1. Just because the patients like fast service doesn't mean they wouldn't bitch if only a high-schooler was there to count their pills and verify the Rx. And laws don't get changed so easily. You have to realize that if push came to shove and a State legislature was considering such a law--ie: removal of pharmacist verification the cheap ass RPh's would be donating lots of bucks to make sure it wouldn't happen. You also have to realize that the State Board of Pharmacy is composed of Pharmacists. When push comes to shove they aren't going to cut the throat of their own profession, even if most of them are corporate hacks.
2. Yes, I know what I'm talking about. I am a hospital pharmacist. Yes the 1st year medical residents attempt to kill our patients, on a nightly basis. This is why I feel that hospital pharmacy will always be safe. Two, who knows what a staff of clinical RPh's do. Mostly they do busy work and document bull****. The truth hurts.
Regarding the bolded part, the "cheap ***** Rph's" donating bucks would pale to the money the corporations would donate to make it happen.
Regarding State Board of Pharmacies "protecting" the profession:
1) They are there to protect the public, not us. And there is already data out there showing that "tech-check-tech" is just as (if not more) accurate than pharmacist check teck. Granted there are reasons behind this, but the people who
want to make this happen won't go into that part, they will just show the final results.
2) You don't think Boards of Pharmacy will cut their own profession? Why do you think there aren't regulations limiting # of scripts per pharmacist per shift. Why do you think over the last 15 years many Boards increased the tech-to-pharmacist ratio or did away with it all together? This wasn't to "help" pharmacists. This was a movement initiatied by big box chain. After these ratio's were increased or removed years ago that's when many Walgreens districts started to remove the 10-6 midshift pharmacist. Why did they approve "central fill" operations? Why did they approve the vending machines? I could go on................but
hopefully you start to see the point. They will cut it, don't kid yourself.
3) Why do you think the chains have made a push that Managers sit on boards of pharmacies? Heard of the term "puppet?"
4) One final note regarding Boards of Pharmacy. For this doomsday scenario would happen, it would require to change the law. Keep in mind the Boards only make the
regulations for the profession. It's state legislators (i.e. non-pharmacists) who would be the decision makers. Yes, they would ask the board for "input," but there could be a lot more influential entities (and $$$) giving "input" that this is a good idea.
If you think hospital pharmacy will always be safe even if retail goes down in flames you are sorely mistaken. It's symbiotic. Do you think the hospital you work for
really wants to pay you the salary you are making (or even think you are worth that)? NO, they don't. But when the pseudo-shortage hit late-90's/early-00's they HAD to to keep up with the retail market.
If retail pharmacists get obliterated, how long before the CNO's, CFO's, COO's get together and come up with a plan that "tech-check-tech" has as good or better accuracy, the nurses are more than qualified to "save the patient from the incompetent residents/attendings" (which the CNO happily attests to), and they can save money by eliminating the position of pharmacist.
BTW, you contradict yourself, you fully admit in one breath that you have no idea what the "clinical" pharmacists do at your instituation, then proceed proclaim you know all they do is document crap and do busy work. My guess is you truly have no ****ing idea what they do and are a bit envious. BTW, it's that line of thinking (that if you aren't dispensing you aren't working) is what could kill the profession as we have tools like you cutting the throats of people who might be trying to change the profession to more service-based than product-based.
One last note, if you don't like what I post, keep in mind what you stated:
The. Truth. Hurts.