Happy May!

Happy May Everyone!
Its still early as I write this (you all probably arent open yet) but I want to wish you all a very happy May 1st (that falls on a monday, ugh).
May 1st wishes:

• Your patients didnt decide to all change to another MediCare Part D plan today
  • Argus will remain up (yeah, i hear your laughter)
    • All of your patients medications will continue to be on the formulary and not require a prior-auth
      • New insurance cards were issued with the correct ID/Group # on them
        • The PBM’s didnt cut our reimbursement rate
          Oh, and hug your Pharm Tech. Even though they dont deal with as much of the crap as we have to deal with, they are still there to cover for you when you’re sobbing in the back room (“he’s got new contact lenses, he’s fine”) or throwing vials at the wall. I wouldnt be here if it wasnt for my Techs, i would be in jail for strangling an idiot.. 🙂

Comments #

Comment by anonymous tech on 2006-05-07 21:10:06 -0700 #

So you don’t think techs deal with as much crap as pharmacists? Have you ever worked as a tech? Not only do we have to deal with customers but also pharmacists. Who has to retype entire scripts when they get sent back because the s was missing from teaspoons? Who has to apologize to the customers when they complain because they were sitting in the waiting room forever because the pharmacist forgot to page? Who has to deal with their bosses constantly over their shoulders dictating every task for 8+ long hours a day? Who has to deal with the brand new pharmacists who don’t even know what phenazopyridine is or how to figure out the package size for a box of albuterol nebs? Who always has to deal with the drive-thru?? Who has to run back and forth between filling and the register while the pharmacist pulls up the dreaded chair to verification? Most pharmacists–not all–but most would rather just stay at verification and let technicians work their butts off. All this for 1/5th of pharmacists pay. Finally, about all the complaints you have about insurance/medicare problems, I don’t know about your pharmacy but at mine the techs deal with all the insurance problems.

Comment by jeff nielsen on 2006-05-16 15:46:33 -0700 #

If i were a tech i would say to you:
Fuck your license!! I am more interested in doing my job right and if I make a mistake I lose my job. I care about your license like you care about my job. If I should lose my job you would care less; so, in turn i should give a shit about your license.
HA HA HA

Comment by D. L. Stone on 2007-01-24 17:31:39 -0800 #

Do pharmacists in Canada have a better situation due to socialized medicine there? Just wondering. Incidentally,my hat is off to pharmacists. I’m aware of how hard you work and the great service you provide.

Comment by sorchagriannon on 2008-03-22 22:59:32 -0700 #

I disagree with techs not having to deal with what you deal with. I am the one that types, fills, gives out meds, calls insurance companies, calls dumb-shit dr offices, and fills out PA’s. Not to mention the various other duties around the pharmacy, such as making sure the shelves are in order, keeping forms in stock, ect. My pharmacist sit’s on the phone doing business (non-rx related), having meeting, or bull-shitting with my drivers. I know it is all dependant on where you work (independant pharmacy here), but don’t forget we put up with a ton of crap too.
Don’t get me started on fill-in pharmacists that hide in the back room when a customer gets angry and refuses to step in to explain things. grr….

Comment by PharmD on 2009-05-09 17:44:04 -0700 #

I love my techs, they are lifesavers, and yes, they have to deal with as much crap as me. However, when the crap gets too deep, it is me, the Rph, who steps up to the plate to start shoveling.

A few months back we had a sudafed seeker (read, meth addict) arguing with my tech about how much sudafed she could purchase in one sale/day. She kept arguing and arguing that she knew she could buy two packs of whatever sudafed of the month she wanted, and the tech kept telling her we have a store policy to only sell one. When I knew the customer wasn’t going to shut up, I waltzed over and said, excuse me maam, do you work for “insert retail pharmacy name here”? And she replied, “No.” To which I responded, “well, we have certain rules that we are asked to follow by our pharmacy manager here, and this is one of them. We cannot sell you two boxes of “X”.” And then I take a look at her ID, a cut in half, taped up state ID. And then I tried *sooo* hard not to smile as I said, “I’m sorry, but that (mutilated) ID is not acceptable for purchasing sudafed.” Then she just turned around and walked out of the store, bitching and moaning.

The gravy on this event was my tech turning to me afterward and saying, “I just have to tell you, that was awesome.”