CVS in Target

[OHrph1987]

What do you guys think will come of the CVS pharmacies in Target? Do you think this was just a way for CVS to expand and eliminate competition short term? I am wondering how long the pharmacies in Target will stay around if they aren't profitable.

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[zelman]

What do you guys think will come of the CVS pharmacies in Target? Do you think this was just a way for CVS to expand and eliminate competition short term? I am wondering how long the pharmacies in Target will stay around if they aren't profitable.

They will be profitable if they have enough Caremark customers. Well, someone will and the stock will go up.

 

[Leper Messiah]

If anyone can make a pharmacy profitable, it's CVS. I expect this trend to continue as a matter of fact. Maybe give it a year of two fo proof of concept, but I think we may see a CVS or Walgreens pharmacy in more of the big chain stores soon.

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

What do you guys think will come of the CVS pharmacies in Target? Do you think this was just a way for CVS to expand and eliminate competition short term? I am wondering how long the pharmacies in Target will stay around if they aren't profitable.

CVS: Greetings competitor! How bout we come in and take over your failing pharmacies?

Target:

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

I sent a prescription to a CVS inside a Target the other day and on the notes field, I asked that the pharmacist help the pt find the most cost effective OTC benzoyl peroxide product. Kid's insurance did not cover it and parents are non-English speaking. The pharmacist from CVS called me and told me they are a CVS employee and they do not feel comfortable recommending Target products...

I asked for district manager's contact info and received an apology and was informed they always put their patient's health and well being first....blah blah and so on.

 

[Dr Wario]

I sent a prescription to a CVS inside a Target the other day and on the notes field, I asked that the pharmacist help the pt find the most cost effective OTC benzoyl peroxide product. Kid's insurance did not cover it and parents are non-English speaking. The pharmacist from CVS called me and told me they are a CVS employee and they do not feel comfortable recommending Target products...

I asked for district manager's contact info and received an apology and was informed they always put their patient's health and well being first....blah blah and so on.

You seriously threatened to call the DM because the pharmacist would not recommend zit cream to someone?

 

[zelman]

You seriously threatened to call the DM because the pharmacist would not recommend zit cream to someone?

Not willing to provide a medication to someone who probably can't read labels well enough to do it themselves? Seems like a legit complaint.

 

[MSerforfun]

I am one of those former Target pharmacists who stuck around during the transition (we're still in transition). It has been a tough one to go through thus far. The minute it was announced, many pharmacists and technicians took jobs at other retail chains. It has been very difficult and until now I can see upper management struggling to find new staff. The compensation is a bit better but what sucks is that we now have to do 30 hours instead of 20 hours to receive benefits. We keep hearing about CVS metrics but those have not yet been implemented and I will be surprised if those metrics will be implemented anytime soon because right now, they are going out of their way to keep everyone happy due to lack of staffing. Target pharmacy was breaking even before CVS bought it and probably it will become profitable once this transition is complete. Coupling the efficiency of CVS with everyday shopping at Target makes a lot of sense. I would be surprised if Walmart/Costco and others don't follow suit.

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

You seriously threatened to call the DM because the pharmacist would not recommend zit cream to someone?

The actual product doesn't matter, it is the fact the pharmacist was being a toolbag about helping a patient.

I wanted to verify the policy with DM. What if it were glucose tabs for a frail diabetic, then would you approve....I know retail sucks but helping with OTC selection was one of the few parts of that job I enjoyed.

Now I just print off pictures of products and give them to pts rather than worry if the retail pharmacist will even bother to assist the pt or will just point to an aisle.

 

[Dr Wario]

The actual product doesn't matter, it is the fact the pharmacist was being a toolbag about helping a patient.

I wanted to verify the policy with DM. What if it were glucose tabs for a frail diabetic, then would you approve....I know retail sucks but helping with OTC selection was one of the few parts of that job I enjoyed.

Now I just print off pictures of products and give them to pts rather than worry if the retail pharmacist will even bother to assist the pt or will just point to an aisle.

Vote with your feet not with your mouth as they say. If the patient had wanted to call corp about an employee not willing to help them that may be one thing, but you threatening to do it to another healthcare professional makes you equally tooly in my book. Anyway, I am curious as to what corporate has said about CVS employees recommending Target products to customers, it would almost be like a Mcdonalds worker being asked to recommend the best sandwich at Burger King. I really don't think the pharmacist would have bothered to call you and tell you that he was too lazy/busy to recommend an otc product, so please think a little more next time before you play the "I'm going to call your boss" card.

 

[Dr Wario]

Not willing to provide a medication to someone who probably can't read labels well enough to do it themselves? Seems like a legit complaint.

As stated in my previous reply to pumpkin, the pharmacist was hesitant to recommend a product of a competitor (yes Target is still a competitor of CVS), it is quite unlikely he/she would call the prescriber back simply to tell them I am too lazy to help this person.

 

[zelman]

As stated in my previous reply to pumpkin, the pharmacist was hesitant to recommend a product of a competitor (yes Target is still a competitor of CVS), it is quite unlikely he/she would call the prescriber back simply to tell them I am too lazy to help this person.

I'm not saying they should be fired. I'm not even saying they weren't following policy/instructions. I'm just saying that letting their supervisor know is appropriate. The policy may need to be reevaluated.

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

I believe the official policy is that you are supposed to drive them to the nearest CVS and walk them down the aisle to the appropriate OTC product.

 

[CardinalGirl210]

I sent a prescription to a CVS inside a Target the other day and on the notes field, I asked that the pharmacist help the pt find the most cost effective OTC benzoyl peroxide product. Kid's insurance did not cover it and parents are non-English speaking. The pharmacist from CVS called me and told me they are a CVS employee and they do not feel comfortable recommending Target products...

I asked for district manager's contact info and received an apology and was informed they always put their patient's health and well being first....blah blah and so on.

Why didn't you show the patient's while they were with you at the CVS store?

 

[CardinalGirl210]

I am one of those former Target pharmacists who stuck around during the transition (we're still in transition). It has been a tough one to go through thus far. The minute it was announced, many pharmacists and technicians took jobs at other retail chains. It has been very difficult and until now I can see upper management struggling to find new staff. The compensation is a bit better but what sucks is that we now have to do 30 hours instead of 20 hours to receive benefits. We keep hearing about CVS metrics but those have not yet been implemented and I will be surprised if those metrics will be implemented anytime soon because right now, they are going out of their way to keep everyone happy due to lack of staffing. Target pharmacy was breaking even before CVS bought it and probably it will become profitable once this transition is complete. Coupling the efficiency of CVS with everyday shopping at Target makes a lot of sense. I would be surprised if Walmart/Costco and others don't follow suit.

I think part-timers got the short end of the stick. We have struggles as full-timers, but honestly it's a better position to be full-time with CVS than part-time. Maybe you can work it out with your PIC that they work one day a week less and you pick it up? They would lose money off of their salary, but it's a thought...

 

[trailerpark]

Do the pharmacy employees still have the Target employee discount or are they expected to drive to a CVS to utilize a discount card


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[RxPreceptor]

By chance, does anyone know if Target Pharmacies will have store #s like CVSs (i.e. store # 00227)? And will Target Pharmacy patient profiles eventually show up via central searches performed from a CVS? Any insight from a Target RPh would be awsome

 

[WVUPharm2007]

By chance, does anyone know if Target Pharmacies will have store #s like CVSs (i.e. store # 00227)? And will Target Pharmacy patient profiles eventually show up via central searches performed from a CVS? Any insight from a Target RPh would be awsome

They already do.

 

[lane one]

Target pharmacy was breaking even before CVS bought it....

Your store might have been, but as a whole the pharmacy division was hemorrhaging money. That's why they essentially hired CVS to run their pharmacies for them. They couldn't afford to continue operating while losing money.

The actual product doesn't matter, it is the fact the pharmacist was being a toolbag about helping a patient.

I wanted to verify the policy with DM. What if it were glucose tabs for a frail diabetic, then would you approve....I know retail sucks but helping with OTC selection was one of the few parts of that job I enjoyed.

Now I just print off pictures of products and give them to pts rather than worry if the retail pharmacist will even bother to assist the pt or will just point to an aisle.

To be honest, you seem like the toolbag here. I'm not sure what kind of clinic you practice in, but retail pharmacy is a business. It's counter productive for a CVS pharmacist to go and pitch sales for Target merchandise. Boss man says don't let the scripts turn red, then that's what you do. If that means "pointing at aisles" for recommendations then so be it. That's the gig. I agree that citing policy as an excuse is ridiculous, but that pharmacist's job is get scripts out, not drive outcomes. And don't try to play the "helping the patient" card, your signature pretty much says that you don't consider retail pharmacists to be healthcare professionals.

 

[StraightOuttaBrooklyn]

Your store might have been, but as a whole the pharmacy division was hemorrhaging money. That's why they essentially hired CVS to run their pharmacies for them. They couldn't afford to continue operating while losing money.



To be honest, you seem like the toolbag here. I'm not sure what kind of clinic you practice in, but retail pharmacy is a business. It's counter productive for a CVS pharmacist to go and pitch sales for Target merchandise. Boss man says don't let the scripts turn red, then that's what you do. If that means "pointing at aisles" for recommendations then so be it. That's the gig. I agree that citing policy as an excuse is ridiculous, but that pharmacist's job is get scripts out, not drive outcomes. And don't try to play the "helping the patient" card, your signature pretty much says that you don't consider retail pharmacists to be healthcare professionals.

Nice.

 

[samuricool]

Do the pharmacy employees still have the Target employee discount or are they expected to drive to a CVS to utilize a discount card


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Those already with target got to keep our target discount of 10% off the whole store. We also get the cvs discount too. Of course we have to be at a cvs to use that one.


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[samuricool]

By chance, does anyone know if Target Pharmacies will have store #s like CVSs (i.e. store # 00227)? And will Target Pharmacy patient profiles eventually show up via central searches performed from a CVS? Any insight from a Target RPh would be awsome

As mentioned they already do show up in the prescription history. At least the stores on my area all of cvs stores start with a 0, while all the target stores start with a 1. Not sure if that's global, but that's the way it is in my area.


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[WVUPharm2007]

As mentioned they already do show up in the prescription history. At least the stores on my area all of cvs stores start with a 0, while all the target stores start with a 1. Not sure if that's global, but that's the way it is in my area.


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Not necessarily. There are some 10XXX CVSs.

 

[lane one]

Not necessarily. There are some 10XXX CVSs.

Yeah I think they just number them in succession. So there will never be a Target storee starting with 0XXXX, but several CVS stores with 10XXXX.

 

[samuricool]

Not necessarily. There are some 10XXX CVSs.

I figured it was a coincidence, but I'm new to the cvs thing so I wasn't sure.


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[ldiot]

It's financial engineering. We are in a low interest environment which leads to this sort of consolidation. It's the easiest way to increase revenue and increase company footprint and gives CVS more leverage in their other deals with insurance contracts and vendors. I doubt it will lead to higher profits in the short term.

 

[NCW2401]

I bet "former" Target pharmacist are pissed. That job was a gem. No one wants to work for the red devil.

 

[Wickett]

I bet "former" Target pharmacist are pissed. That job was a gem. No one wants to work for the red devil.

I have friends that graduated in 2015 and took Target jobs. These kids were by and large top students with leadership, could've had their pick of good residencies, etc. Target was one of the best big chain retail jobs and it was really hard to get a job there.

I really feel for those guys.....I am sure it still isn't as bad as a standalone CVS, but they busted their asses to get a job that is quickly becoming lower tier overall. One of them was literally on their first day fully licensed when the buyout news hit.

At least now, people know it's CVS if applying. Long term employees got shafted as well, but they at least have exp to maybe shift laterally into a better chain after some looking. Most of last year's grads are kinda stuck having to build exp and hope something else comes up if they hate it.

I found it hilarious this past fall when Target was still coming into our school talking about how they only take the best/still put people through their 10 stage interview process. We know you CVS, man.

 

[NCW2401]

I have friends that graduated in 2015 and took Target jobs. These kids were by and large top students with leadership, could've had their pick of good residencies, etc. Target was one of the best big chain retail jobs and it was really hard to get a job there.

I really feel for those guys.....I am sure it still isn't as bad as a standalone CVS, but they busted their asses to get a job that is quickly becoming lower tier overall. One of them was literally on their first day fully licensed when the buyout news hit.

At least now, people know it's CVS if applying. Long term employees got shafted as well, but they at least have exp to maybe shift laterally into a better chain after some looking. Most of last year's grads are kinda stuck having to build exp and hope something else comes up if they hate it.

I found it hilarious this past fall when Target was still coming into our school talking about how they only take the best/still put people through their 10 stage interview process. We know you CVS, man.

I despise CVS so much that I won't even go in there to buy a bag of chips. Walgreens is ****ty but not as bad. I will be a pharmaceutical rep before I would ever work that piece of **** company.

 

[NCW2401]

Hatred aside...I do love independents. I was lucky enough to get a staff hospital job, but I worked there for almost 6 years.

 

[trailerpark]

I still laugh inside when I think of the all the pompous students in my class who got jobs with Target. I remember the recruiter who came to visit our school told us how Target only takes the best of the best and how he got the job by telling his interviewer how he saved the lives of a whole boat crew after their ship went down. What a tool, wish I could send him an eff you as I'm sitting at Walmart with my 30 minute paid lunch and adequate staffing.


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[maria1oh]

At cvs we would have to go out to the aisles and grab otc items in order to fill prescriptions. Medicaid covered several otc items and people with HSA/FSA cards would want them filled as scripts. What do they do about this at the cvs pharmacies inside target?

 

[zelman]

At cvs we would have to go out to the aisles and grab otc items in order to fill prescriptions. Medicaid covered several otc items and people with HSA/FSA cards would want them filled as scripts. What do they do about this at the cvs pharmacies inside target?

Probably order them from their wholesaler?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

At cvs we would have to go out to the aisles and grab otc items in order to fill prescriptions. Medicaid covered several otc items and people with HSA/FSA cards would want them filled as scripts. What do they do about this at the cvs pharmacies inside target?

Rugby/Major makes everything.

 

[mentos]

I have friends that graduated in 2015 and took Target jobs. These kids were by and large top students with leadership, could've had their pick of good residencies, etc. Target was one of the best big chain retail jobs and it was really hard to get a job there.

I really feel for those guys.....I am sure it still isn't as bad as a standalone CVS, but they busted their asses to get a job that is quickly becoming lower tier overall. One of them was literally on their first day fully licensed when the buyout news hit.

At least now, people know it's CVS if applying. Long term employees got shafted as well, but they at least have exp to maybe shift laterally into a better chain after some looking. Most of last year's grads are kinda stuck having to build exp and hope something else comes up if they hate it.

I found it hilarious this past fall when Target was still coming into our school talking about how they only take the best/still put people through their 10 stage interview process. We know you CVS, man.

Don't feel bad. They still have it good. All of us at CVS/Wags/Rite Aid would kill for no drive-thru, low volume, shorter hours, nicer customers, etc. Plus they still keep their 10% Target discount.

 

[lane one]

Don't feel bad. They still have it good. All of us at CVS/Wags/Rite Aid would kill for no drive-thru, low volume, shorter hours, nicer customers, etc. Plus they still keep their 10% Target discount.

True. It's CVS, but it's the sweetest CVS gig there is. At least until they start slashing tech hours...and if I know Larry, it's coming.

 

[ecrofom]

True. It's CVS, but it's the sweetest CVS gig there is. At least until they start slashing tech hours...and if I know Larry, it's coming.

You called it, tech hours super slashed

 

[6GodPharm]

You called it, tech hours super slashed

Target pharmacy supervisors are next

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

The actual product doesn't matter, it is the fact the pharmacist was being a toolbag about helping a patient.

I wanted to verify the policy with DM. What if it were glucose tabs for a frail diabetic, then would you approve....I know retail sucks but helping with OTC selection was one of the few parts of that job I enjoyed.

Now I just print off pictures of products and give them to pts rather than worry if the retail pharmacist will even bother to assist the pt or will just point to an aisle.

This might as well say:

I'm mad because this person that I don't pay isn't acting like my employee.
How dare they not do something for me, even though I could've spent 10 minutes on Google doing literally the same thing

 

[ProairHFA]

Just to confirm: they CVS/Tgt already started cutting tech hours around 30% went into effect a few weeks ago..

They are also having staffing issues. Old target staff is leaving but new hires are not staying. In my district in so cal there are at least 50 hots shifts available this week and it was about 100 last week.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Target pharmacy supervisors are next

....and then my supervisor gets a few of those stores...then I try to figure out how to get that gig. Hell, I'd volunteer to PIC if it was at one of those jokes of a store.

 

[6GodPharm]

....and then my supervisor gets a few of those stores...then I try to figure out how to get that gig. Hell, I'd volunteer to PIC if it was at one of those jokes of a store.

I don't see how CVS is making any money from any of those stores. How funny is it that we thought all high and mighty about Target pharmacists lol those stores are jokes. Most do less than 1K a week. Those guys would **** a brick going into a core store that does over 2700k a week

 

[6GodPharm]

Just to confirm: they CVS/Tgt already started cutting tech hours around 30% went into effect a few weeks ago..

They are also having staffing issues. Old target staff is leaving but new hires are not staying. In my district in so cal there are at least 50 hots shifts available this week and it was about 100 last week.

So cal huh? Is it around LA? Or out in the middle of nowhere?

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

I don't see how CVS is making any money from any of those stores. How funny is it that we thought all high and mighty about Target pharmacists lol those stores are jokes. Most do less than 1K a week. Those guys would **** a brick going into a core store that does over 2700k a week

Yikes, how many pharmacists does it take to do 500,000 prescriptions per day?

 

[ldiot]

I don't see how CVS is making any money from any of those stores. How funny is it that we thought all high and mighty about Target pharmacists lol those stores are jokes. Most do less than 1K a week. Those guys would **** a brick going into a core store that does over 2700k a week

I am at a rotation at one of these Target stores, I used to work at a CVS doing 2,400/week, it's actually kind of funny watching the staff. They are still complaining about the change but they still have no idea how good they have it. Totally clueless. I remember days seeing a couple dozen pages in each que, these people would probably end up in a mental institution. Don't get me wrong, they are good pharmacists, but it's kind of irritating seeing them complain.

 

[mentos]

I am at a rotation at one of these Target stores, I used to work at a CVS doing 2,400/week, it's actually kind of funny watching the staff. They are still complaining about the change but they still have no idea how good they have it. Totally clueless. I remember days seeing a couple dozen pages in each que, these people would probably end up in a mental institution. Don't get me wrong, they are good pharmacists, but it's kind of irritating seeing them complain.

I was an intern at Target. They would have 2 rphs, 2 techs, 3 students (free labor) and fill 170 on their busiest day. A "rush" would be when there were more than 2 customers in line per register and they would freak out!

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

I was an intern at Target. They would have 2 rphs, 2 techs, 3 students (free labor) and fill 170 on their busiest day. A "rush" would be when there were more than 2 customers in line per register and they would freak out!

We did around 350 per day with 2 hours of RPh overlap, 2 open techs, 4 or 5 techs for 3 hours at mid-day, 2 techs until an hour before close.

Weekends were 1rph, 2 techs.

I often had the STL tell me, "We need to see more urgency from you!"

I would basically reply that the numbers didn't even get close to stressing me out.

The part that non Target people don't understand is that there was always TONS of bureaucracy that made the job stressful.

 

[8turkeys]

Do the CVS' in Targets have better working conditions than the stand alone locations? I knew Target was an amazing place to work as a pharmacist like other grocery chains but did that change when they got bought. I am trying to decide where I want to intern at and am considering CVS just because I might like working at a Target location when I graduate. I have worked in a stand alone store and promised myself I would never work in that **** **** **** **** **** show when I graduate. Hoping that maybe the Target is better..

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Do the CVS' in Targets have better working conditions than the stand alone locations? I knew Target was an amazing place to work as a pharmacist like other grocery chains but did that change when they got bought. I am trying to decide where I want to intern at and am considering CVS just because I might like working at a Target location when I graduate. I have worked in a stand alone store and promised myself I would never work in that **** **** **** **** **** show when I graduate. Hoping that maybe the Target is better..

They are insanely slow and very easy.

I'll honestly be surprised if CVS doesn't abandon ship within 5 years.

 

[RxPreceptor]

The techs I get that fill in from Target stores are actually trained well (no license required for techs in my state); I am under the assumption target stores are much better environments for training technicians (seems like there is considerably less pressure from time/metrics...so far).