I've been a pharmacist for 8 years, working inpatient at a hospital. I left because my husband and I wanted to move to a new area. I wasn't able to find a hospital job, so Now I'm working at CVS.
I've only worked for about a week, but my DM told me that I'm going way too slow. I was told that it took almost 2 minutes for me to verify an average RX. I was told that I need to bring this time down to about 25 seconds, which seems extremely fast to me.
I need some tips on how to go quicker at QV. I'm open to any suggestions.
Just nod and say you understand and will do your best to improve. Believe, you will never get fired from CVS. Are you actually spending 2 minutes on each script, or are you getting interrupted every 10 seconds for stuff the technicians should or could be handling?
Here are some tips to run your pharmacy like a Swiss clock. The following sentences aren't directed at you. I just copied and pasted from a previous post of mine.
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Here's the link to one of the posts.
CVS inside Target vs Walgreens I've also pasted two of the posts below. You need to get organized. You're doing way too many tasks that your techs should be doing. They should be screening consults. No more running to the window every time someone walks up there and then 9 times out of 10 - where are the cotton balls?
And do not accept ever techs doing this "Do you have a question for a pharmacist?" Well you mother @#$%#%%# #%@@#% piece of scum of the earth, what do you think the patient is going to say? They don't care who tells them where the damn cotton balls are. So do not accept that. Make them screen the question. It's not counseling. They must determine if it's a clinical question. Once they do, you acknowledge the request, find a good stopping point and head over to the consultation window.
Another favorite. don't let techs tell 5 patients in a row with two C-II scripts each that it will be 15 minutes. Smack them if you have to.
Be in control. Run the pharmacy. Don't let it run you.
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"There are several things that you can do in order to keep your queue free of clutter and maximizing the efficiency of your workflow:
1. PCQ calls and Prescriber calls are time sucks. To keep PCQ calls under control, every patient needs to be on text message notifications, they need to have the app. It's not
"would you like to get text notifications?" That sounds like spam and like you're trying to sell them something or like a virus might get into their phone.
Just say
"Let's go ahead and set you up to get a text every time your prescriptions are ready. It's great. It also reminds you when you're due for a refill" DONE.
"Let me show you how to download the app. It'll cut your time at the pickup window in half. You'll love it. You know better than they do and that's what we're doing.
Prescriber calls - teach your techs to not just send refill requests on everything. they should be thinking through this checklist:
- Double check if it's an ER doctor,
- is it for an ABX,
- is it for a prednisone taper?
- a short course of flexeril for neck pain?
- was the prescription even written with additional refills to begin with?
- is it for a starting dose of a stating or whatever? Of course, it won't have refills. The doctor for sure told them they would need to be seen in 3 months, but no, in one ear, straight through that empty Medicaid brain and out the other ear.
- does the prescription state "NO MORE REFILLS UNTIL SEEN IN CLINIC. NEEDS APPOINTMENT".
In all cases but the latter, do not send the fax. They have to see their provider. If it clearly states that the patient needs an appointment, sure, send the fax, but delete that thing off your queue or send it manually. You know you won't get a response anyway. So why let it clutter your queue? Tell the patient you're sending it as a courtesy but not expecting a response and will not follow up on it. They need to see their provider. Tell your techs to add that to the label. If adding that to the label is an issue with CVS or state law then, print an auxiliary label with "NO MORE REFILLS UNTIL SEEN IN CLINIC. NEEDS APPOINTMENT" and stick it on their bottle.
If you do these consistently, your life will be a lot easier.
Prior authorizations - take 15 minutes to educate your techs on the basics of prior authorization and to reason through rejections. Just because it says "requires PA" does not mean that is the best course of action.
They need to understand:
- Step therapy: if the rejection states tier 3, that means the patient has to try and fail a preferred tier 1, then tier 2 and then and only then will the insurance cover. Sometimes the prescriber is just writing for whatever brand name the drug rep just told them about over the free lunch they brought to the clinic. So there's no need to tie up resources and delay therapy by starting a PA process that will to the PA being denied and the prescriber realizing the patient needs to start with a preferred generic.
Medications like
Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate) - that PA is never going to be approved. I worked for a PBM a while back and the criteria is impossible. Unless the patient has a free trial card, teach your techs to fax the prescriber back "prescribe phentermine & topiramate separately"
Another favorite is
Epiduo Forte - I just want to smack sense into them every time I see this one cluttering the queue. Fax back for separate prescriptions foi adapalene and benzoyl peroxide.
You get the idea.
When patients pick up their meds, don't ask them if they're ok with getting reminder calls, push text messages or get them to decline getting the phone calls. You're in control of it all. Techs have to follow suit. They're inside the pharmacy because of YOUR license. Don't let them forget that.
Everyone gets switched to 90 days supply. Agnes does not need to stop by the pharmacy every other week, twice each week. Nonsense. Everytime you see a new script for 30 day supply and 11 refills, either change it to a 90 day supply if your state law allows you, too (and your company, of course) OR have your tech fax the prescriber right back asking for the ok on 90 day supply. Add a huge note that states:
TO ALL PRESCRIBERS AT YOUR FACILITY. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR CHOOSING OUR PHARMACY. IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF YOUR/OUR PATIENTS, WE KINDLY ASK THAT WHENEVER CLINICALLY APPROPRIATE, PLEASE PRESCRIBE FOR 90 DAYS SUPPLY INSTEAD OF 30 DAYS SUPPLY. THANK YOU.
Fax that note to every clinic every day if you have to. Once you get everyone on text notifications, app express pay, and 90 day supply, and you keep your queue clutter free because your techs are actually reasoning through QT and not just pushing "send refill request" every time a patient doesn't feel like seeing their prescriber, your life at CVS will be a lot easier.
It will take some work and you might face some resistance, but they should jump on board once they realize their lives will be easier.
When someone gets a new script 45 days after filling their usual meds, try to get that person on scriptsync, and don't use that Spiel CVS tells you to sell it, just do the 45 day supply, explain the first copay will be X and then, the following prescriptions will be 90 day supply and the copay may change. Otherwise, try to sync it manually.
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