APhA -A wortless organization finally called out.

[MountainPharmD]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Any Pharmacist who has worked at least one day in a retail pharmacy knows the real issues that face our profession. It is unfortunate the so-called leaders of our so-called professional organizations such as APhA have never worked one day as a Pharmacist anywhere let alone a retail pharmacy. Below are two great links calling out one of the most worthless professional organizations ever the APhA.

http://drugmonkey.blogspot.com/2010/01/wow-its-like-im-lit-match-and-apha-is.html

http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.co...Article/detail/651921?contextCategoryId=47558

 

[BM2007E92]

any pharmacist who has worked at least one day in a retail pharmacy knows the real issues that face our profession. It is unfortunate the so-called leaders of our so-called professional organizations such as apha have never worked one day as a pharmacist anywhere let alone a retail pharmacy. Below are two great links calling out one of the most worthless professional organizations ever the apha.

http://drugmonkey.blogspot.com/2010/01/wow-its-like-im-lit-match-and-apha-is.html

http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.co...article/detail/651921?contextcategoryid=47558

+230924809805395803985039580398

 

[Doctor M]

Great Post...Im sure there will be a pharmacist on here that will come to APhA's rescue...I never joined the organization even as a student...

 

[297point1]

No rescue here.

What, no link to the new 'house that bending over a barrel' built?
http://www.pharmacist.com/Content/N...uartersRedevelopment/Headquarter_Building.htm
The biggest self-congratulatory piece I've ever seen- they certainly seem to be impressed with themselves.

FYI- Gans now works at USP as Executive Director of Healthcare Leadership. I think I'll pass...
http://www.usp.edu/newsEvents/newsD...owItemID=408aac12-3524-48b9-b933-5385179ef389

 

[confettiflyer]

i've consulted with my pharmacists at work past/present regarding organizations in general and the one stand out advice was how apha wasn't worth my time.

 

[spacecowgirl]

That's Drug Monkey??? His identity is revealed??? http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.co...article/detail/651921?contextcategoryid=47558

 

[bacillus1]

Well...he's right to a point, but pushing for MTM will mean greater reimbursement, and greater reimbursement may mean that chains will see value in this service. A pharmacist at Rite Aid was telling me that most new Rite Aids are built with separate consultation areas. I do agree that APhA could do more, but I don't agree that they're worthless.

 

[IrishHammer]

Well...he's right to a point, but pushing for MTM will mean greater reimbursement, and greater reimbursement may mean that chains will see value in this service. A pharmacist at Rite Aid was telling me that most new Rite Aids are built with separate consultation areas. I do agree that APhA could do more, but I don't agree that they're worthless.

APhA's big problem is that they're so up their own ass about fighting to make everything better for the patient that they forget about the fact that pharmacists need proper working conditions in able to best help the patient. Step one is lobby, step three is better patient counseling, so step two must have something to do with the patients, right? Wrong.

I was also appalled at my region's policy proposal forum at MRM this year. Someone had presented a proposal that encouraged all pharmacies to have at least one counseling and one verification pharmacist on hand at all times, with more during high volume hours. The vast majority of people there responded "Oh, but that just pigeonholes pharmacists and limits their application of skills learned in school, if you're a good pharmacist you should be able to do both and keep up your pace anyway." These weren't just students from new schools; in fact, most of the waterheads that spoke up about this were from established, state schools. I was so goddamn mad that steam was shooting out of my hears. They also didn't care about the use of polypharmacy and gift certificates. APhA needs to get its priorities straight. I hope to God I end up APhA president at Fisher next year, you can bet your ass I'll make some waves.

 

[bacillus1]

APhA's big problem is that they're so up their own ass about fighting to make everything better for the patient that they forget about the fact that pharmacists need proper working conditions in able to best help the patient. Step one is lobby, step three is better patient counseling, so step two must have something to do with the patients, right? Wrong.

I was also appalled at my region's policy proposal forum at MRM this year. Someone had presented a proposal that encouraged all pharmacies to have at least one counseling and one verification pharmacist on hand at all times, with more during high volume hours. The vast majority of people there responded "Oh, but that just pigeonholes pharmacists and limits their application of skills learned in school, if you're a good pharmacist you should be able to do both and keep up your pace anyway." These weren't just students from new schools; in fact, most of the waterheads that spoke up about this were from established, state schools. I was so goddamn mad that steam was shooting out of my hears. They also didn't care about the use of polypharmacy and gift certificates. APhA needs to get its priorities straight. I hope to God I end up APhA president at Fisher next year, you can bet your ass I'll make some waves.

Just to point out, polypharmacy and gift certificates is already policy 2002.8 (I know because I quoted it at this year's MRM) Also 2001.6 encourages breaks. By you becoming president, you might make good policy, but will it affect anything? "Encourages" and "Recommends" don't force anyone to do anything. Still, I think it's good practice of policy writing and arguing...that's what basically comes out of it.
I think a lot of students initially want to go clinical where MTM and all that does matter and is happening, so they focus on that (and yes' I've done the same), not retail where they don't want to go. But then by the end of P4 they're in crazy debt and don't feel like giving away 50k of potential salary for a residency and go into retail anyway.

 

[IrishHammer]

Just to point out, polypharmacy and gift certificates is already policy 2002.8 (I know because I quoted it at this year's MRM) Also 2001.6 encourages breaks. By you becoming president, you might make good policy, but will it affect anything? "Encourages" and "Recommends" don't force anyone to do anything. Still, I think it's good practice of policy writing and arguing...that's what basically comes out of it.
I think a lot of students initially want to go clinical where MTM and all that does matter and is happening, so they focus on that (and yes' I've done the same), not retail where they don't want to go. But then by the end of P4 they're in crazy debt and don't feel like giving away 50k of potential salary for a residency and go into retail anyway.

That shouldn't be their mindset though. APhA is supposed to the "umbrella" organization, so even if they're not anticipating going into retail, they should still be willing to fight for them.

I think I'm going to try and get a job within APhA and just troll the **** out of them until they actually work towards reforming retail. Then I'll go buy some of Z's nice oceanfront property.

 

[Praziquantel86]

That shouldn't be their mindset though. APhA is supposed to the "umbrella" organization, so even if they're not anticipating going into retail, they should still be willing to fight for them.

Agreed. They may aspire to bigger and better things, but the vast majority of pharmacists end up working run-of-the-mill retail (not that there's anything wrong with that).

This is no different than any other "advocacy" organization. Physicians continuously feel screwed by the AMA, CRNAs get a bad rap because of the AANA. Nurses are made to feel worthless by "just" being an RN due to statements by the various advance-practice nursing groups pushing the DNP as the future of nursing. All these organizations have their head in the clouds, and forget the rank and file that made their organization possible.

There's no way to change this. Once a new and "different" organization reaches a critical mass, they'll be just as bloated as the one they came from. It's an endless cycle, all you can do is grin and bear it.

I think I'm going to try and get a job within APhA and just troll the **** out of them until they actually work towards reforming retail. Then I'll go buy some of Z's nice oceanfront property.

Where'd he go, anyways?

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

Oh how much I would gladly donate if aPha has 1/100th of the balls that the AMA or nursing organizatins has. This is why my organization dues goes toward NCPA.

 

[confettiflyer]

Oh how much I would gladly donate if aPha has 1/100th of the balls that the AMA or nursing organizatins has. This is why my organization dues goes toward NCPA.

I know right...nurses have secured patient ratios and got them written into law. That's practically guaranteed job security right there, no way you can automate/make that more efficient. Could you imagine something like that instituted in the retail setting? Even a monthly average of scripts to pharmacists? Psh, yeah right. I think the only law in place is a pharmacist has to be present period. I don't know who's writing regulations, but that old mandate about ER pharmacists and JC mandates for pharmacists review for everything from oxy to docusate is where the action is right now.

 

[MountainPharmD]

Where'd he go, anyways?

He comes and goes like a bad rash....I am sure he is stalking around here somewhere!

To much retail talk for his high minded finely tuned hospital mind.

 

[MountainPharmD]

Oh how much I would gladly donate if aPha has 1/100th of the balls that the AMA or nursing organizatins has. This is why my organization dues goes toward NCPA.

Why do you waste money sending dues to anyone? What has NCPA done? From what I have seen about as much as APhA.

 

[Doctor M]

Why do you waste money sending dues to anyone? What has NCPA done? I said about as much as APhA.

They've done this much at least:

http://www.ncpanet.org/pdf/leg/cvscaremarkncpaltr.pdf