting at the PBMCT website at: https://pbmct.com/content/pbmct-staff-instructional-meeting.

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P H A R M A C Y T E C H N I C I A N D A Y 2 0 1 9 !

The Pharmacy Benefit Management Certified Technician Program celebrated and acknowledged our US and Global certificants on Pharmacy Technician Day 2019, October 15, 2019! The PBMCT Program Staff visited the following cities: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Downers Grove, Illinois Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Our International Ambassador from the Philippines, Keily Shaye Huerta, PBMCT sent pictures showing how the Philippines celebrated Pharmacy Technician Day 2019!

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T I P S F O R M A N A G I N G S T R E S S D U R I N G

P E A K P B M S E A S O N

Working in a Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) environment can be extremely busy, especially at the beginning of a New Year when PBM professionals are busy helping new members, learning new plans, and working overtime to keep up with the high demand. To help manage your workload and stress, here are some helpful tips from a Pharmacy Technician who successfully worked through several peak PBM seasons:

Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine: Replace your caffeinated and alcoholic beverages with water, herbal teas, or natural fruit juice to keep your body hydrated and better able to cope with stress.

Increase Physical activities: Walk, Jog, Move: Physical exercise can help alleviate stress and help you metabolize excess stress hormones. This can help you feel better while becoming more calm and relaxed.

Get your sleep: A lack of sleep is a stress inducer and increased stress can also interrupt peaceful sleep. To thwart sleepless nights, take quiet time to read a book, avoid bright lights, computer screens, and limit time on your cell phone before bedtime.

Know your stuff: Do your best to learn the new plans and changes to existing plans so that you can be a resource to members who are contacting you. The better informed you are, the better customer service you can provide and positively impact members, and teammates.

Learn to set boundaries: Know your limitations and know how much time you can devote to work, family, and outside interests. Try not to add to your stress by over-committing yourself.

Manage your “You” Time: Everyone needs a moment or two for themselves. It could be your drive to the office, cooking dinner, taking a warm bath, working in a winter garden or singing at the top of your lungs in your back yard. Whatever helps to manage your stress, remember to make time for you!

If you would like more information and professional recommendations on how to manage the peak busy season, here are some resources you can utilize: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-in-the-workplace.htm https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/work-stress Your Employer’s Employment Assistance Program (EAP)

Q U I C K F A C T S

PBM’s save payers and patients an average of $941 per person, per year!

-Drug Benefits Solutions (PCMA) https://drugbenefitsolutions.com

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U S I N T E R N A T I O N A L A M B A S S A D O R

R E F E R A F R I E N D T O B E C O M E P B M C T C E R T I F I E D !

Do you know someone who may be interested in learning more about the benefits of PBMCT and becoming certified? If so, please contact us at: heretohelp@distancelearningnetwork.com.

P B M C T B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S

Sherri Cohmer, BS, MBA (Chair)

Gary Aaront (Vice-Chair)

Danielle Hernandez, CPhT (Secretary)

Dianna Huynh, PharmD

Darcil Gangoo

To view a pictorial roster of the PBMCT Board of Directors please visit our website: https://pbmct.com/our-leaders.

US Department of Labor

Occupational Outlook Handbook for Pharmacy Technicians

Website: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacy-technicians.htm#tab-1

On-the-job Training Moderate-term on-the-job training

Number of Jobs, 2018 420,400

Job Outlook, 2018-28 7% (Faster than average)

Have you met Amanda Bass, PBMCT, CPhT: US International Ambassador?

Amanda Bass, PBMCT, CPhT is a PBMCT US International Ambassador! Amanda works for Optum RX as a Sr. Pharm PA/Appeals Technician in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. If you’d like to learn more about Amanda Bass, PBMCT please visit our link at:

https://pbmct.com/content/international-ambassadors

Amanda Dixon (Public Member)

Jamie Nash, PharmD, MPH, BCPS

Justin DeCleene, MBA, MIS, PBMCT, CPHT

Brandy Maust

Whitney Bradley, PBMCT

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M E E T A P B M C T C E R T I F I C A N T

Brigitte Flores: I started working in a retail pharmacy and I worked there for about 3 years. Working in a retail pharmacy is very busy! You have customers waiting in the front waiting to be rung up, customers on the side waiting to turn in their prescriptions, and customers in the drive thru lane. In the meantime, you’re trying to fill medications and help the pharmacist. There would be a lot of times when there was just one tech and pharmacist on shift and that would be really exhausting. My schedule often required me to work Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

I left the retail pharmacy because I felt like I needed to try something new. I applied to work at a PBM and I obtained a full-time position with UnitedHealthcare. At UHC, I started to expand my skill set. I had a fixed schedule working the 40 hours a week, and I received a $5.00-$6.00/hourly pay increase. I think the most significant change for me from retail pharmacy to a PBM was having a work life balance.

PBMCT Staff: What recommendations would you provide to other pharmacy professionals who would like to expand their career opportunities?

Brigitte Flores: Just to look to see what opportunities are out there. I would recommend for them to take the 3-part educational series through OptumHealth Education. I would also recommend for pharmacy professionals to take the PBMCT examination. What appealed to me after reviewing the certification (PBMCT) was that I thought it was a useful certification. I wish when I was working in retail pharmacy that I would have known about the certification for PBM because it would have helped my understanding of the pharmacy industry. I would have been able to give the customers clear reasons as to why their prescriptions were rejected and share the industry knowledge with the rest of my team. I think by having knowledge of all aspects pharmacy, you’ll be able to provide better customers service.

PBMCT Staff: After you became PBMCT certified, did you receive additional opportunities or promotions?

Brigitte Flores: I have definitely gained more confidence in the work that I am performing. After becoming PBMCT certified, I feel that I am seen as someone who is qualified and I have been asked to train new technicians. It’s just been a fun experience. After obtaining my PBMCT certification, I have further developed my skills and progressed my career. I know that maintaining my PBMCT certification will be helpful for me in the long term.

The Pharmacy Benefit Management Certified Technician Program is proud to highlight our certificant, Brigitte Flores, PBMCT, CPhT. Brigitte currently works at OptumInsight as a Senior Pharmacy Care Technician and she has worked in the pharmacy technician industry for the past 6 years.

The PBMCT Staff interviewed Ms. Flores to learn more about her career path as a pharmacy professional.

PBMCT Staff: Could you please tell us about your pharmacy technician career?

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To learn more about the Pharmacy Benefit Management Certified Technician (PBMCT) Program,

please visit https://pbmct.com. If you have questions regarding the PBMCT Program please email: heretohelp@distancelearningnetwork.com.

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