What is Walgreen's "Power"

[ItsOverZyvox]

Please Open Wide Entering Rectum

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[BMBiology]

Ever hear of pilotless aircraft??? There are "pilots" sitting in Nevada earning Airman's Medals for flying the Predator in the desert.

The only thing that keeps the airlines from trying it is that the public would absolutely refuse to fly on a plane without a pilot.

Who flies these unman planes? Pilots. This is off topic so I am not going into it further.

 

[museabuse]

Any pharmacy going to a centrally filled system will be saving a ridiculous amount of money on inventory! My store does between 500-700 scripts a day so let's say 3500 scripts a week on the low side.
!

Why does walgreens suck at managing inventory? I have had several complaints from customers and have friends that get things every month from walgreens and every month they are out of it. For example lantus solostar.
Is the inventory part of your bonus or is your DM all over you about controlling it?

Its not part of CVS bonus or ever had a Supervisor say anything about. In fact when I got hired that was a selling point... you don't have to worry about ordering too much invetory. Sometimes we run out of things cause the count gets messed up but then you order tons of it so it won't happen again or at least for a while. If we know someone gets something every month we try to keep two in stock so if we forget one month it is there. I don't see how micromanaging your invetory to the point you only order when needed or keep a minimum amount in saves money, unless you are sending back outdates. I think by increasing your inventory to keep more in stock so you don't run out keeps customers happy and keep them from transferring and probably makes more money than skimping on inventory saves.

 

[museabuse]

If you see what has happened in Florida, most of the stores are all 9-9 now. So, they are not working 14 hour shifts. The way 9-9 hour stores here in az have been scheduled, you get 4 hours of overlap a week (2 hours on you busiest two day). That 4 hours of overlap create enough hours for the store to be run with two 40hr/wk rph's. This system get you to work one 12 hour day per week per rph. You have one day a week where you both work 6 hrs, then on the overlap day, one work 6, one 8. When you throw in every other weekend, it works out to 80/payperiod. One 12 hour day a week will not be bad.

I would rather work 12 hour days and have more days off.

 

[Old Timer]

Why does walgreens suck at managing inventory? I have had several complaints from customers and have friends that get things every month from walgreens and every month they are out of it. For example lantus solostar.
Is the inventory part of your bonus or is your DM all over you about controlling it?

Its not part of CVS bonus or ever had a Supervisor say anything about. In fact when I got hired that was a selling point... you don't have to worry about ordering too much invetory. Sometimes we run out of things cause the count gets messed up but then you order tons of it so it won't happen again or at least for a while. If we know someone gets something every month we try to keep two in stock so if we forget one month it is there. I don't see how micromanaging your invetory to the point you only order when needed or keep a minimum amount in saves money, unless you are sending back outdates. I think by increasing your inventory to keep more in stock so you don't run out keeps customers happy and keep them from transferring and probably makes more money than skimping on inventory saves.

I hope you don't work for CVS, because
A) You don't understand the bonus structure and
B) you understand very little about business.

First: The less inventory you have on hand means the less money that sits on the shelf unused. If you have $1,000,000.00 of sales and an inventory of $100,000.00 you turn your inventory ten times per year. The greater the number of turns, the greater your profit. Whether you are a huge corporation who returns that profit to shareholders or a private business man who pays himself a bonus, you can't pay anything if there is extra money sitting on your shelves. It's business 101. Of course you need to balance that against out of stock situations which brings us to our second point.

Second: Your bonus at CVS is dependent on inventory management. The single largest part of SSS is out of stock. It's 40% of your SSS score. You are correct CVS does not want you to be out of stock. They also don't want 60 bottles of drug X on the shelf if you only use 1 per month. The ordering system is not all encompasing and is meant to assist the store manager in managing the inventory not totally controlling for them.

Since you have never run a business, you dont understand what means when you have to pay the wholesaler at the end of the week for a drug that will sit in your sheld for 6 weeks until you need it again.

 

[BMBiology]

I hope you don't work for CVS, because
B) you understand very little about business.

Old Timer is such a savy business man that he does not own a business but works for CVS.

 

[HaloKing]

POWER is an acronym and stands for Pharmacy Optimization With Enterprise Re-engeneering

Thank You!!

 

[museabuse]

I hope you don't work for CVS, because
A) You don't understand the bonus structure and
B) you understand very little about business.

First: The less inventory you have on hand means the less money that sits on the shelf unused. If you have $1,000,000.00 of sales and an inventory of $100,000.00 you turn your inventory ten times per year. The greater the number of turns, the greater your profit. Whether you are a huge corporation who returns that profit to shareholders or a private business man who pays himself a bonus, you can't pay anything if there is extra money sitting on your shelves. It's business 101. Of course you need to balance that against out of stock situations which brings us to our second point.

Second: Your bonus at CVS is dependent on inventory management. The single largest part of SSS is out of stock. It's 40% of your SSS score. You are correct CVS does not want you to be out of stock. They also don't want 60 bottles of drug X on the shelf if you only use 1 per month. The ordering system is not all encompasing and is meant to assist the store manager in managing the inventory not totally controlling for them.

Since you have never run a business, you dont understand what means when you have to pay the wholesaler at the end of the week for a drug that will sit in your sheld for 6 weeks until you need it again.

I understand inventory is a big cost of pharmacy. My primary goal is not to run out of stuff because we look like *****s when we run out of something common or something that someone regularly gets, plus we are a 24 hours store so it is good to have some not very common things in stock.

My post was not meant to sound like every store should stock pile drugs but you took it to mean that way so you can explain pharmacy inventory 101. WOw, thanks thats awesome.

But lets say we run out of lantus solostar or some OV item whats the big deal if I order 2 instead of 1, so if a new customer comes in with an rx we have it in stock or if someone forgets to order one after they dispense it then we still have it in stock next time.

A) Now we don't look like a ******* because we are out of something someone gets every month, because a customer could careless about your explanation why you only had 1 lantus solostar in stock to save the company money and unfortunately a new customer just brought in an rx yesterday for it.
B) The new customer is happy because we have it and the 20 walgreens they called did not.
C) We get points in the SSS score and then execution score card cause it didn't have to go into QI.

So if you have only one pt on an OV item like Lexiva. You mean to tell me you only order when the pt calls in the refill? Or do you order it right after you dispense it?

I prefer to keep customers happy then to save CVS 4 weeks of not having a lexiva on the shelf.

I thought it was Wags who was constantly out of stuff people get regularly but maybe it really just depends on the manager.

Oh and the CVS bonus is for not being out of stock, not for keeping a tight inventory which is what my question was for WAGs maybe their bonus is based on that. And Yes, my supervisor did say CVS is great because we don't harp on you about keeping your inventory tight because we don't want you to be OOS. Obviously there is limit.

 

[UCB2005]

You should work for the Bush administration. This is just fear mongering.

Auto refill? Mail order pharmacy? So what? That's nothing new. Kaiser has been using this system for years and guess how much Kaiser pays their pharmacists? More than $60 an hour. They even pay more for pharmacists working at their mail order facilities.

No one has explained how this system would replace the pharmacist. Walgreens can get rid of the tech but the only way Walgreens can get rid of the pharmacist is by closing down the pharmacy. It is that simple.

FYI: Pharmacists with Kaiser have a union.

 

[MdBrndPhrmcst]

60$ an hour? is this in cali? I know it aint in maryland

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

60$ an hour? is this in cali? I know it aint in maryland

60 is possible in Maryland assuming you are a SP and in a very busy store getting your annual inflation rate.

That or you are working overnight (10 percent differential).

 

[pipercub]

The traditional profession of pharmacy is under assault from many fronts, whether it be PBM’s, government regulations, medicare D, etc.; but more profoundly, pharmacy is in jeopardy from sources within the profession. Historically, pharmacy has been a disjointed profession, with many self serving organizations promoting their goals without much regard for the professionals outside of their particular organization or society. Chain pharmacies have different agendas than the independent pharmacies. Hospital pharmacists have little knowledge of the retail practice and the economics associated with the business operations It may be questioned if the colleges of pharmacy have any understanding at all of the real world professional environment. The
actions of many pharmacists have put in jeopardy the future of their colleagues. The competition for business has led the retail world to price matching, couponing, free antibiotics and four dollar generics
The commodity(the price of the drug and service) has been devalued by pharmacy itself.
In the long term care pharmacies we see consulting offered for eighty cents per patient per month. The commodity (the specialty consulting) is essentially given away.
How can pharmacy expect to be paid adequately by others when it doesn"t place a high value on its product or professional efforts and knowledge. How can you look to the future and expect to be paid for something you yourself believed was worthy of little remuneration. MTM services have been given away and third party providers will use or pay for non pharmacy personnel to perform any such activities. Hospital pharmacies are turning over pharmacist duties to nurses,robots,and technicians. PBMs and mail order facilities have different standards as viewed by the State Boards of Pharmacy. Drug substitution,counseling,delays in delivery, rebates and quality control issues that would bring the independent pharmacist before most Boards of pharmacy are unnoticed by our own monitoring panels.
The government and third party payers dictate to pharmacists what they will do and what they will get paid. With the advent of Medicare part D, pharmacy is threatened as never before and the reaction to these events from the professionals themselves is most disturbing. Rather than action, theirs has been inaction. Certainly we see organizations working and getting their message out, but what are the fruits of these efforts? How influential are the organizations at changing the course of events? What is the value of someone going to bat for you when they take feeble swings and return to the dugout, hitless.
Mostly pharmacy waits. Waits for someone else (their legislators, their government)to rescue them. Pharmacy has now reached the point of survival being dependant on an act of congress. Pharmacy organizations plead to the government for help when they themselves should be charting the course, directing the action, and determining the outcome.
The profession IS changing and what it will become is going to be dependent on the actions of a forceful, influential, and wholly organized group. The profession must be unified in its efforts to understand and react to outside efforts that influence pharmacists and the patients they serve. Pharmacy organizations must consolidate their efforts to be mindful of the future of all pharmacists and more importantly pharmacists themselves must be mindful of the influences and engage in activities that promote the professional nature of their career. Pharmacy must value what it does and all pharmacists must be consistent in the promotion of that value. There may be sacrifices. Questioning management on policy that isn’t reflective of professional standards and not working in those environments that impede professional growth may be a part of our survival. Professional practice standards should be reviewed and reflect remuneration issues as well. State Boards should be working with pharmacists on a level that is fair and equitable, and our societies should be working with the boards to assist in the consistent application of professional standards.
The economic model (promoted my pharmacy schools), i.e. more patients, more prescriptions, more pharmacists is old, outdated. Following this model , takes one on a dangerous journey to extinction The new model i.e. more patients, more prescriptions and less pharmacists is what will be evolving. As we are no longer adequately compensated for our product and knowledge; more prescriptions mean less net profit. Pharmacies will need to lower the cost of operation to survive and that means using technology and cutting the most expensive component (the pharmacist’s hours). It is already happening..State boards are changing their perception of pharmacy technicians. Their responsibilities will increase not just to assist the pharmacist but to replace them in some areas of the operation. Consultation will be done by phone or the internet by PBMS, nurses, and perhaps offshore pharmacies). E prescribing will present the physician with an abundant and convenient source of information (these computers will be supplied by PBMS). Drug diagnosis, selection, interactions, patient info, third party payment issues will all be at the PHYSICIANS access. Information previously managed by the pharmacy will be managed by the patient data base and the PBM MTM service will be done by the physician, nurse, or PBM. employees. Pharmacy selection will be driven by the PBM. Drug orders will be processed by computers and robots and delivered or picked up at KIOSKS
The pharmacist’s activity will be greatly diminished and fewer pharmacists will be needed in this low margin arena.
The forces in motion to change the practice of pharmacy are strong and powerful and are unlikely to be thwarted. However, recognition of the change occurring and a unified approach, from the individual practitioner and the societies and organizations will be required to prevent the extinction of the profession as we know it.

 

[JeremyE30]

I want to read all of that, I really do. I just can't do it. Make some paragraphs please.

 

[Apteka]

i want to read all of that, i really do. I just can't do it. Make some paragraphs please.

+1

 

[pipercub]

for an easier read click the thread number 112 (upper right of post)

 

[Ross434]

for an easier read click the thread number 112 (upper right of post)

newsflash: this doesnt do anything to your formatting

 

[FORTLIVINGROOM]

Originally Posted by BMBiology
You should work for the Bush administration. This is just fear mongering.

Auto refill? Mail order pharmacy? So what? That's nothing new. Kaiser has been using this system for years and guess how much Kaiser pays their pharmacists? More than $60 an hour. They even pay more for pharmacists working at their mail order facilities.

No one has explained how this system would replace the pharmacist. Walgreens can get rid of the tech but the only way Walgreens can get rid of the pharmacist is by closing down the pharmacy. It is that simple.

FYI: Pharmacists with Kaiser have a union.

As far as $60/hr....NO ****!!! You ever hear of the term COLA (Cost of Living Allowance)? The Cost of Living is the highest in the nation in CA.



ps....bump

 

[BMBiology]

As far as $60/hr....NO ****!!! You ever hear of the term COLA (Cost of Living Allowance)? The Cost of Living is the highest in the nation in CA.

What is your point? There are plenty of unions in California like Ralphs, Rite Aid but they don't pay their pharmacists as well. Efficacy is what makes a company great and profitable. That's why Kaiser pays their pharmacists well.

 

[ItsOverZyvox]

Cost of Living Allowance doesn't make a whole lotta difference in beans going from $55/hour to $60/hour. So I would need to make $300,000 to maintain a similar lifestyle to move to LA or NY.. and I doubt anyone will give me that COLA..

http://www.bestplaces.net/COL/

 

[Taurus]

Look who's the White House health reform czar:

Ms DeParle is now or has been a director of huge health care companies including Medco Health Solutions, a pharmacy benefit manager; Cerner, a supplier of health information technology; Boston Scientific, a medical device company; DaVita, which runs kidney dialysis centers; and Triad Hospitals.​

 

[hoppinglark]

a few things to consider.

More stores are being built to keep up with demand, in the long run the expanding demand of the "bay boomers" ensures job security...for now.

With expanded consultation, comes the chance to bill for it, and maybe the public's view of pharmacists will change...Maybe, just maybe, the U.S. will get the third class of "Pharmacist Only" drugs that we will be able to sell without prescriptions, Our consultations will cost less than doctor's visits and this would be good for everyone.


But really, power sucks!, it makes me want to quit my job, but i don't have to because hours are so low, they never schedule this intern.

Power sucks because it just doesn't work.

 

[Old Timer]

But really, power sucks!, it makes me want to quit my job, but i don't have to because hours are so low, they never schedule this intern.

Power sucks because it just doesn't work.

Would you care to elaborate?

 

[hoppinglark]

Would you care to elaborate?

Hours have been very low for techs, ever since the media started the whole "it's the great depression all over again" mantra
So I didn't work a single shift in the month of January.


Now as for Power itself. I think it's a good idea, in theory, but in practice it's a nightmare.

If I bill something and it's rejected, It is instantly taken to the call center, I can not retrieve it, unless I am going to cash it out, If I try to cash it out then re-bill it, I am locked out. This removes the customer service ability to rebill the script right in front of the paitient. If i do that now, it takes about 5 minutes to re-do the paperwork, not the saying five minutes but 5 real minutes, of an angry nasty patient, getting angry-er and nasty-er.

The call center is very slow. They don't really have to deal with the patients face to face so they don't seem to have any real motivation to get things done in a timely manner. They also can't seem to under stand the system, when we "Pull" a prescription from another store (that is closed, thus leaving the patient without meds), it rejects as having been filled that day at first, the *****s at the call center, mark it for deletion and send the message that it was already filled.

The remote typing seems to be just plain lazy. Even when everything is perfectly circled on the script, they will reject it and send it back to the store to type up saying that "Patient/Prescriber/Phone # not idicated/ not circled" That leaves us having to type it up, defeating the entire purpose of having the remote typing.

Because my only options are "Patient is waiting in store" or "Patient will Pick up after tomorrow morning" I can not accurately fill prescriptions in order, someone who says, -I'm going to go to dinner and be back in a few hours-, must be put in the system as "waiting in store", their prescription will get filled before the person behind them who really is waiting in the store.

I'll get a list of complaints from my co-workers then post it here, okay?

 

[phillypharm09]

If I bill something and it's rejected, It is instantly taken to the call center, I can not retrieve it, unless I am going to cash it out, If I try to cash it out then re-bill it, I am locked out. This removes the customer service ability to rebill the script right in front of the paitient. If i do that now, it takes about 5 minutes to re-do the paperwork, not the saying five minutes but 5 real minutes, of an angry nasty patient, getting angry-er and nasty-er.

do what i do, either send tpr comments for them to release the rx to the store or call the number posted. it takes less than 30 seconds to have them release the script back to u once u hit 9 to dial out.

 

[lord999]

I am personally not worried about a conspiracy from WAG to eliminate all pharmacists. Every scenario in which pharmacies eliminate "pharmacist-only" sort of work, it becomes a supply-chain management issue. If precription filling purely is a supply-chain management issue, pharmacies all lose because of their decentralized locations (convenient for the patient not the truck). The only retail company I think would actually benefit from such a solution is Wal-Mart, because their SCP is awesome. Walgreens, as much as it wants to get every ounce of productivity from their pharmacists, will never be stupid enough to put themselves in a no-pharmacist prescription market.

I've seen the summaries of the time studies and operations research for POWER. It could work, but at the expense of the line pharmacists for labor. The question remains whether the central fill facility can gain distribution efficiencies big enough to outdo the pharmacy sites. In the past, the WHI mail order comes to mind, this works for a little while, then the mistakes catch up and everything blows up. I am still not certain that WAG can pull this central fill idea off efficiently as this has been a q 5 year sort of failed project.

Incidentally, in pharmacy, you want to have something along the lines of 14-17 inventory turns anually to be considered healthy. Having a massive inventory expire on your shelf is not in your best interest.

I do not see a big push for clinical pharmacy (read TAP to get a sense for this) in the private sector. Nurses are cheaper and insurances aren't reimbursing for MTM anyway even with the codes. Work for the government and take the paycut to work clinical (and even then, the jobs are hard to get).

I am not worried about any one single thing ending the profession. I am very worried that there are no alternatives that are springing up when these doors are closing.

 

[solzont]

It'll be interesting to see how it's applied in California with mandatory lunches. RPh's may not actually follow the law, but if WAGs doesn't allow at least the possibility of taking lunches, then it might make things interesting.

Most states, OR included, require mandatory lunches. The way they get around this is to ask their Pharms to sign away that right. It's already happened to 4-5 Pharms I know; they all refused to sign. I don't believe Wags or any company can legally require the signature; know your rights and don't sign them away!

 

[solzont]

The field could use some new "open doors," I agree. However, according to a study whose results appear in this month's Drug Topics, ~33% of Pharms will retiring within the next 5 years. The data doesn't have to be perfect, with the baby boomers retiring in the next (I'll be conservative) 10 years there should still be jobs available for the current and future Pharmacists among us.

 

[pipercub]

1st off....filling 100-rxs for $4 or less on your work shift can't pay your $100,000 plus salary ......giving away antibiotics won't....charging nothing for your knowledge (ie mtm) can't make it either. (hope you sell lots of milk and motor oil where you work)....mail order will get more of your share and give you more headaches when your customers ask if you can match the 90 day supply for $0.00 copay (HUMANAS new program)
2nd....Retire early?....checked the stock market lately...retirement will be delayed....I don't care what Drug Topics say...their articles are using old data.
Look what's happening in S.Dakota re offsite pharmacists..techs only in the store....sounds good ...slippery slope.. I bet the chains are drooling on this one.

 

[Hibiclens]

I started this thread cause frankly the whole central fill idea does terrify me as a chain retail pharmacist.

However, I'm doing 300 rxs a day alone and theres really not any way that number will be able to increase much without things completely falling apart. That is unless, some sort of effeciency improvement is made, i.e. central fill?

Could central fill end up being a good thing for the busy retail pharmacist? Face it...our rx counts are just going to keep going up and up.

Disclaimer: I know my patients by name, counsel everyone...I'm not a drone

 

[BMBiology]

Central fill is not as efficient as some people may think. At central fill, each pharmacist is responsible for one task at a time (e.g. fill the prescription or checking the label) so pharmacists are not expected to be a multi-tasker like in retails. This does increase efficacy but at the same time, the company would need to hire more pharmacists. Also, many of these central fill are JACHO certified so there are strict staff guidelines. It is not like retail where you are pushed to fill 300 prescriptions by yourself with little help.

 

[Old Timer]

Let's see how efficient central fill is when gas goes back up to $3.00 per gallon? What about the cost of delivery aside from gas? Car? insurance? driver?

This is the dumbest idea I have ever heard of. It doesn't give you more time if you are reducing staff in the store at the same rate at which you decrease volume in the store.

Bagging each rx in it's own bag is also wasteful and will lead to unhappy people not getting all of their rxs.

This is a desperate attempt by a desperate company that has completely lost it's way and admits the strategy that worked for the last 100 years is now a complete and total failure. They are in a massive cut costs for the short term without any concern about the long term.....

 

[WagSeniorCPhT]

I have worked for Walgreens for 3 years. I am not nieve about the POWER system, I know jobs will be sacraficed but for the people that are still around after the lay-offs, or voluntary seperation I don't think it will be that bad.

I think that this system is going to cause anyone problems if they work against it. You have to talk with your patients so they understand this is so we have more time for them. Most people are willing to work with you if they think it will benefit them in the long run.

I have heard the most complaints about the central phone system. The people answering the calls are suppose to connect anyone who asks for a certain person back to the store but instead they are lying and saying the person isn't working. Lying to our customers is what is going to cause problems.

As far as the CPO's (Central Pharmacy Operations) that are in Orlando and South Florida, if the technician in the store circles the doctor, office number, DOB, and makes sure all hand written info is legible the RX will be put in correctly. Keeps up to date scans of insurance cards on file so they can auctually help us resolve TPR's (Third Party Rejections). I hate calling the insurance companies can't wait for someone else to do it for me. The tech's in the CPO are being FIRED...if their KPIs (key performance indicators) fall below a certain point, they don't want to lose their job therefore won't make careless mistakes. People need to take responsibility for helping the people in the CPO, they don't know the doctors in your area or their handwriting. HELP THEM OUT! We just have to take the couple extra minutes to MAKE SURE ALL INFO IS CORRECT and ON FILE....man up and do your job people, STOP WHINNING.

As far as the new workflow I know it is ackward for the tech to be filling and handling verification and odd for the pharmacist to be down at the register but if it will help with patient compliance and reduce the # of errors then bring it on. I can't tell you how many times I have patients come in early for refills because they are out of medication because it wasn't taken correctly or come in late for refills. The pharmcists can now explain directions, and answer questions - they haven't had time in the past.

I know that a lot of people complain about the system but they are the see the glass half empty kind of people. If you work with the system, help the CPO employees as much as possible, explain to your patients how they can help (i.e. Auto-fills), and aren't so negative about everything in life this system can make the pharmacy a more personable and informative experience for future pharmacy customers.

 

[ItsOverZyvox]

So you're saying it's a good system?

 

[Hibiclens]

I have worked for Walgreens for 3 years. I am not nieve about the POWER system, I know jobs will be sacraficed but for the people that are still around after the lay-offs, or voluntary seperation I don't think it will be that bad.

I think that this system is going to cause anyone problems if they work against it. You have to talk with your patients so they understand this is so we have more time for them. Most people are willing to work with you if they think it will benefit them in the long run.

I have heard the most complaints about the central phone system. The people answering the calls are suppose to connect anyone who asks for a certain person back to the store but instead they are lying and saying the person isn't working. Lying to our customers is what is going to cause problems.

As far as the CPO's (Central Pharmacy Operations) that are in Orlando and South Florida, if the technician in the store circles the doctor, office number, DOB, and makes sure all hand written info is legible the RX will be put in correctly. Keeps up to date scans of insurance cards on file so they can auctually help us resolve TPR's (Third Party Rejections). I hate calling the insurance companies can't wait for someone else to do it for me. The tech's in the CPO are being FIRED...if their KPIs (key performance indicators) fall below a certain point, they don't want to lose their job therefore won't make careless mistakes. People need to take responsibility for helping the people in the CPO, they don't know the doctors in your area or their handwriting. HELP THEM OUT! We just have to take the couple extra minutes to MAKE SURE ALL INFO IS CORRECT and ON FILE....man up and do your job people, STOP WHINNING.

As far as the new workflow I know it is ackward for the tech to be filling and handling verification and odd for the pharmacist to be down at the register but if it will help with patient compliance and reduce the # of errors then bring it on. I can't tell you how many times I have patients come in early for refills because they are out of medication because it wasn't taken correctly or come in late for refills. The pharmcists can now explain directions, and answer questions - they haven't had time in the past.

I know that a lot of people complain about the system but they are the see the glass half empty kind of people. If you work with the system, help the CPO employees as much as possible, explain to your patients how they can help (i.e. Auto-fills), and aren't so negative about everything in life this system can make the pharmacy a more personable and informative experience for future pharmacy customers.

Care to expand on the tech verification/pharmacist at the register setup?

 

[BMBiology]

I hate calling the insurance companies can't wait for someone else to do it for me...I can't tell you how many times I have patients come in early for refills because they are out of medication because it wasn't taken correctly or come in late for refills. The pharmcists can now explain directions, and answer questions - they haven't had time in the past.

This sounds like it is written by Walgreens spin machine. Too bad in theory the concept sounds nice but in reality, it will cost Walgreens more money. The "kinks" can't be solve because customers' behavior can't be change. Walgreens can't be "The Pharmacy America Trusts" when the pharmacist who filled Mrs. Johnson's prescription is 1,000 miles away and does not know she likes the blue lisinoprils, not the white lisinoprils.

 

[Pharfalle]

This sounds like it is written by Walgreens spin machine.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[aboveliquidice]

This sounds like it is written by Walgreens spin machine. Too bad in theory the concept sounds nice but in reality, it will cost Walgreens more money. The "kinks" can't be solve because customers' behavior can't be change. Walgreens can't be "The Pharmacy America Trusts" when the pharmacist who filled Mrs. Johnson's prescription is 1,000 miles away and does not know she likes the blue lisinoprils, not the white lisinoprils.

I don't mind chiming in - I did my IPPE rotation over the summer with walgreens in clermont Fl - POWER there worked pretty well - My preceptor swore by it - mostly because she spent all of her time consulting. We had central fill deliveries 3 times a week - but we were not a very busy pharmacy (only 250 to 300 / day).

I however, was skeptical. The pharmacist is not encouraged to look at the medication (meaning to ensure the fill is proper). The Rx is filled, labeled, bagged, and placed on the shelf without the pharmacist checking it. It is stapled shut, so you have to rip it open just to do the show and tell. I did a QA on POWER because I wasn't sure about the accuracy.

I pulled 50 scripts per day for 30 working days = total scripts pulled was 1500. I checked for appropriate patient, drug, strength, and quantity.

Result: I found one serious error, and 23 counting errors. That isn't bad. I would argue that this is a normal percent error.

From what I saw, Power requires the pharmacist to put more trust in the technicians - The role of the technician is greatly increased under POWER. The push for POWER correlates well with the push to have all certified / licensed technicians.

The pharmacist, because the 4 point check is done elsewhere - has more time to consult.

Like it or hate it - its there - and you should consider it the wave of the future. Our job will be changing - robots can give out meds better than humans can. It is clinical services, MTM, patient health initiatives, etc., that are the future of our profession.

Evolve - or find yourself antiquated.

 

[BMBiology]

We had central fill deliveries 3 times a week -but we were not a very busy pharmacy (only 250 to 300 / day)....Like it or hate it - its there - and you should consider it the wave of the future. Our job will be changing - robots can give out meds better than humans can. It is clinical services, MTM, patient health initiatives, etc., that are the future of our profession.

The rest of the states is behind California. Central fill is nothing new. Robots filling prescription is not new as well. The problem with Walgreens POWER is that it cuts staff at the store level. This may not be a big deal if you work in a slow pharmacy since staffing is not as big of a deal but it is if you work in a busy pharmacy. That's why Walgreens has not expanded POWER to other states.

Don't think pharmacists will make a living just on clinical services any time soon either. You only get those type of jobs at a teaching hospital.

 

[aboveliquidice]

The rest of the states is behind California. Central fill is nothing new. Robots filling prescription is not new as well. The problem with Walgreens POWER is that it cuts staff at the store level. This may not be a big deal if you work in a slow pharmacy since staffing is not as big of a deal but it is if you work in a busy pharmacy. That's why Walgreens has not expanded POWER to other states.

Don't think pharmacists will make a living just on clinical services any time soon either. You only get those type of jobs at a teaching hospital.

When I was at the POWER store, central fill went from delivering once a week to three times. Since then, I believe it is now 7 days a week. They have also dropped a full technician hours from the store. The hours the store operates has been adjusted - and you can bet that the store is more profitable now.

I think you missed the point of my post though - I don't think POWER is good (or bad) - I think it is coming - at nearly full speed. Any kinks that you may see, will get worked out. You will find Walgreen's continuing to push this, with less man power and more success. Mark my words.

It isn't just central fill, or a work flow - it is an evolution of business practice. CVS, Walmart, Target, etc. - you can bet that if it does succeed (and I think it will) that all of the other competitors will develop their own version.

Evolve - or find yourself antiquated. Those words are mellow dramatic - sure. But they are appropriate in this case. If you do not get post-doc education, or at least more advanced skills - you cannot be surprised if your job goes the way of the dodo.

 

[BMBiology]

They have also dropped a full technician hours from the store. The hours the store operates has been adjusted - and you can bet that the store is more profitable now.

Wait a minute, you spent a few hours a week at a Walgreens as your introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) and you have already concluded the pharmacy is more profitable?

 

[disallusioned]

You are all very naive. Power is nothing but a plan to make the pharmacy work with at the lowest penny pinching level ever. What does this do?? It puts all of us licensed professionals at risk of dispensing the wrong medicine. I see it happening every day as the people who are now filling/"clicking OK" are not verifying the product is WHAT THE DR. ACTUALLY WROTE or even checking to see if it appropriate for their patient. BEWARE NEW PHARMACISTS! RUN!! (in the opposite direction, I really mean it) For those of you who say "it is new, give a chance...you are being naive and hoodwinked. Those of us working at it do not like it at all and are afraid we will soon hurt patients. Remember, not every patient can be cashiered out by the pharmacist to recheck on. In fact probably only half are.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Wait a minute, you spent a few hours a week at a Walgreens as your introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) and you have already concluded the pharmacy is more profitable?

No - I spent 6 weeks doing inventory management, patient consultation, and QA. Granted - what I saw was a month to month comparison for the past two years, and it could be argued that it was due to better business practices and growing community foothold. 9 hours a day is hardly considered a "few hours a week"

 

[aboveliquidice]

You are all very naive. Power is nothing but a plan to make the pharmacy work with at the lowest penny pinching level ever. What does this do?? It puts all of us licensed professionals at risk of dispensing the wrong medicine. I see it happening every day as the people who are now filling/"clicking OK" are not verifying the product is WHAT THE DR. ACTUALLY WROTE or even checking to see if it appropriate for their patient. BEWARE NEW PHARMACISTS! RUN!! (in the opposite direction, I really mean it) For those of you who say "it is new, give a chance...you are being naive and hoodwinked. Those of us working at it do not like it at all and are afraid we will soon hurt patients. Remember, not every patient can be cashiered out by the pharmacist to recheck on. In fact probably only half are.

Like I said - I am not for it or against it - I just think it is here to stay. I did a QA on the accuracy of the fills - with one major error out of 1500 scripts. If you read my post - I did point out that the pharmacist has to physically rip into a bag to do a show and tell - hence POWER does NOT encourage the pharmacist to do so (I did).

Every patient has to speak to the pharmacist at some point - you cannot ring up a Rx unless it has been "OK'd by the pharmacist" and clicks the little button that say's he or she has done it - now that doesn't mean the pharmacist isn't doing the wrong thing by not actually doing the consult - but there it is.

People get so passionate about this stuff. Everything that has been done by a pharmacist is still being done by a pharmacist. A pharmacist has to ok the 4 point check, a pharmacist has to verify and consult the patient. A technician still has to fill the Rx. The roles are distributed, the work flow is adjusted, questionable practices such as the stapling are "STILL" being used. This hasn't changed.

Feel free to bicker - Bmbio is known for it. He isn't a bad person - he just plays devil's advocate. As for me - I wont be working for Wags. I am following my own advice and getting post doc education - you should too.

 

[BMBiology]

Like I said - I am not for it or against it - I just think it is here to stay.

Again, it does not matter whether you are for it or against it but for you to conclude POWER is already making Walgreens more profits without understanding the total cost and without seeing its statement is premature to say the least. Companies don't just delay something when it is already making them more money. That's just good business sense.

 

[BMBiology]

Feel free to bicker - Bmbio is known for it. He isn't a bad person - he just plays devil's advocate. As for me - I wont be working for Wags. I am following my own advice and getting post doc education - you should too.

I usually let personal attacks slide. Thanks for the great advise about the post doc education though. I did not do a residency but many of my follow pharmacists did. Same company. Same work. Same pay.

 

[genesis09]

Right now, there is only enough residency spots for about 11% of the graduating year of pharmacists. 62% of all pharmacists work in a retail/community setting.

The mindset of Walgreens is that it is not cost effective to have a pharmacist work exclusively on dispensing. Most of the dispensing can be completed by Techs on a much lower cost. Walgreens would love to charge people for pharmacist counseling, if they could get away with it.

 

[iLurk]

Does CVS have their own version of "Power" in the works?

 

[Old Timer]

Not at the present moment. They did get a central fill system from Longs. Whether it will make it's way across the chain is unknown.

 

[Losec]

with one major error out of 1500 scripts. If you read my post

I appreciate your post. 1500 is a small sample. I've seen a handful of smaller errors and we haven't even received 1500 rxs , yet.

After you fix the small errors, after you have to resend the rx back to the CPU because you didn't circle the only doctor with his only phone number on the rx, after you have to rewrite the rx because they can't read it { many of the techs were "plucked" off the street }, after you delete the ones you had to fill sooner than the delivery got to you { then update your inventory}, after you return the autofills that were never picked-up { newsflash..some folks are non-compliant }, after you change out all the safety caps {the CPU doesn't "do" e-z open lids { and, by the way, they are HARD to remove for any age/strength}, after you apologize on the phone for the caps you missed, etc...a lot of time is consumed and morale is not so good.

Meanwhile, back at the farm....80 % ,or more, still want to wait or get it later today, or pick-up on their way to work, not after 10 am tomorrow.

We don't have all the "phases" , yet. I am trying to keep an open mind. I am hoping it will get better.

I am just not sure the gains are going to sustain the cost and the problems.

 

[disallusioned]

Reduced errors??? you must be joking. I have seen more errors than ever before. CPO is not typing the rx correctly and rph there is under pressure to verify quickly-hence at the store we verify the product only...patient does not get what dr ordered. When you think about it this puts early /late refill issues a real minor problem. I personally think this was an extremely bad decision for WAG and see it decreasing business not increasing.