Comments for Pharmacy. Jim Plagakis. Pharmacist http://www.jimplagakis.com ABOUT PHARMACISTS, TECHNICIANS AND TROUBLE AT THE DRUG STORE CORRAL Sat, 25 May 2013 04:16:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 Comment on The Three Idiots: See No, Speak No and Hear No. by bcmigal http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223&cpage=1#comment-291172 bcmigal Sat, 25 May 2013 04:16:34 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223#comment-291172 I,too, tell students to run as fast as they can from pharmacy. If I have to fax one more report or follow one more check list, I think I will explode and take that stupid WSAB with me! I,too, tell students to run as fast as they can from pharmacy. If I have to fax one more report or follow one more check list, I think I will explode and take that stupid WSAB with me!

]]> Comment on The Three Idiots: See No, Speak No and Hear No. by unhappy pharmacist http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223&cpage=1#comment-291122 unhappy pharmacist Fri, 24 May 2013 01:35:05 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223#comment-291122 Very interesting thread! I also remember the good ole days!! They were something special. New pharmacist today have no idea what a great profession we had. The new kids are to hung up on the #'s. They don't even have the ability to talk to a patient in laymen's terms. After selling my practice, I went to work for one of the big three. I was amazed at the lack of concern for the patient. The goal was fill & fill fast! I nearly had an MI. I work 14 hours & get no breaks! I never have time to eat. After a particularly bad day, I said screw it! I am biding my time. I refuse to compound (there is a specialty pharmacy nearby that does)! Want something special go see them!! I don't have time! If I can't take a break why should I make more work for myself??? Do I sound bitter? Maybe, Angry??? YES!!! When will the BOP realize they were once just like us?????? They need to realize work conditions affect patient care & in my state that is their jurisdication!!! Hope I can survive another 5 years, although cashier @ Big lots looks better everyday. I no longer mentor, I tell students to run as fast as they can from a pharmacy degree!! Very interesting thread! I also remember the good ole days!! They were something special. New pharmacist today have no idea what a great profession we had. The new kids are to hung up on the #’s. They don’t even have the ability to talk to a patient in laymen’s terms.
After selling my practice, I went to work for one of the big three. I was amazed at the lack of concern for the patient. The goal was fill & fill fast! I nearly had an MI. I work 14 hours & get no breaks! I never have time to eat.
After a particularly bad day, I said screw it! I am biding my time. I refuse to compound (there is a specialty pharmacy nearby that does)! Want something special go see them!! I don’t have time! If I can’t take a break why should I make more work for myself???
Do I sound bitter? Maybe, Angry??? YES!!! When will the BOP realize they were once just like us?????? They need to realize work conditions affect patient care & in my state that is their jurisdication!!!

Hope I can survive another 5 years, although cashier @ Big lots looks better everyday.

I no longer mentor, I tell students to run as fast as they can from a pharmacy degree!!

]]> Comment on The Three Idiots: See No, Speak No and Hear No. by anonymous http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223&cpage=1#comment-291111 anonymous Thu, 23 May 2013 22:29:37 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223#comment-291111 I agree with Goose about learning how to write monographs. I love my alma mater but I felt the curriculum was focused on hospital pharmacy rather than retail. Looking at my classmates, the majority chose retail for the money. Hospital was a distant second tied with pharma companies. A few communications classes do not prepare you for the onslaught of phone calls, questions, interruptions and daily quotas retail rphs face. We had one compounding class. We learned lotions, suppositories and creams. It's a shame they don't teach what I had to make routinely, oral solutions. If it wasn't for one of my former coworkers, I would not know how to make these since the hospital pharmacy would never share their recipes. I agree with Goose about learning how to write monographs. I love my alma mater but I felt the curriculum was focused on hospital pharmacy rather than retail. Looking at my classmates, the majority chose retail for the money. Hospital was a distant second tied with pharma companies. A few communications classes do not prepare you for the onslaught of phone calls, questions, interruptions and daily quotas retail rphs face. We had one compounding class. We learned lotions, suppositories and creams. It’s a shame they don’t teach what I had to make routinely, oral solutions. If it wasn’t for one of my former coworkers, I would not know how to make these since the hospital pharmacy would never share their recipes.

]]> Comment on The Three Idiots: See No, Speak No and Hear No. by pharmacyslave2000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223&cpage=1#comment-291091 pharmacyslave2000 Thu, 23 May 2013 14:58:15 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223#comment-291091 I always enjoy hearing about the "good ol' days" of pharmacy. I can only imagine the changes that have occurred in the last 30+ years. I agree that certain parts of pharmacy have been lost and/or destroyed by the corporations. Try compounding anything but the simplest of ingredients in a busy retail store today and see what a mess of the metrics that creates. I must admit, I'm as guilty as anyone of being a "robo-dispenser". That's what the company wants, that's what they get. I think we can all agree that the current state of the profession does not allow for much rocking of the boat. *** I also agree with "anonymous" in regards to MTM. There is absolutely no way that proper MTM can be done in the retail environment. That is a desk job/office job. It can not be adequately accomplished while on the "front-lines". It may be the future of pharmacy in some capacity, but not for those of us at store level. *** The profession is rapidly changing, and not necessarily for the better. We can pine for the old days or try to adapt and keep our jobs relevant. Check out the stock reports on the big 3. There are BILLIONS of dollars being made. The chains aren't changing their business model anytime soon. I always enjoy hearing about the “good ol’ days” of pharmacy. I can only imagine the changes that have occurred in the last 30+ years. I agree that certain parts of pharmacy have been lost and/or destroyed by the corporations. Try compounding anything but the simplest of ingredients in a busy retail store today and see what a mess of the metrics that creates. I must admit, I’m as guilty as anyone of being a “robo-dispenser”. That’s what the company wants, that’s what they get. I think we can all agree that the current state of the profession does not allow for much rocking of the boat.
***
I also agree with “anonymous” in regards to MTM. There is absolutely no way that proper MTM can be done in the retail environment. That is a desk job/office job. It can not be adequately accomplished while on the “front-lines”. It may be the future of pharmacy in some capacity, but not for those of us at store level.
***
The profession is rapidly changing, and not necessarily for the better. We can pine for the old days or try to adapt and keep our jobs relevant. Check out the stock reports on the big 3. There are BILLIONS of dollars being made. The chains aren’t changing their business model anytime soon.

]]> Comment on Big Stupid Fights Over Unemployment Benefits After Firing RPh by anonymous http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=5965&cpage=1#comment-291026 anonymous Wed, 22 May 2013 19:41:33 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=5965#comment-291026 Just curious, to Unemployed and all those who lost jobs or were fired,have you found a job yet? It's been several months for me and not even an interview. It is so bad I am thinking of another career. Just curious, to Unemployed and all those who lost jobs or were fired,have you found a job yet? It’s been several months for me and not even an interview. It is so bad I am thinking of another career.

]]> Comment on The Three Idiots: See No, Speak No and Hear No. by anonymous http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223&cpage=1#comment-290930 anonymous Tue, 21 May 2013 12:23:28 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223#comment-290930 MTM in a busy retail store is almost impossible nowadays. There are some ideas that should not be introduced to retail and that is one of them. I know of several doctors who use duplicate therapy on patients and when we did MTM with them they refused to cut out even one drug. Example, two or three anti-inflammatories, five BP drugs (no organ failure) etc. I had one customer on 20 drugs in a month. Her health is horrible. Yes, hospital or LTC or nursing home facility where the doctor is more responsive b/c he or she has so many patients they'll sign off. As for retail..it will hit the fan sooner than later. Until the chanins realize that cutting hours in pharmacy (I saw a slide show from CVS that quoted that 70% of their revenue comes from the pharmacy), is just detrimental to everyone. Bring the hours back, bring the raises back (billions in profits) and fix up your company's computer system. MTM in a busy retail store is almost impossible nowadays. There are some ideas that should not be introduced to retail and that is one of them. I know of several doctors who use duplicate therapy on patients and when we did MTM with them they refused to cut out even one drug. Example, two or three anti-inflammatories, five BP drugs (no organ failure) etc. I had one customer on 20 drugs in a month. Her health is horrible. Yes, hospital or LTC or nursing home facility where the doctor is more responsive b/c he or she has so many patients they’ll sign off. As for retail..it will hit the fan sooner than later. Until the chanins realize that cutting hours in pharmacy (I saw a slide show from CVS that quoted that 70% of their revenue comes from the pharmacy), is just detrimental to everyone. Bring the hours back, bring the raises back (billions in profits) and fix up your company’s computer system.

]]> Comment on The Three Idiots: See No, Speak No and Hear No. by boilerrph87 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223&cpage=1#comment-290916 boilerrph87 Tue, 21 May 2013 03:52:33 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223#comment-290916 I quit giving to Purdue pharmacy years ago. I also hear they want to add yet another year of Pre Pharm...WTH...by that time, one would technically be a junior and then what does one do when they get rejected...wasted 3 years of school to now have to find another major and imagine the debt they have already by then. I worked a short time at CVS, what an absolute nightmare. I spent 10 yrs in LTC, this new 'MTM' model to me isn't any different than what I did every month in my LTC facilities...I believe I could run circles around some of these new kids based on my experience since graduation and yet I'm looked down upon because I'm 'only a BS RPh' Unless somehow we all can get on the same page and tell corporates, PBMs, insurances and these pharmacy schools enough is enough, things aren't going to change and our profession will disappear forever because I forsee the day when the rules will be changed to the point a pharmacist will no longer be needed...(a good starting example is Pfizer being allowed to sell Viagra on the internet directly to the consumer). I quit giving to Purdue pharmacy years ago. I also hear they want to add yet another year of Pre Pharm…WTH…by that time, one would technically be a junior and then what does one do when they get rejected…wasted 3 years of school to now have to find another major and imagine the debt they have already by then. I worked a short time at CVS, what an absolute nightmare. I spent 10 yrs in LTC, this new ‘MTM’ model to me isn’t any different than what I did every month in my LTC facilities…I believe I could run circles around some of these new kids based on my experience since graduation and yet I’m looked down upon because I’m ‘only a BS RPh’
Unless somehow we all can get on the same page and tell corporates, PBMs, insurances and these pharmacy schools enough is enough, things aren’t going to change and our profession will disappear forever because I forsee the day when the rules will be changed to the point a pharmacist will no longer be needed…(a good starting example is Pfizer being allowed to sell Viagra on the internet directly to the consumer).

]]> Comment on The Three Idiots: See No, Speak No and Hear No. by goose http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223&cpage=1#comment-290913 goose Tue, 21 May 2013 02:08:53 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223#comment-290913 Steve brings up an interesting point about the pharmacist being a fixture in the store. I'll bet most people cannot tell you the first name of the last person that filled their prescription. I know I can't when I go to a big chain. My insurance makes me go to CVS so I got all my scripts changed to generic equivalents and pay cash at one of the last two independents in town. They just need a pharmacist there for the license. Soon everything will be outsourced and the pharmacist will be a glorified cashier. I have a student I just started teaching today tell me that she works as a tech at Wags and has since 2005. She says she enters new RXs for customers who drop them off but want to wait. She says she is told not to do this but does it anyway. She also said that she thinks the fact that she worked retail hurt her for her pharmacy interviews. It's all such bullshit and there is no end in sight. Steve brings up an interesting point about the pharmacist being a fixture in the store. I’ll bet most people cannot tell you the first name of the last person that filled their prescription. I know I can’t when I go to a big chain.
My insurance makes me go to CVS so I got all my scripts changed to generic equivalents and pay cash at one of the last two independents in town.
They just need a pharmacist there for the license. Soon everything will be outsourced and the pharmacist will be a glorified cashier.
I have a student I just started teaching today tell me that she works as a tech at Wags and has since 2005. She says she enters new RXs for customers who drop them off but want to wait. She says she is told not to do this but does it anyway. She also said that she thinks the fact that she worked retail hurt her for her pharmacy interviews.
It’s all such bullshit and there is no end in sight.

]]> Comment on The Three Idiots: See No, Speak No and Hear No. by goose http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223&cpage=1#comment-290910 goose Tue, 21 May 2013 01:51:01 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223#comment-290910 Pharmacy students don't have time for practical courses anymore, they're writing drug monographs, learning statistics so they can evaluate all the articles they read about worthless biased drug trials and talking about what residency they are going to do. I currently have a student that will graduate $300,000 in debt. Where is the outrage about longer and longer bullshit educational requirements, students deeper and deeper in debt and schools asking alums for more and more money all the time. If you are a grad of a pharmacy school and you send them one dime, I think you are a fool. You are not saving these kids any money, only a small percentage goes to a select few. When Purdue calls me for money I hang up. One of these days the shit is going to hit the fan and all this shit will be out in the open. Nothing we do as pharmacist will mean a thing if we do not help the kids now get out of this debt load. Step 1: No more donations to pharmacy schools. Pharmacy students don’t have time for practical courses anymore, they’re writing drug monographs, learning statistics so they can evaluate all the articles they read about worthless biased drug trials and talking about what residency they are going to do. I currently have a student that will graduate $300,000 in debt. Where is the outrage about longer and longer bullshit educational requirements, students deeper and deeper in debt and schools asking alums for more and more money all the time.
If you are a grad of a pharmacy school and you send them one dime, I think you are a fool. You are not saving these kids any money, only a small percentage goes to a select few. When Purdue calls me for money I hang up.
One of these days the shit is going to hit the fan and all this shit will be out in the open. Nothing we do as pharmacist will mean a thing if we do not help the kids now get out of this debt load.
Step 1: No more donations to pharmacy schools.

]]> Comment on The Three Idiots: See No, Speak No and Hear No. by boilerrph87 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223&cpage=1#comment-290902 boilerrph87 Mon, 20 May 2013 20:49:01 +0000 http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=6223#comment-290902 Goose....I also am a Purdue grad. I remember Dr Tyler, in fact Pharmacognosy was one of my favorite classes. Wonder if they even still teach that class these days. I was a student when Dr Sperandio was Dean. Compounding class was my favorite. When I graduated, where I worked we didn't do a great deal, but most common was the gentian violet solutions, variations of Mary's Magic Mouthwash, Philadelphia solution, a 2lb order of Triamcinolone/coal tar and Aquaphor for a psoriasis patient and occasional Ritalin capsules for a local vet for a small dog. Yeah, I'm now one of the old timers I used to always look up to as my mentors. Unfortunately, these new kids coming out have absolutely no clue on traditional pharmacy, I've seen a lot of grads who have terrible customer service skills in consulting if they even do consulting....now a days it's the tech asking the customer 'do you have any questions for the pharmacist' which I know is not following the consulting law, IF you can even get the customer to listen to the information. It's sad for me to see how it's gone from true pharmacy to 'pill mills' and 'fast food mentality' Goose….I also am a Purdue grad. I remember Dr Tyler, in fact Pharmacognosy was one of my favorite classes. Wonder if they even still teach that class these days. I was a student when Dr Sperandio was Dean. Compounding class was my favorite. When I graduated, where I worked we didn’t do a great deal, but most common was the gentian violet solutions, variations of Mary’s Magic Mouthwash, Philadelphia solution, a 2lb order of Triamcinolone/coal tar and Aquaphor for a psoriasis patient and occasional Ritalin capsules for a local vet for a small dog. Yeah, I’m now one of the old timers I used to always look up to as my mentors. Unfortunately, these new kids coming out have absolutely no clue on traditional pharmacy, I’ve seen a lot of grads who have terrible customer service skills in consulting if they even do consulting….now a days it’s the tech asking the customer ‘do you have any questions for the pharmacist’ which I know is not following the consulting law, IF you can even get the customer to listen to the information. It’s sad for me to see how it’s gone from true pharmacy to ‘pill mills’ and ‘fast food mentality’

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