Recent Contributors
Recent Comments
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Young pharmacists need to
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FDA's Unapproved Drugs
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Yes. I agree with you. They
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With all of us time
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we should be talking about
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Recent comments
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Pharmacist-Physician Collaborations
Young pharmacists need to realize that they have an obligation to verify the appropriateness of a dose, particularly an opioid dose, as the consequences of a large dose in an opioid naive patient can be catastrophic. Without benefit of the patient's chart, nor an explanation by the physician on the hard copy rx, you are reduced to quizzing the patient about the appropriateness of the dose, hardly an enviable position to be in. The pharmacist has no choice but to verify such a prescription, and you cannot let the office staff deter you from your mission.
Just last night I had the occasion to discuss a medication with an ER doc, but first had to navigate my way past a hostile nurse who seemed to hold me responsible for the insurance co's formulary limitations and indeed regarded me as an agent of the insurance company, as if arguing with me would somehow put the Zofran on the medicaid formulary. Finally I was able to get through to the physician, who although reasonable would not change the order and insisted on my seeking prior authorization. So in a day or two the 2 year old child may have her antiemetic therapy.
In my view, we have a long way to go to fix this issue. -
FDA Orders Two Companies to Stop Marketing Unapproved Nitroglycerin Tablets
FDA's Unapproved Drugs Initiative1 2006 - This is a joke they are targeting medications that were grandfathered in 1938. The FDA is too big. Big Brother is small beans compared to this.
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Men Bashing At Work
Yes. I agree with you. They should keep it professional.
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The Sandwich Generation
With all of us time compromised... we are going to have to prioritize our time between those that "need" our assistance as opposed to those who "want" our assistance.
By "want" our assistance, I mean those that want us to call their insurance company why a drug is denied, the price is more than they expected, they don't have/can't find their card and on and on. We all know that the price fed back by the PMB's computer IS THE PRICE!
Since most of us are on salary... our employers don't care how much time we have to "hold over" from our normal shift to catch up from not prioritizing your time between patient's "needs" and "wants"
With some employers cutting staffing hours... prioritizing is going to become more and more important.
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Men Bashing At Work
we should be talking about something relevant at work dont ya think?
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Desh Pharmacy - 12170 Conant Street
Do you have room in your Pharmacy for an externship student with a 3.5 GPA?
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Why does it take so long?
you would think after 8 years plus to be a dr, they would learn how to write...lol
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Men Bashing At Work
The workplace is not taylored for that. A professional workplace, that is. Perchance, a factory?
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Men Bashing At Work
These women are worst off. They stay with men they do not respect.
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Pharmacy Profession Shifting toward More Patient Care
I've always maintained that taking pharmacy "to the next level" was evolutionary, not revolutionary. It would not happen over night. I also agree with Pharmaciststeve in that we've been talking about giving the pharmacist more responsibilities for decades. And in some states that has already happened. There are approximately 40 states that have some kind of collaborative practice regulations on the books with physicians, but these are not widespread. I personally think the big change for pharmacy could come with some kind of significant health care reform, not some watered-down version. All that being said, pharmacy has been good to me and my family, despite all of its trials and tribulations over the years. I worked retail for about 25 years before going into the publishing business, and it was good to me despite all the negativity. It is an honorable profession if practiced correctly. Where and how you practice pharmacy will ultimately be in your hands when you graduate. I wish you the best of luck; it sounds like you would make a terrific pharmacist and I encourage you to follow your dream.
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Pharmacy Profession Shifting toward More Patient Care
Corporate pharmacy will set the standard.. Big box stores that are pushing $4.00 Rxs and/or Free Antibiotics, drive thru windows, 24 hrs stores, central Rx databases and the front end of most chain pharmacies look like convenient/grocery stores. When are the self-serve gas pumps going to show up in the parking lot?
Walgreens is starting their promise program that will - IMO - turn the Rx into more and more of a commodity and make people more accustomed to deal with an impersonal "virtual pharmacy"
Even with Pharmacists giving vaccines, most of the major chains has not taken the opportunity to set up an appt protocol to get the shots... They have continued to foster the perception that the Pharmacist is available - ON DEMAND
On the horizon is the linking of e-prescribing, robots & ATM type machines. In some of the western states, remote pharmacies manned by techs with pharmacists verifying Rxs with teleconference equipment.
If we get some sort of national health insurance ... and another 30-50MM now uninsured people are thrown into the system wanting care ...we may be virtually thrown into the role that is played by the advanced nurse pract or Physician assist... but in most areas.. it will require insurance to treat our "service" as a office visit, the patient only required to pay a office visit copay.
If we can find a place within a large MD practice... where our costs are buried in charges under the MD... then we will indirectly get paid for our knowledge.
When I was in school some four decades ago.. the "future" was for the MD to diagnosis and we prescribe. Here we are over a GENERATION later and - for the most part - it still seem to be a very distance possibility... not a probability
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Pharmacy Profession Shifting toward More Patient Care
Nyrxman and Pharmaciststeve, I am currently a Nursing student who has been accepted into Pharmacy school for this coming Fall. I have decided to move forward and become a pharmacist. However, you two have made good points. You both have mentioned that pharmacists will receive less pay and future pharmacists will have to practice at a different, higher professional level than today. Could you elaborate on the latter? Being considered a frontliner in patient care has been a challenge and it seems that being paid for "service" is a dream (though attainable). What's the likelihood that pharmacists can be further included in homehealth care?
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Pharmacy Profession Shifting toward More Patient Care
I agree with NYRXMAN... but I think the RPH glut may be as much as five years away... but it is coming. I also believe that it will not just be a glut and a lot of unemployment, but will see our salary scale take a dramatic slide to < $50K-$60K/yr.
It is going to take some sort of "miracle" to separate us from the product. Twenty years ago, I was doing home IV's. One chemo patient I was called out TWICE after hours to provide a Rx. Our policy was a $35 after hrs service charge. This patient's insurance company - a major player - only paid for the $6 Rx.. I appealed and was told by the medical director - ".. we only pay for product - not for service.." This patient did not have a "drug card".. so this was not an issue of "fixed prices". I suppose that if I had charged $41 for the Rx .. I would have been paid.Today, I personally have this same insurance.. when I went to a local pharmacy to get my flu shot.. they paid everything BUT $10 -copay... when I went to get my H1N1 shot.. They refused to pay for the ADMINISTRATION FEE... since the H1N1 vaccine was FREE to the provider. I suspect that if I went to my MD.. they would have paid for office visit & administration fee. BUT .. it would appear that Pharmacist's services to this particular major insurer only has some worth .. if there is a product involved- that they are paying for.
Yes - in some closed environments - VA - Indian health service and others - the Pharmacist has many expanded responsibilities.. including limited prescriptive authority.... BUT... in the retail environment.. it is all about "bodies thru the front doors". Their movement into "nurse in a box" has not been all that successful overall.
I suspect that collectively corporate pharmacy is like "deers in the headlights" they are afraid to be the first one to take the radical step of telling patients that the Pharmacist's advice is going to have a cost attached.. maybe even that they will have to make an appt for the service .. for fear that their customers will head for the front doors and head to their competitors for "free advice"Where is our potential? If/when medical practices consolidate to control costs, Our expertise may be needed/wanted as part of a large practice and getting paid for our knowledge will be "enveloped" in the practices' charges.
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Should all pharmacy technicians be certified?
ptcb exam study guide at www.pharmrx.yolasite.com
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Is the Pharm D degree overkill?
ptcb exam study guide at www.pharmrx.yolasite.com
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Pharmacy Profession Shifting toward More Patient Care
I agree completely. Unfortunately, for true medication therapy management and a more focused approach on patient care by pharmacists to be successful, chain management has to play a major role. The independents have been doing this for decades, and doing it well. But for the government and insurance companies to sit up and take notice, it is unfortunately the chains that get most of the attention. If major pharmacy chains decide on this pathway for their pharmacists, everyone will follow, including third-party payers who I believe will pay for that service when they realize the money they are saving in their medical plans as a result of better compliance.
In a very few years, the shortage of pharmacists will be but a distant memory as more pharmacists are being graduated than ever before in the history of the profession. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see a glut of pharmacists in the marketplace in two years. These newly graduated pharmacists must be able to practice at a different professional level than today or they will just add to the jobless figures.
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Passion
I agree with you 100%. Passion is the fire that keeps a person motivated to achieve great things. Also, great choice of movie. Loved it.
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Pharmacy Profession Shifting toward More Patient Care
The shortage for pharmacists focused medication dispensing is abating and there will be a sharp growth in the need to diversify into patient-focused care. I mean, isn't the number one goal of healthcare patient care anyway? If pharmacists want to shine as part of healthcare teams and want to be seen by patients as healthcare team members, the border between profits and patient-care must be crossed. And, yes, both can be achieved simultaneously.
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Inquiries
Will Rph be given the right tools to accomplish this one-on-one consultation with individual patient as advertised by a big corporation?
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Inquiries
MTM, are insurance companies reimbursing pharmacy corporations?
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Inquiries
Will Rph be given the right amount of time to accomplish this one-on-one consultation with individual patient as advertised by a big corporation?
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Inquiries
Can Rph truly have more time for one-on-one consultation with patient as advertised by a big corporation?