What is a Pharmacy Technician?

A Pharmacy technician, also sometimes known as a pharmaceutical technician, is a health care worker who performs pharmacy related functions, generally working under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist or other health professional. Pharmacy technicians work in a variety of locations, usually in community/retail and hospital pharmacies but also sometimes in long-term care facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, third-party insurance companies, computer software companies, or in government or teaching. Job duties include dispensing prescription drugs and other medical devices to patients and instructing on their use. Pharmacy Technicians talk to a patient about their medications. They may also perform administrative duties in pharmaceutical practice, such as reviewing prescription requests with doctor's offices and insurance companies to ensure correct medications are provided and payment is received. In recent times, they also speak directly with the patients on the phone to aid in the awareness of taking medications on time.

That's the Wikipedia version. The truth of the matter is that Technicians are the BACKBONE of the pharmacy. They handle all the dirty work. They fill most of the prescriptions, take the heat from angry patients, and endure the wrath of some mean pharmacists.

As a pharmacist, I appreciate technicians and all their hard work. Standing behind every good pharmacist and good pharmacy is one or more excellent technicians.

This is me...

...trying to keep up

with the #Pharmacy workload on Monday!

Don't Forget to Tip Your Pharmacist this Holiday Season!

That's right, it's the holidays! 

You tip the mail carrier, your yard guy, and your kid's teachers, but do any of them keep you alive?

No.

Your pharmacist keeps you alive by making sure your medications are correct, appropriate, and safe for you.

What better way to show your appreciation than by gifting your pharmacist and/or pharmacy with gifts, goodies, gift cards, cash, and love?

Don't forget your pharmacy this year! Happy Holidays!

Don't know what to tip the service people in your life? Here's an article to help you.

Changing Just ONE WORD...

So I came across this crazy religious tract the other day. I changed one word to show how I feel about retail pharmacy. You might agree if you work retail.

What is a FORMULARY?

In the United States, a formulary is the list of medications available to someone enrolled in a specific drug insurance program.

Usually a "tiered" system is in place as an incentive for patients to select lower-cost medications. Under a three tier system (the most common), first tier has the least expensive generic drugs and the lowest co-pay. As the medication cost increases, it is listed in a higher tier and thus has a higher co-pay. Usually the third tier has most brand-name medications and the highest co-pay.

The formularies are in place to help insurance manage drug costs imposed on the insurance policy. If the drug is not on the formulary, it usually requires a "prior authorization" -- meaning the insurance company wants to talk to the prescriber to see if there is a lower-cost alternative for the patient. Formularies vary from plan to plan and insurance to insurance. Co-pays vary as well.

Your pharmacy has no control over your insurance, your formulary, or your co-pay. As a courtesy we bill the insurance electronically in your behalf. Within seconds we receive information on if your claim was paid and the amount of your co-pay. Sometimes we get a reject saying "prior authorization" required or the medication your insurance will pay for.

You can always find out if a medication is on your formulary by calling your drug insurance company or looking on their website. Your pharmacist has no way of knowing what is on your formulary without a valid prescription to adjudicate.

Stare Because You Care

"Ok, everyone look at the person next to you and keep staring until I tell you to stop."

This was an activity we participated in at recent "mandatory" meeting at the corporate office. This was an exercise The Authorities did to help use up time to turn a 3-4 hour meeting into an 8 hour meeting. And of course, since The Authorities view us as children instead of healthcare professionals, what better way to get a point across than to use a Kindergarten-type activity?

The point of the exercise was to show us how two minutes of staring at each other feels like it is a lot longer than two minutes. On average (apparently they've spent money studying this instead of giving us more tech hours) a customer has to wait two whole minutes before being acknowledged at Goofmart Pharmacy. Oh, the horror!

"Did you feel uneasy? Did you feel ignored? Imagine how your customers feel while they're waiting to be recognized in your pharmacy!"

Of course, nothing was mentioned about the 2-3 minutes WE (both pharmacist/tech AND patient) have to wait on occasion when our computer software freezes when we're trying to input a new prescription. This happens EVERY day and most often during the critical drop off/pick up times.

Nothing was mentioned about the FIVE minutes the entire workflow is halted (for patients and pharmacy) when we call for a manager override and have to wait before a manager gets to the pharmacy. Talk about feeling "uneasy."

I wonder if the brain trust actually thought about WHY people would be waiting for help at the pharmacy to begin with? Duh! If we had adequate staffing, NO ONE would ever have to wait at the pharmacy!

One thing about this object lesson did work. It pissed me and a whole bunch of other pharmacists off. Good job.

A Christmas Wish for Funnies