by Tera Tuten on January 3, 2012
A pharmacy manager is a pharmacist who also has to oversee the day-to-day operations of the pharmacy. Usually this position is achieved by promoting from within the pharmacy or the parent company. However, an outside pharmacist who has more experience may also fill the position.
While it may seem as though a pharmacy runs effortlessly with the pharmacists dispensing medications as the orders come in, there is quite a bit more to the process than that. As we have discussed before, there are pharmacy technicians as well as the various pharmacists, and there are also pharmacy managers. The pharmacy manager will often also take shifts in the pharmacy, dispensing medications in addition to his or her other duties. So what are those duties?
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by Tera Tuten on December 15, 2011
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prescription medications now kill more people in the United States than cocaine and heroin combined. The numbers have more than tripled in the past 10 years. During roughly the same time frame, the sales for these medications has tripled. About 40 people die each day from overdoses on narcotic pain relievers such as methadone, oxymorphone, and hydrocodone. According to the CDC, it will take the efforts of all involved parties to reduce this alarming trend. Patients, health care providers, insurers, states, and pharmacies will all have to play a role if the problem is to be corrected. [continue reading…]
by Tera Tuten on November 10, 2011
Did you know that marijuana was made illegal by passing a tax act in 1937? How does this work? You have to have a stamp to possess marijuana, but it’s illegal to possess marijuana without the stamp.
Today, pharmacists, physicians, and consumers are still faced with amazing and laws. Let’s look at some little-known facts that will make any health practitioner worth his weight in aspirin shake his head.
Something Good in Louisiana
After Katrina, most Americans like to wrinkle their noses at the powers that be in the Bayou State, but here’s an interesting fact: Louisiana is the first state to require that a pharmacist be licensed. This took place in 1806. Things get much sillier after this handy fact.
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by Tera Tuten on August 16, 2011
In a down economy, should pharmacists have to compete with robots for their job security? Some doctors and patients in about 200 locations think so. There are clearly benefits for consumers using pharmacy kiosks, but what about the inherent dangers? [continue reading…]
by Tera Tuten on July 14, 2011
In 2003, the Human Genome Project was completed. This thirteen-year project was supposed to revolutionize the world of medicine, and it did help scientists understand a great deal more about the human genetic condition. It also raised considerably more questions. At the time everyone thought medicine would soon be developed to treat specific people based on their genetic information. Medicine has developed even further in the last eight years, but there are currently only a handful of medications that factor genetic information. A new genetic study of ovarian cancer may increase the ability of physicians, scientists, and pharmacists to personalize medicine even further. [continue reading…]
by Tera Tuten on May 11, 2011
One of the wonderful things about filling prescriptions at a local pharmacy, whether it is part of a national chain or locally owned, is that you know whom you are dealing with. While many well-known corporations allow customers to fill their prescriptions online, there are also more nefarious websites that target people who are trying to save money or who want medications that are not usually available in the United States.
For a pharmacist working in a brick and mortar store, customers defecting to online pharmacies could have devastating economic implications. There are numerous government and industry resources available to help educate your customers about the potential dangers of ordering their medications online.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a section devoted to warning consumers about the possible problems associated with purchasing medications over the internet. They provide details on how patients can help recognize counterfeit medications and how to tell if they have received the wrong medication, as well as warning signs that a website may not be legitimate. The site also has a variety of materials you can print and post in your pharmacy or give to customers when they fill a prescription.
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy has a link to the licensure website for each state as well as for areas of Canada and New Zealand. Provide this link in any literature you may want to assemble for customers to help them make informed decisions.
The FBI has a brief overview of how consumers can help protect themselves from illegitimate online pharmacies. Print the article and post for customers to read in your pharmacy.
Of course, you don’t want to scare customers into thinking that all websites that offer to fill prescriptions online are providing inferior products or set up to obtain credit card information for malicious purposes. However, the threat of those situations occurring is quite real and more likely to happen with older individuals or people who are not aware of the possibility. By providing factual information and resources for your customers, you will help them make informed decisions. You may even be able to point to your own website as an example of what a reputable site looks like and how it can be verified.
How have you handled the increase in online accessibility of medications and the ability of customers to obtain those medications for a lower price than you are able to offer? Have you had patients come back with horror stories? Do you actively try to warn customers about the dangers that can be associated with filling prescriptions online?
