CVS hiring PIC!

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pharmacist711

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CVS is hiring so many PIC in area where I live (5 pic positions within 15 miles radius from my zip).
1st question; why so many opening? 2nd ; what is the hrly pay for someone with good pic experience? 3rd; how is the health insurance ? Deductible, network, copays etc.
can anyone help me with answers on these qns? It will help me make a decision.
Thanks
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Why not just apply to one of the positions and find out that way?
 
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or possibly they quit, knowing they were close to getting fired for not meeting metrics.

My guess as to why they quit, or why anyone quits a job.....the grass is always greener on the other side.


Edited to add....another reason, when there are a bunch of people quitting a job in the same place or locale, a possible reason is there is a problem with their supervisor.
 
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1: Probably because the job sucks. If you don't like the business and the metrics, you won't succeed at being a PIC at CVS. - can't hurt to apply though, talk to other PIC's in the area.

2: Excellent. I still refer to my salary when I was at CVS as "blood money." They really do pay well for the sacrifices you make. When our school released the range of salaries for the recent graduates of our class, the top number was those of use that went to CVS.

3: The CVS insurance is also excellent if you are able to meet their health metrics. They have all been in the news about "rewarding" those who meet the metrics with lower premiums.
 
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Are you a new grad? With all the new grads who were CVS interns and are out of work, I'm surprised they didn't offer the PIC positions to them first. I was going to say you could ask the other pharmacists in the district why the PICs left, but you might not get the real answer.
 
I do recall reading that cvs was entering a new northwest market (I think it was Seattle or Portland) and they had several PIC positions available. Maybe this is the area you are talking about?

As of 2013 list of states with no cvs (but I'm sure cvs is planning to enter eventually)
Here are the states with no current CVS Pharmacy locations:

  • Alaska
  • Colorado
  • Idaho
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Washington
  • Wyoming
 
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It depends. CVS is always looking for PICs. However if there are 5 positions open in a 15 mile radius, it is more likely that those spots are taken.

There is a new thing in CVS where we are "required" to open a job position before we can promote somebody. For example, if I was to change 5 PICs (either transfer to different stores, resignations, terminations, leave of absence due to pregnancy), I have to post a job opening for PIC in those 5 stores. That way, we can not be sued and can say that we are giving equal opportunities to everybody who is interested in applying for the position.
 
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Can anyone put more light on the health benefits part? how does the medical insurance work? deductible, out of pocket max, hra account etc...Does the benefits start right away? Does it cover spouse and family?
Any info will help...thanks
 
CVS offers tremendous amount of benefits.

You are eligible for health benefits immediately if you are full time.

Their medical insurance is divided into three categories, depending on premium versus deductible. In addition to that, they also provide a HSA account where the company contributes money regardless of your contribution. For pharmacist, they give you 250 dollars (vs 1000 for a tech). You can also contribution in addition to that amount out of your paycheck. This money rolls over unlike a FSA, which the company offers also.

The benefits also cover spouse and family.
 
AFB, are you a supervisor now?
 
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I cant speak for others... but my experience at CVS is different. I like the company because I get paid over 150k, I have 401k match that my friends don't have, stock options, stock purchase plans, etc. When all is said and done, I make 200k without OT. Why would I want to be sup?!?

In addition, I don't have any trouble with meeting CVS's metrics because I understand it..., which explains why my bonus was over 10k this year. I got to say that I couldn't have done it without my awesome partners and staff. I also get an hour lunch break because my partners can cover for me since I am in a high volume store.

Are there moments that are stressful... yes. For example, I can rant on about how I cant stand new pilot programs coming out. In the end, I embrace and adapt to it. The trick is to read the **** (modules, FAQs, etc), understand it, and think of it as an open text book test. Also don't ****ing be last. My store is never first, but I stay out of my sup's radar because I am never last. A lot of people are last because they don't have any leadership skills. They don't know how to delegate. They don't have a plan. They just walk in and ****ing take it up the ass.

The only time I found my job challenging was when I was a newly promoted PIC with no experience stuck in a medium volume store (2.2k). After a few months, I figure that it wasn't me..., it was my staff. I could bust my chops but if my techs are taking cellphone breaks while using the bathroom, I will always be overwhelmed. If they call out consistently or be late, I will always be short staffed. It wasn't like a slower volume store where I can make up for my techs or a higher volume store where I have 1-2 other partners and a lot of tech help.

I have worked for independents, I have worked for other chains, and I also worked many jobs while going through school (sweat shops, intern for lawyers, probation officers, computer support), and CVS is the easiest of them.

Lastly, I figured out the system... which is to be a winner. If your store is doing good, you get more resources. You have more freedom to do whatever you want. For example, I get rotational students, interns, because my store is doing good and thus, I am doing something right. My Sup wants me to train them as they will become future pharmacists in his district. He can send them to a ****ty store but they will just get stressed out and not learn anything but be glorified cashiers.
 
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Aznfarmerboi said:
I cant speak for others... but my experience at CVS is different. I like the company because I get paid over 150k, I have 401k match that my friends don't have, stock options, stock purchase plans, etc. When all is said and done, I make 200k without OT. Why would I want to be sup?!?

In addition, I don't have any trouble with meeting CVS's metrics because I understand it..., which explains why my bonus was over 10k this year. I got to say that I couldn't have done it without my awesome partners and staff. I also get an hour lunch break because my partners can cover for me since I am in a high volume store.

Are there moments that are stressful... yes. For example, I can rant on about how I cant stand new pilot programs coming out. In the end, I embrace and adapt to it. The trick is to read the **** (modules, FAQs, etc), understand it, and think of it as an open text book test. Also don't ******* be last. My store is never first, but I stay out of my sup's radar because I am never last. A lot of people are last because they don't have any leadership skills. They don't know how to delegate. They don't have a plan. They just walk in and ******* take it up the ass.

The only time I found my job challenging was when I was a newly promoted PIC with no experience stuck in a medium volume store (2.2k). After a few months, I figure that it wasn't me..., it was my staff. I could bust my chops but if my techs are taking cellphone breaks while using the bathroom, I will always be overwhelmed. If they call out consistently or be late, I will always be short staffed. It wasn't like a slower volume store where I can make up for my techs or a higher volume store where I have 1-2 other partners and a lot of tech help.

I have worked for independents, I have worked for other chains, and I also worked many jobs while going through school (sweat shops, intern for lawyers, probation officers, computer support), and CVS is the easiest of them.

Lastly, I figured out the system... which is to be a winner. If your store is doing good, you get more resources. You have more freedom to do whatever you want. For example, I get rotational students, interns, because my store is doing good and thus, I am doing something right. My Sup wants me to train them as they will become future pharmacists in his district. He can send them to a ****** store but they will just get stressed out and not learn anything but be glorified cashiers.
Click to expand...
It is good that you are happy at Cvs. I wish we all could say the same thing. My store was doing poorly . WE moved from a kpm of 43 to 93 now, and sos from 1.2 to 3.5 now. I hope the rx supervisor will stop bothering us as they were big on us when our store was doing bad.
What do you think. about the new enhancement customer service metric that will take effect this month where Qt is worth 35 points, Fill on time 35 points, Presctiber call 15 , voice mail retrieval rate 15, waiter 15?
 
The QT goal of 91 is laughable. The top 20% of the company was around 87% or so as I recall? Isn't the A in SMART achievable?

I am also so, so sad to see QV going back to being timed. Oh well, I guess it was nice while it lasted.
 
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owlegrad said:
The QT goal of 91 is laughable. The top 20% of the company was around 87% or so as I recall? Isn't the A in SMART achievable?

I am also so, so sad to see QV going back to being timed. Oh well, I guess it was nice while it lasted.
Click to expand...
So every day will be liked riding a roller coaster . so sad to see so much emphasis is put on speed
 
Aznfarmerboi said:
CVS offers tremendous amount of benefits.

You are eligible for health benefits immediately if you are full time.

Their medical insurance is divided into three categories, depending on premium versus deductible. In addition to that, they also provide a HSA account where the company contributes money regardless of your contribution. For pharmacist, they give you 250 dollars (vs 1000 for a tech). You can also contribution in addition to that amount out of your paycheck. This money rolls over unlike a FSA, which the company offers also.

The benefits also cover spouse and family.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the gr8 info.
Aznfarmerboi said:
CVS offers tremendous amount of benefits.

You are eligible for health benefits immediately if you are full time.

Their medical insurance is divided into three categories, depending on premium versus deductible. In addition to that, they also provide a HSA account where the company contributes money regardless of your contribution. For pharmacist, they give you 250 dollars (vs 1000 for a tech). You can also contribution in addition to that amount out of your paycheck. This money rolls over unlike a FSA, which the company offers also.

The benefits also cover spouse and family.
Click to expand...
thanks for the gr8 info.
 
ancienbon said:
It is good that you are happy at Cvs. I wish we all could say the same thing. My store was doing poorly . WE moved from a kpm of 43 to 93 now, and sos from 1.2 to 3.5 now. I hope the rx supervisor will stop bothering us as they were big on us when our store was doing bad.
What do you think. about the new enhancement customer service metric that will take effect this month where Qt is worth 35 points, Fill on time 35 points, Presctiber call 15 , voice mail retrieval rate 15, waiter 15?
Click to expand...

See! Awesome! @ a 3.5, you are meets expectation. Your Sup will be a ***** to bother you when he has 20 other stores to worry about per month. At 1.2, you are at do not meets expectation...

About the new enhancement, I am going to treat it as the new KPM. I think the trick to QT is making sure who ever is on it is asking for back up if they have more than 2 in the orange box, and 5 in 0-30 minutes box. When that person asks for back up, every body should be up on it. In addition, I am telling my techs to multi task more. I ask them to do QT while they are on hold with the insurance or customer phone calls..., instead of texting away on their cell phones.

With prescriber call, I think that is an easy one. Just do the phone calls before they turn red in QV. I have been managing that so even for a high volume store, I only have 7-10 phone calls max per morning that I have to do before 1pm (between 2 to 3 pharmacists and interns). The trick is not to do the phone calls down, but to pick the ones that are turning red (not in order).

Vm... just pick it up.

Fill on time is the hardest but if work flow is in order, my store maxes that out currently without me managing it. I also max out action note follow thru.

All in all, easy points for me. I don't think I will max out QT because the doctor sometimes send in 20 new scripts at once... but I will get full points on everything else, and partial points on qt. I should be in 90's...
 
owlegrad said:
The QT goal of 91 is laughable. The top 20% of the company was around 87% or so as I recall? Isn't the A in SMART achievable?

I am also so, so sad to see QV going back to being timed. Oh well, I guess it was nice while it lasted.
Click to expand...

I agree. I wonder if they factor in new stores to that equation? A brand new store will get 100 percent...

With that said, keep in mind that the 87% was achieved without us managing it. For the last few months, we didn't get any emails on it. I am currently at 78%... so I think I can do it. I feel like a lot of it will have to be done by asking QT tech to ask for back up, and for people to change times when they are calling the insurance (instead of leaving it as waiter reject in QT), or customer for new insurance card.
 
Aznfarmerboi said:
I agree. I wonder if they factor in new stores to that equation? A brand new store will get 100 percent...

With that said, keep in mind that the 87% was achieved without us managing it. For the last few months, we didn't get any emails on it. I am currently at 78%... so I think I can do it. I feel like a lot of it will have to be done by asking QT tech to ask for back up, and for people to change times when they are calling the insurance (instead of leaving it as waiter reject in QT), or customer for new insurance card.
Click to expand...

My store is at about 89 for QT and I am happy with that. The effort to get us to 91 would probably not be worth it. Our overall a score for the new card was high 80s and that put us at numerous 1 for our district so I am happy.
 
Aznfarmerboi said:
See! Awesome! @ a 3.5, you are meets expectation. Your Sup will be a ***** to bother you when he has 20 other stores to worry about per month. At 1.2, you are at do not meets expectation...

About the new enhancement, I am going to treat it as the new KPM. I think the trick to QT is making sure who ever is on it is asking for back up if they have more than 2 in the orange box, and 5 in 0-30 minutes box. When that person asks for back up, every body should be up on it. In addition, I am telling my techs to multi task more. I ask them to do QT while they are on hold with the insurance or customer phone calls..., instead of texting away on their cell phones.

With prescriber call, I think that is an easy one. Just do the phone calls before they turn red in QV. I have been managing that so even for a high volume store, I only have 7-10 phone calls max per morning that I have to do before 1pm (between 2 to 3 pharmacists and interns). The trick is not to do the phone calls down, but to pick the ones that are turning red (not in order).

Vm... just pick it up.

Fill on time is the hardest but if work flow is in order, my store maxes that out currently without me managing it. I also max out action note follow thru.

All in all, easy points for me. I don't think I will max out QT because the doctor sometimes send in 20 new scripts at once... but I will get full points on everything else, and partial points on qt. I should be in 90's...
Click to expand...

I don't really get the prescriber call metric. None of my doctor calls ever turn red and I've had weeks where my percentage was 0%. I always make the calls when they pop in. Once I've made the call I always use W if I leave a message or G if I get an approval over the phone.

There are a lot of ways to improve QT. One way is to put every single dropped off script in the QD and make sure to type them before the triage time. Just be careful, though, because waiters have a 5 minute triage time and 1 hour scripts have a 15 minute triage time. This is also a pain, too, because of all the back tags. Also, any error discovered at verification should be rejected using the R function which will create another triage event.

I'm glad that these things are going to be a part of SOS because these are things that we have the most control over. I just need to figure out a way to get my lazy ass overnighters to stop @#$%^&* my @#$% up.
 
Are these WeCare enhancements affecting SOS at all? If not, I'm not really paying attention to it.

My WeCare metrics in the past few months have been in the 40/50s, but my MCE is 83 for the year (although target is 86).

Only thing I push hard is QT. We've been consistently at 80%+.

Now, if these metrics do affect SOS, then I will pay attention LOL.
 
Aznfarmerboi said:
I cant speak for others... but my experience at CVS is different. I like the company because I get paid over 150k, I have 401k match that my friends don't have, stock options, stock purchase plans, etc. When all is said and done, I make 200k without OT. Why would I want to be sup?!?

In addition, I don't have any trouble with meeting CVS's metrics because I understand it..., which explains why my bonus was over 10k this year. I got to say that I couldn't have done it without my awesome partners and staff. I also get an hour lunch break because my partners can cover for me since I am in a high volume store.

Are there moments that are stressful... yes. For example, I can rant on about how I cant stand new pilot programs coming out. In the end, I embrace and adapt to it. The trick is to read the **** (modules, FAQs, etc), understand it, and think of it as an open text book test. Also don't ******* be last. My store is never first, but I stay out of my sup's radar because I am never last. A lot of people are last because they don't have any leadership skills. They don't know how to delegate. They don't have a plan. They just walk in and ******* take it up the ass.

The only time I found my job challenging was when I was a newly promoted PIC with no experience stuck in a medium volume store (2.2k). After a few months, I figure that it wasn't me..., it was my staff. I could bust my chops but if my techs are taking cellphone breaks while using the bathroom, I will always be overwhelmed. If they call out consistently or be late, I will always be short staffed. It wasn't like a slower volume store where I can make up for my techs or a higher volume store where I have 1-2 other partners and a lot of tech help.

I have worked for independents, I have worked for other chains, and I also worked many jobs while going through school (sweat shops, intern for lawyers, probation officers, computer support), and CVS is the easiest of them.

Lastly, I figured out the system... which is to be a winner. If your store is doing good, you get more resources. You have more freedom to do whatever you want. For example, I get rotational students, interns, because my store is doing good and thus, I am doing something right. My Sup wants me to train them as they will become future pharmacists in his district. He can send them to a ****** store but they will just get stressed out and not learn anything but be glorified cashiers.
Click to expand...

Thanks you so much. You gave me great ideas.
It looks like you master and understand very well the CVS metrics. I wish I could say the same for my PIC. Though he is a nice guy. He has no clue about the SOS metrics. He does not understand the different part of the SOS. Fortunately, the supervisor went over sos with me and discussed every component of it, some of which can be easily controlled.
A few months ago I was telling him that the Action note, and prescriber call metric are not part of SOS. Though they may only increase customer service. He disagreed. He does not know the difference between KPM and SOS.
Now I understand all the metric, especially the SOS. But I am having a hard time with prescriber call. How do we get credit for the calls. Someone had told me in the post if you dont generate the script you don't get credit, it is true? Or we just have to make the calls before they turn red, and then call the patients? I am lost
 
ancienbon said:
Thanks you so much. You gave me great ideas.
It looks like you master and understand very well the CVS metrics. I wish I could say the same for my PIC. Though he is a nice guy. He has no clue about the SOS metrics. He does not understand the different part of the SOS. Fortunately, the supervisor went over sos with me and discussed every component of it, some of which can be easily controlled.
A few months ago I was telling him that the Action note, and prescriber call metric are not part of SOS. Though they may only increase customer service. He disagreed. He does not know the difference between KPM and SOS.
Now I understand all the metric, especially the SOS. But I am having a hard time with prescriber call. How do we get credit for the calls. Someone had told me in the post if you dont generate the script you don't get credit, it is true? Or we just have to make the calls before they turn red, and then call the patients? I am lost
Click to expand...

Don't let it turn red. Must call that MD's # and either talk to someone/leave a voicemail for it to count (if you don't get a RF). If you do, you need to generate from it, don't delete it.

Then if you don't get it, you have to update patients which will affect your action note.
 
I got an offer from CVS for a full time position and it says the health benefits will start after 90 days. Does anyone know if this is always the case??
 
Could someone please explain to me the SOS metrics, how the percentage thin work? I am required to do a presentation explaining my store SOS.
 
Could someone please explain to me the SOS metrics, how the percentage thin work? I am required to do a presentation explaining my store SOS.
 
So this is the first thread that I've seen that actually says some positive things about CVS. Educational.
 
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Amicable Angora said:
So this is the first thread that I've seen that actually says some positive things about CVS. Educational.
Click to expand...

We can't just keep saying the same true negative things all the time because aznfarmerboi will just call us trolls. I will just say that the only reason CVS comes up with new three letter programs is to keep having new reasons to fire people. It also helps to justify the jobs of people up in Woonsocket whose sole purpose is to come up with three letter programs. They try to make pharmacy seem like rocket science. It really still comes down to being nice and knowledgeable, being fast and having their med in stock.
 
CUpharmD2013 said:
I don't really get the prescriber call metric. None of my doctor calls ever turn red and I've had weeks where my percentage was 0%. I always make the calls when they pop in. Once I've made the call I always use W if I leave a message or G if I get an approval over the phone. up.
Click to expand...


We found that putting "will call back" brought our score down on the prescriber calls . We just update the calls (use rn to make any notes for the next person) and retime it for a couple of days but at time when our regular Rphs would be there (if we know it's a floater day, we will make sure to skip that morning or make the calls that show up for the next day, that days as well to keep them from turning red when the floaters ignore them; maybe a way to bypass your overnighters) to follow up. Also make sure that when you get new scripts for patients that the staff are not leaving old requests in there.

We are still having a hard time controlling the time to fill metric, we HARDLY let any of our queues turn red but that metric still suffers. Any advice would be appreciated!
 
justimmy said:
We found that putting "will call back" brought our score down on the prescriber calls . We just update the calls (use rn to make any notes for the next person) and retime it for a couple of days but at time when our regular Rphs would be there (if we know it's a floater day, we will make sure to skip that morning or make the calls that show up for the next day, that days as well to keep them from turning red when the floaters ignore them; maybe a way to bypass your overnighters) to follow up. Also make sure that when you get new scripts for patients that the staff are not leaving old requests in there.

We are still having a hard time controlling the time to fill metric, we HARDLY let any of our queues turn red but that metric still suffers. Any advice would be appreciated!
Click to expand...
This is how you deal with the QV calls. My store was awesome on those. You put the phone on speakerphone and mute the phone. Use a phone behind you if possible, or a 2ndary phone. Dial the number for the QV call, let it go for 35 seconds to 1 minute, then hang up. Only make 1 attempt per call. Then use the delete function to remove them from the queue. Even if they picked up, I would ignore the nurse until 30 seconds passed, then hang up. It was the only way I could keep my sanity with the QV calls. If the fax number for the prescribed isn't in the system, update the system or manually call and followup with the prescriber before deleting the request. I dont call the prescriber if we already faxed twice the same morning and CVS's dumb system wants me to call 20 minutes later. Only call on situations that really need to be called on. Just dont tell anybody else what I just told you.

Same principle for doing pcq calls. Go to pcq, put phone on speaker and mute, and let it ring/go to voicemail/read robotic voice prompt for 30 seconds to 1 minute to get credit. Then hang up.

I left so many blank messages on peoples voicemail from my tenure at CVS. Also, our prescriber followup was always >40% and I'm pretty sure the other staff pharmacist wasn't even doing them. Preserve your sanity above all else. If you are the PIC, then you are stuck and really have to do more. Otherwise, if your staff rph, just do your job and keep your head low and do the bare minimum to survive...just make sure nobody can prove you are only doing the bare minimum (when I say bare minimum, it is with respect to following CVS's ******ed metrics...obviously always take care of your patients and staff)

Just talked with a guy I worked with at CVS last week. I told him I do 40% of the amount of work I did on a shift at CVS versus my new shift at Walmart. It is so crazy how different it is. LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB IF YOU ARE AT CVS. YOU DONT REALIZE HOW BAD IT IS UNTIL YOU LEAVE. START LOOKING NOW.

If you work for CVS, eventually you will stop drinking the koolaid. Until then, you are just an asset to be used, nothing more, and nothing less. And BTW, upper management at CVS hates pharmacists, that much is so obvious.
 
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