Challege to Zpack

[SlaveRPH]

Ok Zpack how about we have our open debate here. And we invite the folks on the forum to jump in and offer proof that supports or does not support what is said here. I'll start.

Most jobs in pharmacy are in retail, hospital, PBM mail order etc and are nothing more than fufillment positions or drug switching functions to lower cost or higher rebated drugs for HMO's and PBM's. For those of you who are not familiar with HMO's and PBM's they recieve rebates (kickbacks?) for market untilization. So if an HMO's doctors prescribe the higher rebated drug and meet the market share incentive the HMO or PBM for that matter gets hughe rebates. These can be as much as 20% of the drug dollar volume. I believe such incentive programs should be illegal and result is directing prescribing habits to a financial basis than a whats best for the patient basis. OK lets have a good discussion. These are real issues and all students will be living in the real world.

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[ZpackSux]

ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bhpr/nationalcenter/pharmacy/pharmshort.pdf

Bureau of Health Professions 2000 report of "A study of supply and demand for pharmacists" indicates approximately 60% of the jobs are in retail.

Does that mean our new grads are going to work in retail at gunpoint?

Now.. what do you want to debate about?

 

[SlaveRPH]

Well yes it says that 60% work retail. It also says 29%work hospital. You see Zpack what you don't understand is the true depth and meaning of my comment that most jobs in pharmacy have little to do with clinical. You have helped prove my point with this outdated report. You see we agree that retail is about as far from clinical as you can get. Poof there goes 60% of the opportunities in pharmacy. Now 29% according to the outdated study are in hospital. Well I'm sure you will argue, but most jobs in hospital, and by most I mean 85% or more, are production or patient fullfillment functions. They have little to do with clinical. So now we are at 85% of the jobs are production based. Then you look at PBM's and mail order. The main functions there are fullfillment and drug switching to higher rebated drugs. While I'm not sure what you were trying to prove, I do appreciate your providing a study to prove most jobs are production based. How about some studen comments. Where do you all feel the jobs are?

ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bhpr/nationalcenter/pharmacy/pharmshort.pdf

Bureau of Health Professions 2000 report of "A study of supply and demand for pharmacists" indicates approximately 60% of the jobs are in retail.

Does that mean our new grads are going to work in retail at gunpoint?

Now.. what do you want to debate about?

 

[ZpackSux]

Well, let me help the readers better understand what you are trying to eloquently elaborate and my responses.

Slaver: Most jobs in the pharmacy are "product distribution" oriented. Therefore it sucks.

Zpacksux: Pharmacy has always been "product distributory" driven. And the job market will outgrow the number of new pharmacists.

Slaver: But since "distribution" has nothing to do with clinical, it's bad.

Zpacksux: On the contrary, the ditribution aspect of hospital pharmacy are done by automation and technicians. Every new drug orders are processed by a pharmacist in which involves cognitive aspect of the clinical pharmacy such as PK dosing, Renal dosing, therapeutic substitution, duplicate therapy alert.

Slaver: Those jobs are a needle in a hay stack.

Zpacksux: No, many hospital pharmacy jobs are more clinical driven than you can imagine now.

Slaver: Whatever...thank you for proving my point...

Zpacksux: What was your point now?



Many students are aware of the Retail environment. You can't dispute that. But not as many are familiar with the hospital setting. Students who are interested in pursuing just more than the retail aspect should have an opportunity to hear someone who's been in clinical setting for a while.

Every one of my staff pharmacists are expected to perform a level of clinical care through different intervetions. I expect 300 interventions from my clinical coordinator and at least 100 interventions from my staff per month.

Students should be encouraged.

Slaver, perhaps you and I have same goal in mind. You want the students stay away from retail? So do I. I want the bright minds to enter the clinical setting not just as a clinical pharmacist but someone who can start as a staff then learn the trade of clinical pharmacy and pharmacy administration.

Well yes it says that 60% work retail. It also says 29%work hospital. You see Zpack what you don't understand is the true depth and meaning of my comment that most jobs in pharmacy have little to do with clinical. You have helped prove my point with this outdated report. You see we agree that retail is about as far from clinical as you can get. Poof there goes 60% of the opportunities in pharmacy. Now 29% according to the outdated study are in hospital. Well I'm sure you will argue, but most jobs in hospital, and by most I mean 85% or more, are production or patient fullfillment functions. They have little to do with clinical. So now we are at 85% of the jobs are production based. Then you look at PBM's and mail order. The main functions there are fullfillment and drug switching to higher rebated drugs. While I'm not sure what you were trying to prove, I do appreciate your providing a study to prove most jobs are production based. How about some studen comments. Where do you all feel the jobs are?

 

[DrMom]

closing