In retail pharmacy these days we are often asked to do several things automatically, that is, before our patients request it. Our companies may ask us to automatically contact prescribers for refills when we discover that a previous supply has run out. They may also be asking us to automatically refill prescriptions every month based on the amount of time that has passed since the previous refill was purchased. Patients may even receive automated telephone calls that their prescription is ready for pick up ! These automatic functions are said to provide timely and convenient prescription fillings for our patients, which they often do. However, they can also lead to some wasted efforts for prescriptions that have been discontinued, changed in directions, or that the patient is unable to purchase on a regular basis. The philosophy of the chains seems to be "If we fill it, they will come." It seems to be just another way to try to increase prescription sales volume. Does't it seem that patients are less and less expected to be responsible for managing their own medication supplies ? What have your experiences been like with all this "automation", and do you think it is a positive step for our profession?More »

When The Who released the song "My Generation" as a single on November 5, 1965, they were talkin' 'bout my generation as the British Mods of the 1960's. Today, we have so many different generations out there. Baby boomers are getting older and even Generation X has lost some of the headlines to Generation Y. Now, there is a growing new generation where more than 20 million people are caught in what is called the Sandwich Generation.More »

In Michigan, the Annual Convention and Exposition of the Michigan Pharmacists Association is this weekend. Sue and I will be attending the convention because both of us feel that we should support our state association. It is also a good opportunity to obtain some continuing education credits for current topics of interest. At the convention, they offer more than 60 continuing education programs, including pain and live continuing education credits that are now required in the State of Michigan. There are many networking opportunities, social events, and an annual banquet to celebrate Michigan's leaders in pharmacy. In addition, there is an exhibit hall that offers an excellent opportunity to meet with representatives from many pharmacy companies.More »

Pharmacy is a great profession. There are many different aspects that one may make as a career. In so many ways, it all depends upon what you put into it. If you give the effort, you can get a lot of satisfaction out of it. You get a chance to be on the front lines of patient care. If you make the effort and communicate with physicians and other health care professionals, you just might be rewarded with a higher level of career satisfaction. The networking and interaction with other pharmacists is a valuable aspect of your career. You must go out and seek opportunities. Although some may want to, you can't sit back and wait for others to bring it to you. It does not work that way. In addition, professionalism is important, but that is one area in which I have noticed a change.More »

Five-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Johnny Weissmuller wasn’t the first actor to play Tarzan in the movies, but he was in the original Tarzan “talkie” in 1932. Tarzan was a fictional person who lived in the jungle, swinging his well-toned physique from vine to vine wearing nothing but a loincloth. He generally appeared opposite another fictional jungle character, Jane, played by Maureen O’Sullivan. Many considered Tarzan the ultimate chauvinist because he was constantly saving Jane from the many dangers of living in the wild. While some critics attribute the line “Me Tarzan, you Jane” to a Tarzan movie script, according to at least one commentator it really happened on the studio’s back lot when Ms. O’Sullivan was struggling to put a heavy suitcase into the trunk of her car. Mr. Weissmuller came to her aid and jokingly uttered the now notorious line. While it really doesn’t matter where the line originated, it has always been viewed as the epitome of male chauvinism. As the population continues to age, the Tarzan character is becoming a distant memory for many, and the chauvinistic line is rarely used anymore in today’s social settings.

While male chauvinism may live on, according to an article in the Harvard Men’s Health Watch men will likely have to give up the self-centered title of the stronger sex…at least when it comes to their health. It’s a well-known fact that men generally don’t see a physician as often as women do. But according to the article, men are making a big mistake, as they are, medically speaking, the weaker sex.More »

Fill every prescription as if it was your father, mother, sister, brother or child or grandchild.More »

Have you ever seen a movie where something that was said by one of the characters made you really think about their line in the movie? Often screenwriters can play a very influential role whereby the script can make actors and moviegoers think about certain aspects of life. At times, many great movie quotes become part of our society and culture. Screenwriters put those lines in a movie for a reason. It may turn out to be pure Hollywood, but it could also make for great dialogue.More »

I found this on a forum somewhere.

For over a year and a half now, the first thing anyone visiting my little blog garden has seen under the headline at the top of the page is the promise that the question of "why does my prescription take so damn long to fill" will be answered. Tonight I looked over this blogs archives and realized it was a promise not kept. While many topics have been covered here, and you have been provided with ample evidence of how drugstore workday life does indeed warp the mind, the question of why it took 2 hours for you to get 20 Vicodin has remained unanswered. I can't help but to think there may be someone out there who has been logging on every day for the last 18 months hoping in vain for this mystery to be solved. Should such a person exist, I offer my humble apologies. To everyone else, I offer the following prescription scenario:More »

Recently one Sunday morning, Sue, my fiancée, and I were at a local restaurant for breakfast. Both of us are pharmacists, and when we were enjoying the buffet, we noticed the hostess of the restaurant. She may have been well trained, but she was doing an excellent job of providing great service. Each time a group would approach the front door, the hostess would gather the correct number of menus and be ready and waiting at the entrance for the next guest. We also noticed that as soon as anyone got up and prepared to leave the restaurant, the hostess immediately went to the register to be ready in position to provide prompt service without any delay. It did not matter what task she was working on because the hostess would always keep an eye on her station and make sure excellent service was always provided.

The hostess was most likely a young college student, and when we went to the register, the hostess was once again in position to provide a positive impression. I complemented her on the high level of service she provided and I also sent in a positive comment on the corporate website of the restaurant.More »

A recently published article in the open-access journal BMC Neurology extols the virtues of cannabis in reducing spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis. The results were published after a systematic review of randomized, controlled trials uncovered a reduction in spasticity and an improvement in mobility in five out of six of the trials. This is not the first time the medical literature has reported the benefits of medical marijuana for a variety of conditions, including the alleviation of excruciating pain, nausea, and vomiting and for appetite stimulation, and I believe it won’t be the last. Yet lawmakers continue to resist any change to marijuana’s legal status at the federal level.More »