Which Fields of Pharmacy Involves A Lot of Patient Interaction?

[student12399]

Which field(s) of pharmacy involves a lot of patient interaction?

Also, which field of pharmacy (in your opinion) do you find the most fulfilling?

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[Sparda29]

Retail has the most patient interaction.

I personally find hospital pharmacy most fulfilling. I hate dealing with insurance companies, which I don't have to in the hospital.

 

[Estrace]

Retail

 

[UGAZ]

Which field(s) of pharmacy involves a lot of patient interaction?

Also, which field of pharmacy (in your opinion) do you find the most fulfilling?

Which field(s) of pharmacy involves a lot of patient interaction?

Retail/community settings.


Which field(s) of pharmacy involves a lot of patient interaction?

The one that doesn't involve with a lot of patient interactions.

 

[deleted158872]

Retail

really? more than hospital/clinical?

 

[esrodems]

ambulatory care

 

[Leper Messiah]

Ambulatory if you want to help people
Retail if you want to get cussed out and deal with insurance

 

[Corpseman]

really? more than hospital/clinical?

100's of patients vs 10-20? Yeah, I would say retail.

 

[deleted158872]

100's of patients vs 10-20? Yeah, I would say retail.

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

The most patient interaction is retail, although I would say the interaction in ambulatory care is much more fulfilling. My pt appointments slots are 20-60 minutes. I find my patient interactions in ambulatory care to more fulfilling then when I used to moonlight in retail.

Honestly I feel it is hard to have high quality patient interactions in retail. Talking to a patient across a counter in a busy supermarket, with a line of people behind them, cart of groceries and no access to their complete medical hx/meds/labs/consults/etc just wasn't something that I enjoyed. What I love about ambulatory care is the time and access to information. I think retail is an important job and a lot of good can come from it but the current system and workload does not often allow for high impact and quality interactions.

 

[Sparda29]

The most patient interaction is retail, although I would say the interaction in ambulatory care is much more fulfilling. My pt appointments slots are 20-60 minutes. I find my patient interactions in ambulatory care to more fulfilling then when I used to moonlight in retail.

Honestly I feel it is hard to have high quality patient interactions in retail. Talking to a patient across a counter in a busy supermarket, with a line of people behind them, cart of groceries and no access to their complete medical hx/meds/labs/consults/etc just wasn't something that I enjoyed. What I love about ambulatory care is the time and access to information. I think retail is an important job and a lot of good can come from it but the current system and workload does not often allow for high impact and quality interactions.

Yeah, I'd enjoy amb care also but too bad that you generally need a PGY2 for that job.

 

[PharmtoCS]

To answer both questions: independent pharmacies.

 

[UGAZ]

really? more than hospital/clinical?

I am a clinical pharmacist and I rarely talk to any patients. Maybe once a month???

 

[student12399]

I am a clinical pharmacist and I rarely talk to any patients. Maybe once a month???

Wow really? I thought a clinical pharmacist would have more patient interaction than that!

 

[student12399]

The most patient interaction is retail, although I would say the interaction in ambulatory care is much more fulfilling. My pt appointments slots are 20-60 minutes. I find my patient interactions in ambulatory care to more fulfilling then when I used to moonlight in retail.

Honestly I feel it is hard to have high quality patient interactions in retail. Talking to a patient across a counter in a busy supermarket, with a line of people behind them, cart of groceries and no access to their complete medical hx/meds/labs/consults/etc just wasn't something that I enjoyed. What I love about ambulatory care is the time and access to information. I think retail is an important job and a lot of good can come from it but the current system and workload does not often allow for high impact and quality interactions.

What area did you work in: diabetes, anticoag., etc. management? Also, is ambulatory care in demand because it does seem like a great area of practice. Lastly, in most situations a residency is required for that correct?

 

[Digsbe]

Retail you see more people and will counsel frequently, you'll likely also give immunizations. You see more patients in retail.

As far as being in a more clinical setting though you'll probably see more in ambulatory care.

 

[SClENCE]

Retail patient interactions = Explaining insurance issues/getting cussed at because medication has no refills/telling people which isle the dog food is in/telling people their xanax is too early to fill by 2 weeks

I'm pretty sure in 10 months in a retail setting the closest thing to counseling that I'v seen is myself telling someone to refrigerate their amoxicillin aside from the pharmacist recommending OTC products because people don't want to pay for a doctor visit

Which area of pharmacy is the most rewarding? Probably the setting with the least patient interaction because honestly I'd much rather hide behind a counter than deal with customers who only care about two things:

1) Getting their med as fast as possible
2) Getting their med as cheap as possible

 

[Digsbe]

Retail patient interactions = Explaining insurance issues/getting cussed at because medication has no refills/telling people which isle the dog food is in/telling people their xanax is too early to fill by 2 weeks

I'm pretty sure in 10 months in a retail setting the closest thing to counseling that I'v seen is myself telling someone to refrigerate their amoxicillin aside from the pharmacist recommending OTC products because people don't want to pay for a doctor visit

Which area of pharmacy is the most rewarding? Probably the setting with the least patient interaction because honestly I'd much rather hide behind a counter than deal with customers who only care about two things:

1) Getting their med as fast as possible
2) Getting their med as cheap as possible

It depends on how you practice. I've done retail for about 2 and a half years (not in it anymore) and yeah the horrible interactions weigh on you and are fairly frequent, but there are also others where you can get in depth with things (time permitting) and really make an impact in someone's life. Teaching proper inhaler technique, counselling on their disease states like diabetes management, hypertension, heart failure, etc can be rewarding. If you're in a pharmacy that does some appointment based MTM (I've rotated through a few busy stores that staff people to do this) it's also pretty rewarding and more thorough. In most pharmacies though it does seem to be the most interaction you get is giving an immunization and then getting cursed out over early refills, no refills, prior auths, or just because you exist.

For me though the most rewarding would be where I get to use my knowledge to make treatment decisions and review therapies. But I guess that's subjective.

 

[SClENCE]

It depends on how you practice. I've done retail for about 2 and a half years (not in it anymore) and yeah the horrible interactions weigh on you and are fairly frequent, but there are also others where you can get in depth with things (time permitting) and really make an impact in someone's life. Teaching proper inhaler technique, counselling on their disease states like diabetes management, hypertension, heart failure, etc can be rewarding. If you're in a pharmacy that does some appointment based MTM (I've rotated through a few busy stores that staff people to do this) it's also pretty rewarding and more thorough.

For me though the most rewarding would be where I get to use my knowledge to make treatment decisions and review therapies. But I guess that's subjective.

I do agree that there is opportunity for rewarding interactions in retail. From my brief experience in retail I have sadly adopted a generally negative attitude towards the public. People running out of refills and making it my fault... arguing over co-pays when I have nothing to do with their insurance plan... etc. really gave me a bitter attitude that is hard to shed.

 

[Digsbe]

I do agree that there is opportunity for rewarding interactions in retail. From my brief experience in retail I have sadly adopted a generally negative attitude towards the public. People running out of refills and making it my fault... arguing over co-pays when I have nothing to do with their insurance plan... etc. really gave me a bitter attitude that is hard to shed.

Yeah, don't get me wrong. I feel the same way and I left retail for similar reasons. I'd rather go back to school and get another degree than work retail forever (financials being equal). Either that or just find a hobby/goal to consume my life with so work comes secondary and doesn't weigh me down as much. I would bet if pharmacies had swear jars that donated money to charity we could solve world hunger.

 

[SClENCE]

Yeah, don't get me wrong. I feel the same way and I left retail for similar reasons. I'd rather go back to school and get another degree than work retail forever (financials being equal). Either that or just find a hobby/goal to consume my life with so work comes secondary and doesn't weigh me down as much. I would bet if pharmacies had swear jars that donated money to charity we could solve world hunger.

If people took responsibility for their health this wouldn't be a problem. I still don't understand how someone can take a medication every single day and not no what it's called or what it is for. And they can't read on the bottle that there are no refills left. It really blows my mind. But if the co-pay increases from $1.40 to $3 they will know. And this isn't one person a day... it's one person every 10 minutes.

I can see myself in retail after graduation simply because this is the only area of pharmacy that I have experience with and I do work efficiently in the retail setting as far as workflow goes... though I don't think I could survive retail for 30 years simply because of the customers.

 

[Digsbe]

If people took responsibility for their health this wouldn't be a problem. I still don't understand how someone can take a medication every single day and not no what it's called or what it is for. And they can't read on the bottle that there are no refills left. It really blows my mind. But if the co-pay increases from $1.40 to $3 they will know. And this isn't one person a day... it's one person every 10 minutes.

"Why are my yellow pills$5?! They have always been $2.39! Re-run it through insurance you ****ing sack of **** and don't stop until it's $2.39! I swear, an untrained feral animal could do this job better than you! Also, can you ring up my 50 other items here?"

 

[SClENCE]

"Why are my yellow pills$5?! They have always been $2.39! Re-run it through insurance you ****ing sack of **** and don't stop until it's $2.39! I swear, an untrained feral animal could do this job better than you! Also, can you ring up my 50 other items here?"

Literally... people get a new insurance plan and truly cannot figure out why the copay is different. Then they call in a script with no refills. The drop off tech calls them and leaves a message. They show up to the pharmacy to pick it up and there's nothing ready. You ask what medication they need and they can't tell you. They proceed to cuss you out because they called it in and it's not ready.

Try answering your phone? Try reading the bottle? Try knowing the name of the drug? Nah these things require effort... however they demand a 3 day supply while you call the doctor for them to get refills.

But hey all we do is count pills and put a sticker on it. Aside from that, our number one concern is customer service and doing everything to your convenience weather it be calling your doctor for refills and calling your insurance to see why your copay is $8 and always has been $8 even though you insist that it's free. And be sure to honk your horn or call the pharmacy from the drive through if you have to wait for more than 15 seconds while we rebill your Viagra to a discount coupon... because it's a coupon and we should just be able to add the coupon at the register right?

 

[PharmNerdMatt]

I feel like I had a lot of "customer" interaction in retail and very few "patient" interactions.

 

[farmadiazepine]

If people took responsibility for their health this wouldn't be a problem. I still don't understand how someone can take a medication every single day and not no what it's called or what it is for. And they can't read on the bottle that there are no refills left. It really blows my mind. But if the co-pay increases from $1.40 to $3 they will know. And this isn't one person a day... it's one person every 10 minutes.

I can see myself in retail after graduation simply because this is the only area of pharmacy that I have experience with and I do work efficiently in the retail setting as far as workflow goes... though I don't think I could survive retail for 30 years simply because of the customers.

Just to get at you...

"I still don't understand how someone can take a medication every single day and not no what it's called or what it is for."

The same way how you spelled know as "no".

 

[genesis09]

"Why are my yellow pills$5?! They have always been $2.39! Re-run it through insurance you ****ing sack of **** and don't stop until it's $2.39! I swear, an untrained feral animal could do this job better than you! Also, can you ring up my 50 other items here?"

I work in a pharmacy that is part of a clinic. If they start acting like that, we will toss them out and get them discharged from the clinic for good measure. I think we are up to about 5 people who have been discharged due to poor attitude at the pharmacy.

 

[PharFromNormal]

The truth is those working in retail get exposed to what is truly important to the patient. We may have differing opinions on what should be important but they are them and we are us.

Pharmacy school prepares you a lot for what pharmacists think patients should act or expect from the pharmacist. Retail is a strong dose of reality that 50% of the population is below average. Maybe it's manners, maybe it's listening skills, maybe it's personal hygiene, maybe it's memory, maybe it's their ability to set realistic expectations... People will be people.

 

[SClENCE]

People are interested in getting their script as fast and cheap as possible. They only seem interested in counseling when they are trying to avoid a doctor appointment with an OTC or want to ask you questions about their co-pay (because you work for the insurance company and know everything about their plan). My life became easier when I accepted these facts. Never assume the patient knows what medications they are taking and what they are for.

 

[student12399]

Wow retail sounds like a nightmare. I don't understand why patients don't show the same respect to their pharmacists as they do to their doctors. Maybe in the future settings should be changed so patients don't view pharmacists as a "cashier" but rather a healthcare professional.

 

[PharFromNormal]

Wow retail sounds like a nightmare. I don't understand why patients don't show the same respect to their pharmacists as they do to their doctors. Maybe in the future settings should be changed so patients don't view pharmacists as a "cashier" but rather a healthcare professional.

I would imagine some doctors do get treated very poorly if people expect certain prescriptions. I can imagine feigned pain complaints come in a lot.

I think some of it has to do with accessibility. It's getting increasingly harder for some people to get primary care physicians and appointments with them. People understand that if they get booted from a practice or turned away their alternatives are slim. If you get booted or turned away at a pharmacy you go across the street and try again. Let's just keep cranking em out though

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

What area did you work in: diabetes, anticoag., etc. management? Also, is ambulatory care in demand because it does seem like a great area of practice. Lastly, in most situations a residency is required for that correct?

No anticoag...thank the lord! Diabetes, chf, copd, htn, asthma, mtm and transition of care. Then we offer drug info service and are embedded in the clinic to allow for in the moment questions and quick patient interviews/consults.

Everyday is different, patients have scheduled appointment so the dynamic of the interaction in my experience is significantly more professional and respectful. But there are always those people who are asses.

Yes, residency is your best bet. In my metro area the role has grown significantly over last 5 years. We are hiring another clinical pharacist this year. Although still very low numbers compared to retail or inpatient.