Hi guys, I need some advice on cross training my techs. Since I started working at my pharmacy, we always had a strong tech team. Most of them have been techs for a long time. They are fast and they know how to rotate between work stations themselves. Pharmacist didnt need to assign a daily work flow for the techs. However, recently, some of the senior techs left. We just hire brand new people who never work in the pharmacy before. Since we are still operating the work flow the old way, which pretty much we let the techs pick their own station that they like. We now end up with people who get stuck at the drop-off window all day. People who fill all day never get a chance to learn the drop- off window. When a senior tech call out, all I have left are weak techs who dont even know how to apply orders. Could your guy tell me how do techs rotate work flow at your store please. I am so tired of this mess. Also, ppl always complain how someone never take the trash out, or someone never put Rx copies away at the end of the day. How can I make everyone pitch in and do their jobs. I think our techs are hard working ppl, it just seems like we have poor management and leadership. I know it will take a while for ppl at my store to break the old rules. But I am so ready to make a big change to improve work quality. Thank you very much for all of your suggestions
It would help us if you share what company you work for. Most of us have worked at several and are familiar with the resources that are available for you at each one.
You should find your pharmacy operations manual and make sure you know by heart what the workflow expectations are. Everyone needs to be held accountable for it.
Here are a few universal things you should be able to do:
- print out a business summary report. It might be called something else at your company. This is a breakdown of the day hour by hour and what happens during each hour; i.e., how many prescriptions entered at drop off, how many filled, pickups etc.
That determines your scheduling needs - how many techs at drop off, pickup, fill.
- of course, you have way stations than techs available. Therefore, everyone gets a back-up station. Here are some common examples:
1. Drop off tech #1 does Input and handles people who come up to window.
2. Drop off tech #2 does Input and pickup.
3. There’s always someone in fill. So the tech in fill provides phone back up. That tech does not get held up by the phone call. Tech answers phone on the first ring - period.end of discussion. Then, determines what the person needs and says “line one is on hold for drop off. It’s for a refil.” That tech goes back to fill right away.
3. When people come up to the consultation window, there’s no “do you have a question for a pharmacist?”. That used to drive me insane at CVS. Nonsense. You end up rushing through verifying a script only to be asked where the hypoallergenic baby wipes are.
4. TECHS MUST SCREEN ALL PHONE CALLS THAT ASK FOR A PHARMACIST AND ALL CONSULTATION QUESTIONS. They have to literally be able to recite to you what the question is. If they can’t because it’s too clinical, that’s ok. Then you know for sure it’s a question for you.
5. You’re going to have to micromanage them. Someone else here mentioned a checklist. That’s a great idea. And I would add dates to that list and slots for initials. Everyone gets assigned side work. Those who have worked in restaurants know what I’m talking about. If you have X station you take care of the coffee station, if you have the front, you keep limes and lemons stocked. Well, at a pharmacy, if you are the fill person, then you keep those vials stocked. You do not hand your station to someone else all empty.
6. No one leaves at the end of their shift without a pharmacist double checking their sidework is done. End of discussion.
7. Breaks - monitor how long they take. Start writing people up. That’s your low hanging fruit.
8. Keep track of their input quality and errors. Document errors. Use a supportive approach, not a punitive one. I’m sure there is a report.
9. On that link that someone else posted CVS/inside target vs Walgreens, many contributed and I listed several ways to keep your queue clutter free. Read it several times, make sense of it and see how it applies to your workflow. Before you implement it, make sure you start finding examples of those items I listed, print the Rx along with the Rx number and start compiling. That way when you’re ready to have the talk, you are able to refer to something tangible. You know techs, they will *act confused and will try to bury your attempt to protect your license with their *faked confusion.
Don’t forget and don’t hesitate to remind them that THEY are extensions OF YOU AND the ONLY reason they’re able to be inside the pharmacy is because of YOUR PHARMACIST license. Walmart techs think that because they’ve been there for 20 years, all of a sudden they get to *tell a pharmacist what to do or get to ignore your instructions.
*****Anytime ANYONE ignores your instructions, their refusing to practice pharmacy safely under your license. That tech needs to go home. Get someone from HR and have a conversation and state what I just said.****
They’re free to go to the deli, dressing rooms, whatever. Sign them up for training and they may return when they are ready to practice pharmacy safely under your license.
