In appreciation of Pharmacist Steve.....

[Diandra]

This is just a big thank you to Steve for always being there for us and answering all of our pharmaceutical questions. You are such a valuable resource and always keep us updated on all the latest info, not to mention your promptness in answering never ceases to amaze me.
Gratefully, Diandra

[Pharmacist.steve]

Diandra... thank you for such kinds words.. I just do what any Pharmacist - should do - help patients maximize their quality of life.
Here is something that just broke news this past week.... Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
Many of us Pharmacists believe that CVS is the most rotten apple .. in a barrel full of rotten apples... everyone needs to watch the meds they are getting... Pharmacists and the Rx dept staff are being pushed past safe limits. There is now a growing surplus of Pharmacists and the typical attitude of corporate chains .. is .. do as we tell you.. or we will find someone else who will try...

Also... the DEA/FDA is trying to get Hydrocodone placed as a C-II... they believe that this will slow down diversion... because it has worked so well slowing down the diversion of Oxycontin & Opana and the like - NOT !!

[Boxerlover]

I agree as Steve has helped me out many times! Kuddos!!

[Boxerlover]

I agree, Steve has helped me out numerous times! Kuddos!!

[Mark N]

Steve, I want to thank you to for giving us important info and a perspective from the other side of the counter. Unlike some pharmacist you have the patient in mind and I really appreciate that.

[Diandra]

Steve, that is a disturbing article. CVS is the only pharmacy that has given me the wrong medication. Twice.
Both times, my regular pharmacy was closed or could not get the med I needed that day so I went to CVS out of desperation and I should have made a fuss about the incorrect med but just told them they made an error and they immediately changed it. I am kind of ashamed of myself for not reporting it but once I had just gotten out of the ER in the wee hrs of the morning and the other time it was for migraine and I was just blind with headache.

When a script is filled, can it be traced back to the pharmacist or tech who filled it?
Thanks, Diandra

[Mike Weins]

I would also like to thank Steve for sticking around and helping others :0

[Pharmacist.steve]

Steve, that is a disturbing article. CVS is the only pharmacy that has given me the wrong medication. Twice.
Both times, my regular pharmacy was closed or could not get the med I needed that day so I went to CVS out of desperation and I should have made a fuss about the incorrect med but just told them they made an error and they immediately changed it. I am kind of ashamed of myself for not reporting it but once I had just gotten out of the ER in the wee hrs of the morning and the other time it was for migraine and I was just blind with headache.

When a script is filled, can it be traced back to the pharmacist or tech who filled it?
Thanks, Diandra

Depending on the Rx software system.. will have initials/time/date stamp every time someone "touched" the order... others have limited date/time computer stamp.. but.. should have RPH initials on the individual paperwork... and at least the RPH/tech initials on the terminal that printed the label.

[Pharmacist.steve]

Steve, I want to thank you to for giving us important info and a perspective from the other side of the counter. Unlike some pharmacist you have the patient in mind and I really appreciate that.

I guess that I am kind of "old school"... taking care of patients... is the most important thing you can do... their trust/loyalty/patronage will all fall into place.

Here is a RPH that blogs... he is in mid-late 50's...Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

This posting is all about the "metrics" that today's RPH's upper management expects them to meet...

When I had my own store - for 20 years - my metrics was rather simple The only metric that should matter is Rx volume per wk/month/quarter as compared to last year..if the numbers are going up... your are doing the right things. PERIOD!

Back in the late summer of 2007.. I opened a Rx dept in a out patient mental health care facility for a company... by the end of the following May (8 months).. I was on track to be the busiest store in the entire company by the end of 2008.. I ran the place like I had ran my own store years earlier... and using dollars generate as my only metric - growing 5%-15% month to month... I thought that I was doing a pretty damn good job... I had this "shirt" who was a social worker .. who was not suppose to be in my command structure... he kept butting in and trying to tell me how to practice pharmacy... in my opinion... he was getting in the way of me providing good patient care ... we did not get along very well... nor did that job last very long... my ethics and principles are non-negotiable.

Since that point.. I have just worked for temp services... I don't have to worry about management or administrative stuff... I am a PHARMACIST... plain and simple... if a patient has a issue that takes 15 minutes to explain and get them to clearly understand.. they get 15 minutes... if I was on staff they would probably be lucky to get 15 seconds...

I always consider that there are three ways to do anything... MY WAY.. the WRONG WAY.. and OVER AGAIN... if I am allowed to do it MY WAY.. the other two options are unnecessary.

Thanks again.. to all... for the nice comments...

[Diandra]

Hi Steve....how sad but true that taking care of patients and being caring is "old school" but you are right. I have found in many services companies today, it never seems to be done right the first time, I often have to go back again and again to get it right. Get cable installed on your TV....never works right the first time and they have to come back.....get a new cell phone # and your name is spelled wrong.....order something online and get the wrong color or wrong size. It is an epidemic. You would think these companies would have some way to measure how much all these "do overs" are costing them. Guess they don't have that in their business models. I love your saying, my way...the wrong way...or over again. Well, I am glad you are "old school".
All my best, Diandra

p.s. thanks for info on tracing which pharmacist filled an order...ammo if CVS does it to me again.

[Eva 14]

Steve,
I too appreciate all the help and advice that you give to all of us here on this forum. I'm sure we all wish that you were our pharmacist!

On top of all the other mess-ups that my pharmacists put me through this past week, they never even bothered to counsel me on a NEW (non-narcotic) med that my doctor had prescribed to me. I remember when pharmacists used to ask: "Have you had all of these medications before? Would you like a consult with the pharmacist?" Sadly, my chain store does not even provide that BASIC level of service, which is very sad.

I long for the days when (most) pharmacists actually cared about their customers! It's true that customer service is lacking in a lot of areas these days, but for something as important as peoples' HEALTH these mistakes and oversights really are not acceptable.

Thanks again for all of the helpful information that you provide!

Eva

[Pharmacist.steve]

Eva... ALL Pharmacist are required by Fed/State law to counsel patients on medications... apparently the Pharmacists in this store... not only seem to have little interest in taking care of patient's needs... they apparently don't have much interest in following the law...