Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Clarifying Expectations

A recent email from corporate:

"We were recently made aware that a few of our customers have been disappointed because the pharmacist on duty was not comfortable filling a prescription for a partial C2. We want to take a moment to clarify what our expectations are going forward so that we do not continue to disappoint our customers."

"The best way to prevent disappointment is to have the proper medication on hand. If you will follow the inventory policies once a week, the majority of your out of stock issues will go away."

So... on top of everything else, Quake-N-Zap, MTM, Flu shots, Zostavax, keeping the healthy rooms spotless, Loss Prevention, Transfers for coupons, and everything else in addition to just filling prescriptions... NOW our focus is not disappointing the customer?

Corporate, please listen up. You're out of control. Inventory management has become a nightmare now. Our new fancy computer logic system tells us to send off inventory we want to keep and packages arrive from other stores for things we didn't order nor do we need. We dispensed Zyvox ONE TIME in 2013 but the supply management algorithm told another store to send us a big box of the stuff. Thanks. How are we supposed to manage our inventory when you're managing it for us? Please explain that to me?

Nobody wants to disappoint the customer, but that's where this whole thing starts. YOU don't understand that our customers are PATIENTS and that changes the entire landscape on how they're handled. This isn't about not having a box of their favorite cereal or a shank of veal.

The law in this state is very clear on how C2s are to be handled with partials. There's no getting around that. Either get off our backs about the inventory and let us stock what we need without a computer telling us how to handle it OR expect some patients to be disappointed. That's just life.

While we're at it, let me tell you what disappoints me:

1. A company that values profit over patient safety. When YOU fart around with tech hours, you're messing with patient safety. That's a fact.

2. A company that is more concerned about someone seeing a chair in the pharmacy instead of a pharmacist or technician taking a break every now and then and not making an error.

3. A company that is more concerned about stupid things like Quake-N-Zap and expensive remodels than patient care.

4. A company that hires regional managers from other companies rather than promote from within.

5. A company that looks at any complaint as "valid" no matter what the complaint is about.

I can go on, but there isn't enough gigabytes to hold all my disappointments....

5 comments:

Amin Elkholy said...

i work as hospital pharmacist and i had enjoyed with your blog so much

Anonymous said...

I don't even care anymore. My entire job description is as follows:

Fake and improvise to avoid conflict with corporate.

Not enough CII would simply be reworded as "not in stock". I couldn't possibly care any less about this companies (big chain) customers. I almost, no I think I actually do, put blame on them for choosing a bastardized joke of a pharmacy like the one I work for. I have no say in anything. Any complaint is one sided. Customer is always right type thing. And to top it all off I can't quit. Yippee! End rant.

Jono said...

Wait, I can't get cereal and veal at my local pharmacy?? Do you expect me to take time out of my busy schedule for grocery shopping?!? That's inhuman!

Anonymous said...

Fake and improvise to avoid conflict with corporate.

I love that. That is golden and describes my chain job description to a T. Why can't they let us just do our jobs and take care of patients while making them money.

Because its never enough money. Patient safety, laws, regulations who cares make more money, money, money, money. It will never be enough and the profession will be poorer for it.

was1 said...

I have a great recipe for veal shank with roasted vegetables. I only make it about twice a year and the damn butcher never has enough of it on hand so I have to order it 2 or 3 days in advance. I'm sick of how I get treated in that store. On top of that, he always gives me that one shitty end piece that's all bone. I'll be coming to your pharmacy next time I need veal. Thanks.