Central Processing

[Hibiclens]

Popping up in the minutes of several recent state board minutes is the fact that Walgreens and Walmart are trying to get off-site prescription verification allowed, i.e. central processing. It even appears Walgreens has a "VISION" program up and running. I see in one state's minutes the Walgreens request was approved pending proving "an increase in patient counseling" that Walgreens promised. Thoughts...???? Is anyone out there familiar with this program??? Basically it looks like a rx is dropped off at store A, scanned into the national database for that chain, store B types up and confirms the rx, then store A, or any store nationwide fills the rx.

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[SELDANE]

Basically, what you've described is what Walgreen's terms "Remote Verification". In essence it diverts prescription verification from busy locations to ones which are less so. In theory it allows for pharmacists in busy locations to focus more on counseling. However I've been informed it is more of an excuse for Walgreens to cut the supportive help that is already pretty scarce. Last week I was informed by a Walgreen's pharmacist (during a transfer in which I had to wait 20 minutes for her to come to the phone) that her tech help had been severely reduced and that one of her assigned responsibilities as a pharmacist was to run the cash register. She didn't sound to pleased about it and said she couldn't wait for commitment with Walgreens to be fininshed.