Meijer Sponsoring Pharmacy Technician Program To Provide Superior Service To Customers
By Megan Zielinski, contributing writer
Meijer announced the company will be supporting the pharmacy technician program at West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT), investing in the future employment for its pharmacies in the West Michigan stores.
Meijer is offering fully-funded training to under and unemployed adults in the emerging field, working together with WMCAT, the pharmacy retailer is committed to providing students with quality education. “Our goal is to provide the best service to our Meijer pharmacy customers, which truly starts with having the right people in those roles,” Mankowski said. “The need for pharmacy technicians is growing tremendously, and our partnership with WMCAT will enable us to bolster our pharmacy staff so they can build patient relationships to better manage their health care needs.”
As a result of intense courses and thorough training in the pharmacy program, graduates come out of the program well-prepared to perform their best, applying their knowledge toward assisting patients and working alongside pharmacists. Meijer’s recognized the value that these graduates possess and hired several WMCAT graduates before they began sponsoring the tech program during the 2013-2014 school year.
Recruitment of pharmacy technicians is predicted to soar 20 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average of all other professions. Factors contributing to the rise include the growing amount of elderly depending on more medications, as well as more people seeking care through the Affordable Care Act.
Those looking to become a pharmacy technician need a high school diploma to be accepted into the tech program. A state-enforced test must be passed in order to receive certification. Working under the supervision of licensed pharmacist, technicians take information needed to fill prescriptions from patients or health professionals, measure, package and label medications, manage inventory and alert pharmacists of shortages that need to be replenished, processes payments and insurance claims, document patient information involving medications taken, answer phone calls and organize phone consultations between patient and pharmacist regarding any concerns or questions involving prescriptions. Technicians are also qualified to mix medications, operate medication dispensers for filling orders and call physicians for authorizing refills. The average median pay is $29,320 a year, or $14.10 per hour—the lowest ten percent earning less than $20,580, with the highest ten percent earning more than $42,400 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2012 report.