CVS - Destroying the profession everyway they can!!!

[MountainPharmD]

I got this from http://www.jimplagakis.com/. This is Jim Plagakis's personal website. He is awesome and all should check it out. He got the figures from www.myvisajobs.com. I am posting info he got from there so I am not plagiarizing him!

Take a look at these figures.

Every one of you have scratched your head in dismay when you get a foreign pharmacist on the line at CVS.
Between 2001 and 2009

CVS applied to sponsor 3,590 H1b pharmacists. 15 were denied.

Rite-Aid 3,448 33 denied

Walgreens 1,477 13 denied

Kroger 295 7 denied

Safeway 359 6 denied

****Below are my comments NOT Jim Plagakis's*** If you want to read his thoughts click on the link above.

CVS is the leader in H1B pharmacists!!!! If you have ever tried to call CVS for a transfer this is no surprise to you. I swear all 3,575 of them work in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex. Two things you can be sure of when calling CVS for a transfer. 1.) a minimum of 15 minutes on hold. 2.) When someone does answer it is Shhruwhdh Rammsdkdhwsu who barely speaks English and thinks it makes him more intelligible if he speaks as fast as possible. Plus you have all the background noise to contend with like the drive through dinger going off every 0.2 seconds and the automated phone telling the pharmacist there is 16 lines on hold. I pretty much despise CVS more than any other pharmacy in the world.

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[Doctor M]

I got this from http://www.jimplagakis.com/. This is Jim Plagakis's personal website. He is awesome and all should check it out. He got the figures from www.myvisajobs.com. I am posting info he got from there so I am not plagiarizing him!



CVS is the leader in H1B pharmacists!!!! If you have ever tried to call CVS for a transfer this is no surprise to you. I swear all 3,575 of them work in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex. Two things you can be sure of when calling CVS for a transfer. 1.) a minimum of 15 minutes on hold. 2.) When someone does answer it is Shhruwhdh Rammsdkdhwsu who barely speaks English and thinks it makes him more intelligible if he speaks as fast as possible. Plus you have all the background noise to contend with like the drive through dinger going off every 0.2 seconds and the automated phone telling the pharmacist there is 16 lines on hold. I pretty much despise CVS more than any other pharmacy in the world.

+1 here...Thats why I left that godforsaken company...I couldnt take it no more...

 

[Rebel78]

I got this from http://www.jimplagakis.com/. This is Jim Plagakis's personal website. He is awesome and all should check it out.

Thanks for the link, I just spent an hour there.

16 lines on hold

lol!

 

[DrugDealer]

Two things you can be sure of when calling CVS for a transfer. 1.) a minimum of 15 minutes on hold. 2.) When someone does answer it is Shhruwhdh Rammsdkdhwsu who barely speaks English and thinks it makes him more intelligible if he speaks as fast as possible. Plus you have all the background noise to contend with like the drive through dinger going off every 0.2 seconds and the automated phone telling the pharmacist there is 16 lines on hold. I pretty much despise CVS more than any other pharmacy in the world.

I work for CVS, and this is exactly how I feel when I call Duane Reade here in NYC. I HATE calling them. I hope y'all call my CVS for a transfer some day.....my location feels like a well-run mom n' pop pharmacy. Very low volume.

 

[BMadjuster]

I got this from http://www.jimplagakis.com/. This is Jim Plagakis's personal website. He is awesome and all should check it out. He got the figures from www.myvisajobs.com. I am posting info he got from there so I am not plagiarizing him!



CVS is the leader in H1B pharmacists!!!! If you have ever tried to call CVS for a transfer this is no surprise to you. I swear all 3,575 of them work in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex. Two things you can be sure of when calling CVS for a transfer. 1.) a minimum of 15 minutes on hold. 2.) When someone does answer it is Shhruwhdh Rammsdkdhwsu who barely speaks English and thinks it makes him more intelligible if he speaks as fast as possible. Plus you have all the background noise to contend with like the drive through dinger going off every 0.2 seconds and the automated phone telling the pharmacist there is 16 lines on hold. I pretty much despise CVS more than any other pharmacy in the world.

We do not have a single CVS in Oregon.

 

[Doctor M]

I work for CVS, and this is exactly how I feel when I call Duane Reade here in NYC. I HATE calling them. I hope y'all call my CVS for a transfer some day.....my location feels like a well-run mom n' pop pharmacy. Very low volume.

Thats just it, low volume...You are very lucky!

 

[MountainPharmD]

I work for CVS, and this is exactly how I feel when I call Duane Reade here in NYC. I HATE calling them. I hope y'all call my CVS for a transfer some day.....my location feels like a well-run mom n' pop pharmacy. Very low volume.

We will see how long the transfer takes when your volume doubles and your staff levels remain the same or get cut. CVS will make it miserable one way or another its only a matter of time.

 

[PharMed2016]

We will see how long the transfer takes when your volume doubles and your staff levels remain the same or get cut. CVS will make it miserable one way or another its only a matter of time.

Tech hours got cut at my store.

 

[ToXiK PiLL]

After working for CVS for 7.5 years (since I was 16) I came to realize last summer that it just wasn't cutting it anymore... So I left and went to Rite Aid to intern. I am very surprised at the difference in stress between the two! Even at the busier Rite Aids I worked at, I never felt miserable like I did at CVS. I realllly hope I don't ever have to work for them again.

Bottom line --> CVS should be spelled FAIL.

 

[stevephhs016]

Call me in DC for a copy. jezz

 

[SELDANE]

I got this from http://www.jimplagakis.com/. This is Jim Plagakis's personal website. He is awesome and all should check it out. He got the figures from www.myvisajobs.com. I am posting info he got from there so I am not plagiarizing him!



CVS is the leader in H1B pharmacists!!!! If you have ever tried to call CVS for a transfer this is no surprise to you. I swear all 3,575 of them work in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex. Two things you can be sure of when calling CVS for a transfer. 1.) a minimum of 15 minutes on hold. 2.) When someone does answer it is Shhruwhdh Rammsdkdhwsu who barely speaks English and thinks it makes him more intelligible if he speaks as fast as possible. Plus you have all the background noise to contend with like the drive through dinger going off every 0.2 seconds and the automated phone telling the pharmacist there is 16 lines on hold. I pretty much despise CVS more than any other pharmacy in the world.

If Jim Plagakis has a problem with foreign trained pharmacists he should direct his contempt towards the state boards of pharmacies which grant licenses. If Jim were so "awesome" he wouldn't have to use ethnic stereotypes to get his point across.

 

[Sparda29]

Was absolutely humiliated today due to new LP rules. See, I come to work in street clothes and change before my shift starts and change after. Usually at the end of the shift, for the bag check, they just do a quick peek. Today, I was forced to empty my bag, remove everything and then put it back in. ****ing ridiculous, if I stole something I would put it in my jeans pockets where they can't search, and even if I steal something, wouldn't the security thing start ringing as soon as I walk out the door?

 

[MountainPharmD]

If Jim Plagakis has a problem with foreign trained pharmacists he should direct his contempt towards the state boards of pharmacies which grant licenses. If Jim were so "awesome" he wouldn't have to use ethnic stereotypes to get his point across.

What does the State Board of Pharmacy have to do with H1b visa holders? A better questions is why would the State Board of Pharmacy care? His comments are directed exactly where they need to be. They are directed at the companies who are actively recruiting and sponsoring these people.

 

[confettiflyer]

After working for CVS for 7.5 years (since I was 16) I came to realize last summer that it just wasn't cutting it anymore... So I left and went to Rite Aid to intern. I am very surprised at the difference in stress between the two! Even at the busier Rite Aids I worked at, I never felt miserable like I did at CVS. I realllly hope I don't ever have to work for them again.

Bottom line --> CVS should be spelled FAIL.

Free time? No wonder rite-aid is on the verge of bankruptcy. Their stock is junk. http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticle/articleid/3818802

I guess that's what happens when you don't focus on the bottom line...you go out of business.

 

[SELDANE]

What does the State Board of Pharmacy have to do with H1b visa holders? A better questions is why would the State Board of Pharmacy care? His comments are directed exactly where they need to be. They are directed at the companies who are actively recruiting and sponsoring these people.

According to the Immigration and Nationality act H1b visa holders must have a minimum of a bachelors degree (or its equivalent) and state licensure. Jim's comments at the companies that are trying to saturate a market with foreign workers so as to keep their payroll costs down is like being angry with birds for flying. If state boards of pharmacy simply stated that licensure is granted only to those with degrees from the United States and individuals with U.S. citizenship then companies would't have the impetus to sponsor H1b visa holders. Jim's use of ethnic stereotypes leads me to believe some of his contempt is directed towards the visa holders themselves, not just the companies.

 

[npage148]

In NY to get a license you need to be a US citizen or permanent resident so I guess H1b visas are not a problem here

 

[npage148]

Was absolutely humiliated today due to new LP rules. See, I come to work in street clothes and change before my shift starts and change after. Usually at the end of the shift, for the bag check, they just do a quick peek. Today, I was forced to empty my bag, remove everything and then put it back in. ****ing ridiculous, if I stole something I would put it in my jeans pockets where they can't search, and even if I steal something, wouldn't the security thing start ringing as soon as I walk out the door?

Well, you do freely admit to stealing from CVS on this board so maybe they are not too far off giving you the once over

 

[museabuse]

CVS is the leader in H1B pharmacists!!!! If you have ever tried to call CVS for a transfer this is no surprise to you. I swear all 3,575 of them work in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex. Two things you can be sure of when calling CVS for a transfer. 1.) a minimum of 15 minutes on hold. 2.) When someone does answer it is Shhruwhdh Rammsdkdhwsu who barely speaks English and thinks it makes him more intelligible if he speaks as fast as possible. Plus you have all the background noise to contend with like the drive through dinger going off every 0.2 seconds and the automated phone telling the pharmacist there is 16 lines on hold. I pretty much despise CVS more than any other pharmacy in the world.

Back in the day when there was a shortage, the chains needed pharmacists. They had no choice but to hire H1B, or quit opening new stores. I always thought OSCO was the worse, so when CVS aquired OSCO they acquired alot of H1B pharmacists. CVS is the largest now, so it makes sense they would have the most. I just hope that if the chains need to start laying off people they lay off the H1Bs first.

 

[ToXiK PiLL]

Free time? No wonder rite-aid is on the verge of bankruptcy. Their stock is junk. http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticle/articleid/3818802

I guess that's what happens when you don't focus on the bottom line...you go out of business.

Their stock maybe low but your an idiot if you think they are going out of business. And just FYI the stock has went up drastically over the last year... at one point it was as low as 23 cents! A 5000 store pharmacy is not going to go under that fast.

I'm not really sure what you mean by the "bottom line". At Rite Aid the bottom line is filling the prescriptions and helping the patients any way you can. No PCI reports, periodic reports printing all day long, etc... micromanagement is not an issue at Rite Aid and perhaps thats why their numbers don't look as good. The bottom line for me: they pay me a $1 more than CVS or Walgreen's interns and I don't dread going to work every day. Will I work for them after graduation? Who knows but I wouldn't let only stock determine where I go.

 

[Sparda29]

Well, you do freely admit to stealing from CVS on this board so maybe they are not too far off giving you the once over

You're talking about the pharmacist giving me 1 tramadol or 1 ibuprofen right?

 

[confettiflyer]

Their stock maybe low but your an idiot if you think they are going out of business. And just FYI the stock has went up drastically over the last year... at one point it was as low as 23 cents! A 5000 store pharmacy is not going to go under that fast.

I'm not really sure what you mean by the "bottom line". At Rite Aid the bottom line is filling the prescriptions and helping the patients any way you can. No PCI reports, periodic reports printing all day long, etc... micromanagement is not an issue at Rite Aid and perhaps thats why their numbers don't look as good. The bottom line for me: they pay me a $1 more than CVS or Walgreen's interns and I don't dread going to work every day. Will I work for them after graduation? Who knows but I wouldn't let only stock determine where I go.

lol, do you even know what a 10-K filing is? do you know what Moody's is and do you understand what a Caa1 rating implies?

look at their same-store year-over-year performance and compare it to their competitors post-restructuring (layoffs, store closures, market pull-out) and read their 10-K. I oversimplified because people don't understand me when I bring up corporate bond ratings and same store revenue/net profit changes which is manifested in its dismal stock (you didn't make the connection)...rite-aid won't go bankrupt and disappear, I'll concede that, it'll get swallowed up by a better performing company and effectively cease to exist (ie Longs)

Point is...RAD going from $.23 to just over a dollar doesn't mean it's in for a meteoric rise. that's like pointing to MTLQQ and saying its going from $0.06 to $.63 means it's got a FANTASTIC future ahead of it...which is physically not possible.

So with that said, I wouldn't want to waste my time putting in time with a company that could potentially fail within the next few years or has management issues up top. You're better off picking the "winning" horse (wags, cvs, major nat'l grocery chain) when looking at retail especially if you're considering to go into retail later. There are real transition issues and management shake-ups that can leave you in a lurch.

Just my opinion here, there are legit reasons why you would work here (only option, not considering a retail career and need hours, the extra $1 is worth it over the risk later, etc...). Unlike airline pilots who don't have the flexibility but face the same company performance issues in this case, as an intern you generally have that flexibility. Something to think about.

 

[nicolemsm]

Their stock maybe low but your an idiot if you think they are going out of business.

No, you'RE the idiot sir/lady.

How hard is it to use the right your/you're?

 

[MountainPharmD]

Their stock maybe low but your an idiot if you think they are going out of business. And just FYI the stock has went up drastically over the last year... at one point it was as low as 23 cents! A 5000 store pharmacy is not going to go under that fast.

I'm not really sure what you mean by the "bottom line". At Rite Aid the bottom line is filling the prescriptions and helping the patients any way you can. No PCI reports, periodic reports printing all day long, etc... micromanagement is not an issue at Rite Aid and perhaps thats why their numbers don't look as good. The bottom line for me: they pay me a $1 more than CVS or Walgreen's interns and I don't dread going to work every day. Will I work for them after graduation? Who knows but I wouldn't let only stock determine where I go.

Dude, Rite Aid will be lucky to be in business this time next year. I can't believe they haven't either been broken up and sold or filed for bankruptcy. I thought they would go under before Long's did.

 

[tongiecc]

Yeah you have to agree w/ confettiflyer, Moodys has had RAD at junk status for quite some time, and it may be only a matter of time before you see the symbol change to RADQ. Out of curiosity how have they avoided getting shipped over to the OTC market, was it b/c of the market cap still being relatively large when the price went to under a buck? Also @ moutain and confettiflyer, did/was longs in financial trouble? I thought that the stock price was last at around 100 bucks (of course that was after the CVS buyout rumors came to be true), so were they a wreck too? All I know is I went in one in Monterey, CA and the change over was happening and the store looked totally tore up with almost nothing in stock or in the right place

 

[ToXiK PiLL]

No, you'RE the idiot sir/lady.

How hard is it to use the right your/you're?

haha Holla at me when you get in pharmacy school kid. I'm sure all that grammar crap is still fresh in your head from 5th grade b/c I'm sure it hasnt been that long ago since you were there. Friggin amateur.

I do know one phrase that is perfect grammatically: UP YOURS!

 

[eeyore spice]

If Jim Plagakis has a problem with foreign trained pharmacists he should direct his contempt towards the state boards of pharmacies which grant licenses. If Jim were so "awesome" he wouldn't have to use ethnic stereotypes to get his point across.

This. There's a line between being frustrated with having difficulty understanding someone and mocking Indian immigrants, and this is crossing it. At first I thought Mountain was quoting Jim, but apparently not. If you can't pronounce Indian names, that's your problem. If you can't understand someone, ask him/her to speak more slowly or step away from the drive-through. If they're truly that difficult to hear, ask to speak with someone else.

Blame CVS for crappy hiring standards, but you can't blame someone for jumping at the chance for a decent job.

 

[ToXiK PiLL]

Confettiflyer,

You know a lot obviously about how to gauge a company's viability but I just have a hard time believing anyone could buy them out right now at least. CVS has bought so much so fast I just don't see how they could make it work... Heck they cant even take care of the stores they have (ex: outdated system that is finally getting upgraded... even though that one sucks too) Walgreens would be the best bet if a buyout were to happen. The company has plenty of cash and snapping up 5000 stores could definitely put them ahead of CVS in terms of # of stores (assuming they keep most of them up and running). I dont really care who I work for to be honest, as long as the pay is good and the stress is workable, I'm game for anywhere. Rite Aid works for me now so I'm happy.

 

[eeyore spice]

If Jim Plagakis has a problem with foreign trained pharmacists he should direct his contempt towards the state boards of pharmacies which grant licenses. If Jim were so "awesome" he wouldn't have to use ethnic stereotypes to get his point across.

This. There's a line between being frustrated with having difficulty understanding someone and mocking Indian immigrants, and this is crossing it. At first I thought Mountain was quoting Jim, but apparently not. If you can't pronounce Indian names, that's your problem. If you can't understand someone, ask him/her to speak more slowly or step away from the drive-through. If they're truly that difficult to hear, ask to speak with someone else.

Blame CVS for crappy hiring standards, but you can't blame someone for jumping at the chance for a decent job.

 

[type b pharmD]

This. There's a line between being frustrated with having difficulty understanding someone and mocking Indian immigrants, and this is crossing it. At first I thought Mountain was quoting Jim, but apparently not. If you can't pronounce Indian names, that's your problem. If you can't understand someone, ask him/her to speak more slowly or step away from the drive-through. If they're truly that difficult to hear, ask to speak with someone else.

Blame CVS for crappy hiring standards, but you can't blame someone for jumping at the chance for a decent job.

It's not even going to be an issue in the future. The people who cant speak english allowed cvs and walgreens to make quick buck when they were in an emergency (manpower wise) situation. Now that pharmacists are available and the recession has come, a company has a disincentive to maintain workers that cannot perform the job adequately.

 

[confettiflyer]

Confettiflyer,

You know a lot obviously about how to gauge a company's viability but I just have a hard time believing anyone could buy them out right now at least. CVS has bought so much so fast I just don't see how they could make it work... Heck they cant even take care of the stores they have (ex: outdated system that is finally getting upgraded... even though that one sucks too) Walgreens would be the best bet if a buyout were to happen. The company has plenty of cash and snapping up 5000 stores could definitely put them ahead of CVS in terms of # of stores (assuming they keep most of them up and running). I dont really care who I work for to be honest, as long as the pay is good and the stress is workable, I'm game for anywhere. Rite Aid works for me now so I'm happy.

That's a fair reason to work for rite-aid...just be mindful of what's going on and let that weigh into any decision making you do regarding potential offers/whatnot.

I do agree...RAD will schlep along for a while and will continue to deteriorate and close underperforming locations (they pulled out of Las Vegas entirely last year I believe) until one of the majors clean up their acquisition mess from the past few years. Meanwhile, RAD's institutional investors will push for a buy-out to maximize value before things get worse....then you'll see a Longs-style acquisition with duplicate store closures and conversions...the IP (brand, etc...) might survive, I'd be pissed if Thirfty ice cream disappeared. Hmph.

It'd most likely be Wags (they tendered a bid for RAD...I have no freakin' idea why, there was too much geographic duplication whereas CVS needed to conquer the western US)...but who knows.

Anyway tongiecc -- re: longs being in financial trouble. i recall that they had some issues financially early part of last decade. plus, every time i went into their stores, it just seemed to be a dump (bad product mixes, dilapidated facilities, etc...).

I just looked at their 10-K from jan. 08...they were profitable and were paying dividends. combo of territorial expansion + investors scratching at the deal CVS offered did them in.

 

[ToXiK PiLL]

That's a fair reason to work for rite-aid...just be mindful of what's going on and let that weigh into any decision making you do regarding potential offers/whatnot.

I do agree...RAD will schlep along for a while and will continue to deteriorate and close underperforming locations (they pulled out of Las Vegas entirely last year I believe) until one of the majors clean up their acquisition mess from the past few years. Meanwhile, RAD's institutional investors will push for a buy-out to maximize value before things get worse....then you'll see a Longs-style acquisition with duplicate store closures and conversions...the IP (brand, etc...) might survive, I'd be pissed if Thirfty ice cream disappeared. Hmph.

It'd most likely be Wags (they tendered a bid for RAD...I have no freakin' idea why, there was too much geographic duplication whereas CVS needed to conquer the western US)...but who knows.

Anyway tongiecc -- re: longs being in financial trouble. i recall that they had some issues financially early part of last decade. plus, every time i went into their stores, it just seemed to be a dump (bad product mixes, dilapidated facilities, etc...).

I just looked at their 10-K from jan. 08...they were profitable and were paying dividends. combo of territorial expansion + investors scratching at the deal CVS offered did them in.

Dude... your avatar is awesome! haha Just so ya know!

 

[Sparda29]

Found out from a floater that they are now going to write up floating pharmacists for leaving scripts in the queue, leaving the pharmacy a mess, etc. Thank God, I'm ****ing sick and tired of floaters.

 

[confettiflyer]

Found out from a floater that they are now going to write up floating pharmacists for leaving scripts in the queue, leaving the pharmacy a mess, etc. Thank God, I'm ****ing sick and tired of floaters.

Oh good...except I remember working sparsely staffed sundays and there'd be no way we could attack the rest of the queue, so I don't know how that would work if you're bustin' your ass and there's still a page or two left at the end of your shift since you'll get written up for OT if you stay longer.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[Old Timer]

Rite Aid won't go whole to either CVS or Walgreens. The government will break it up to prevent monopolies, like they did with Eckerds. CVS got the South and Rite-Aid got the North East.

 

[Pinser555]

"one pharmacy call.... one pharmacy call...two pharmacy calls...lane 1...two pharmacy calls...lane two...lane one...two pharmacy calls...on and on.." FML... then the pharmacy manager has the nerve to ask me my the PCI reports weren't done when only the two of us are working with 4 waiter...

 

[Sparda29]

"one pharmacy call.... one pharmacy call...two pharmacy calls...lane 1...two pharmacy calls...lane two...lane one...two pharmacy calls...on and on.." FML... then the pharmacy manager has the nerve to ask me my the PCI reports weren't done when only the two of us are working with 4 waiter...

I just pick up the phone and ask the customers to call back in 30 mins when that scenario happens.

 

[MountainPharmD]

"one pharmacy call.... one pharmacy call...two pharmacy calls...lane 1...two pharmacy calls...lane two...lane one...two pharmacy calls...on and on.." FML... then the pharmacy manager has the nerve to ask me my the PCI reports weren't done when only the two of us are working with 4 waiter...

Sounds about right for a typical call to CVS.....I can't imagine the hell it must be to work there...how does anyone stand it?

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

Sounds about right for a typical call to CVS.....I can't imagine the hell it must be to work there...how does anyone stand it?

Oldtimer is a better man than all of us. I believe he would take a bullet for Tom Ryan and then go back to work.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

Confettiflyer,

You know a lot obviously about how to gauge a company's viability but I just have a hard time believing anyone could buy them out right now at least. CVS has bought so much so fast I just don't see how they could make it work... Heck they cant even take care of the stores they have (ex: outdated system that is finally getting upgraded... even though that one sucks too) Walgreens would be the best bet if a buyout were to happen. The company has plenty of cash and snapping up 5000 stores could definitely put them ahead of CVS in terms of # of stores (assuming they keep most of them up and running). I dont really care who I work for to be honest, as long as the pay is good and the stress is workable, I'm game for anywhere. Rite Aid works for me now so I'm happy.

CVS is one of Wall Street's favorite. If you were to compare CVS's balance sheet to Wags, CVS is totally destroying Wags by a long shot.

In terms of acquisitions, that is one of CVSs major strong point... which is why wall street loves CVS. Although you cant see how it works, the way and speed that CVS merge companies and fit them into the company's bottom line is similar to the borgs assimilation of other cultures in Star trek. The only difference is that CVS also lets certain entities run their own way (Caremark) to take advantage of their benefits.

Just ask any Long's pharmacist on how quickly their system got connected into CVS's system (Not central but phonelines etc). When I called up the human's resource line, I was amazed at how employees of caremark and Longs can also get what I get (information, benefits, where to go, etc). Another great example is allowing Caremark's patients to refill their mail order prescription in store months after taking over the PBM company. This is synergy working at it's best!

PS.. what is more amazing is that CVS literally brought everything that they have with cash almost and still have reserves. Their profits are in the billions... and dont forget that CVS ranks way above Walgreens in the Top fortune 500 list in terms of revenue/profit. I think it is Top 30 if I remember just right under the major oil companies.

 

[confettiflyer]

PS.. what is more amazing is that CVS literally brought everything that they have with cash almost and still have reserves. Their profits are in the billions... and dont forget that CVS ranks way above Walgreens in the Top fortune 500 list in terms of revenue/profit. I think it is Top 30 if I remember just right under the major oil companies.

with the pressure to contain costs and dropping reimbursements, the better a company can utilize the economies of scale, the more successful it will be going forward.

 

[Rxnupe]

CVS is one of Wall Street's favorite. If you were to compare CVS's balance sheet to Wags, CVS is totally destroying Wags by a long shot.

In terms of acquisitions, that is one of CVSs major strong point... which is why wall street loves CVS. Although you cant see how it works, the way and speed that CVS merge companies and fit them into the company's bottom line is similar to the borgs assimilation of other cultures in Star trek. The only difference is that CVS also lets certain entities run their own way (Caremark) to take advantage of their benefits.

Just ask any Long's pharmacist on how quickly their system got connected into CVS's system (Not central but phonelines etc). When I called up the human's resource line, I was amazed at how employees of caremark and Longs can also get what I get (information, benefits, where to go, etc). Another great example is allowing Caremark's patients to refill their mail order prescription in store months after taking over the PBM company. This is synergy working at it's best!

PS.. what is more amazing is that CVS literally brought everything that they have with cash almost and still have reserves. Their profits are in the billions... and dont forget that CVS ranks way above Walgreens in the Top fortune 500 list in terms of revenue/profit. I think it is Top 30 if I remember just right under the major oil companies.

i must say that i agree- say what you want about CVS but in the last few years they have kicked WG's ass on Wall Street and that can't be denied it's pure fact. At one time Walgreens was by far the lone true Retail Giant and now CVS has crushed WG's.
Also, it really depends on how your store is structured. For example, my stre right now is averaging 4300 scripts a week- we have some really good Pharmacist and techs and for the most part even with our volume- if you bring in a script with let's says4 or less meds on it you will almost be in and out in 15 minutes. I have worked in other CVS's in my district that do far less volume and they have much longer wait times. Also, my store does the most volume in my district and we come in month after month with and avg phone pick up time of just a tad over 16 seonds- which is amazing considering the volume. Back a few years ago when it was under a different P.I.C who didn't care the phone call rate was a minute in a half. I challenge any competitor who has transferred an RX from CVS 7664 to tell me a time where they waited more than 30 seconds for a Pharmacist to give them a transfer. alot of times it's the people who you have working and not really the chain.

 

[MountainPharmD]

i must say that i agree- say what you want about CVS but in the last few years they have kicked WG's ass on Wall Street and that can't be denied it's pure fact. At one time Walgreens was by far the lone true Retail Giant and now CVS has crushed WG's.
Also, it really depends on how your store is structured. For example, my stre right now is averaging 4300 scripts a week- we have some really good Pharmacist and techs and for the most part even with our volume- if you bring in a script with let's says4 or less meds on it you will almost be in and out in 15 minutes. I have worked in other CVS's in my district that do far less volume and they have much longer wait times. Also, my store does the most volume in my district and we come in month after month with and avg phone pick up time of just a tad over 16 seonds- which is amazing considering the volume. Back a few years ago when it was under a different P.I.C who didn't care the phone call rate was a minute in a half. I challenge any competitor who has transferred an RX from CVS 7664 to tell me a time where they waited more than 30 seconds for a Pharmacist to give them a transfer. alot of times it's the people who you have working and not really the chain.

OldTimer are you making up new screen names again! You are not supposed to do that its a TOS violation. I am turning you in!

 

[confettiflyer]

OldTimer are you making up new screen names again! You are not supposed to do that its a TOS violation. I am turning you in!

that post was too nice to be old timer. and no one's a-hole was ripped to shreds.

but i would agree that working at a CVS is highly dependent on your staff and their ability to perform. I worked with a bunch of older folk (techs) who never used the 2nd screen in rx2000...drove me nuts. one time, by funny scheduling, all of the techs working were pre-pharm people and we were pumping out scripts like they were going out of style.

next day when the oldies came back...we WERE out of style.

*i don't hate old people, just ones that slow everything down. it should be noted i've worked with old and new pharmacists and they've generally performed similarly in terms of efficiency. It's the tech side that often has issues when changes in technology/workflow occur (which tends to be often).

 

[Doctor M]

If Jim Plagakis has a problem with foreign trained pharmacists he should direct his contempt towards the state boards of pharmacies which grant licenses. If Jim were so "awesome" he wouldn't have to use ethnic stereotypes to get his point across.

Sometimes the truth hurts...

 

[Doctor M]

According to the Immigration and Nationality act H1b visa holders must have a minimum of a bachelors degree (or its equivalent) and state licensure. Jim's comments at the companies that are trying to saturate a market with foreign workers so as to keep their payroll costs down is like being angry with birds for flying. If state boards of pharmacy simply stated that licensure is granted only to those with degrees from the United States and individuals with U.S. citizenship then companies would't have the impetus to sponsor H1b visa holders. Jim's use of ethnic stereotypes leads me to believe some of his contempt is directed towards the visa holders themselves, not just the companies.

Hahaha, had an intern once from Cuba...did not know a damn thing about therapeutics...She is licensed now...God help them patients...btw, she wasnt my intern, but i did work with her and after asking her a few questions i just gasped...btw, Im Guatemalan, hispanic, latino, whatever, so no sterotyping here...

 

[Old Timer]

OldTimer are you making up new screen names again! You are not supposed to do that its a TOS violation. I am turning you in!

Please feel free to turn me in. Of course like rest of your allegations this too will prove to be false, baseless and silly. The admins can tell the IP address of the poster and they will obviously be different IP's as we are different people. Sorry.

You are just bitter man who hates working retail. I really feel more pity for you than anything else. Life really sucks when you hate your career. You delude yourself to think I would waste my time creating an additional login to make CVS look better....

There is a reason I usually ignore your posts. The only reason I see any of them is people quote them. Makes my life easier, one less silly person to deal with.

 

[MountainPharmD]

Please feel free to turn me in. Of course like rest of your allegations this too will prove to be false, baseless and silly. The admins can tell the IP address of the poster and they will obviously be different IP's as we are different people. Sorry.

You are just bitter man who hates working retail. I really feel more pity for you than anything else. Life really sucks when you hate your career. You delude yourself to think I would waste my time creating an additional login to make CVS look better....

There is a reason I usually ignore your posts. The only reason I see any of them is people quote them. Makes my life easier, one less silly person to deal with.

You sure respond to a lot of my posts considering you supposedly have me on ignore. CVS has rotted your brain you old fool. I have never said once that I hate retail. I hate what retail is becoming thanks to ****ty chains such as your beloved CVS and Walgreens. I think it is sad that they own our profession and care nothing about it. Pharmacy is not supposed to be solely about shoving as many pills into bottles as fast as humanly possible in order to fill a thousand scripts a day. Sadly that is what it has become. Your CVS and their PCI metrics and timers measuring how fast you fill prescriptions or answer the phone or get the drive through are a freaking joke. You keep wearing your CVS PJ’s to bed at night and kiss your autographed picture Tom Ryan before you drift off to sleep. The rest of us see CVS for what it is. A ****ty company doing all it can to destroy the profession.

 

[Doctor M]

You sure respond to a lot of my posts considering you supposedly have me on ignore. CVS has rotted your brain you old fool. I have never said once that I hate retail. I hate what retail is becoming thanks to ****ty chains such as your beloved CVS and Walgreens. I think it is sad that they own our profession and care nothing about it. Pharmacy is not supposed to be solely about shoving as many pills into bottles as fast as humanly possible in order to fill a thousand scripts a day. Sadly that is what it has become. Your CVS and their PCI metrics and timers measuring how fast you fill prescriptions or answer the phone or get the drive through are a freaking joke. You keep wearing your CVS PJ’s to bed at night and kiss your autographed picture Tom Ryan before you drift off to sleep. The rest of us see CVS for what it is. A ****ty company doing all it can to destroy the profession.

I also hate CVS...just found out today that the PIC that replaced me 7 months ago resigned for reasons unknown...I am still the longest standing PIC at that CVS i worked for...3 years...That record will never be broken...On a lighter note...we picked up an ALF today...It was a great day

 

[type b pharmD]

I also hate CVS...just found out today that the PIC that replaced me 7 months ago resigned for reasons unknown...I am still the longest standing PIC at that CVS i worked for...3 years...That record will never be broken...On a lighter note...we picked up an ALF today...It was a great day

alf?

 

[Doctor M]

alf?

Assisted living facility...