Mail order pharmacy

[Praziquantel86]

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I think EVERYONE does retail for the paycheck only...you will be hard pressed to ever find a pharmacist that actually enjoys retail pharmacy.

That's not true either. I've met many pharmacists in retail, both chain and independent/specialty, who really love their jobs and public interaction. You make way too many generalizations based on your (seemingly) limited experience in the field.

I just recently (within the past couple of weeks) had to take a break from my chain retail internship, and I genuinely do miss it already. Sure, there were hassles, but I liked the opportunity to interact with and educate a wide variety of people. It's not what I see myself doing ten years down the road, but it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if I did.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Staff pharmacy in a hospital is what you need SHC.

They have zero intxn with pt's / public. Zero.

I go talk to people all the time. Coumadin teaching, asking them what the hell it is they take at home because I know they don't take Prograf 800mg q12h as the med rec sheets claim they do, going on the long-stay patient rounds they make me go on occasionally...etc...

Though if you don't want to, I suppose you don't have to....just call the nurse on the floor and have them go ask...but I got tired of them ignoring me, so I go do it myself now...

 

[WVUPharm2007]

That's not true. Mail order positions are hard to come by. Retail pharmacists all flock to them.

Well, it's certainly my opinion. Which, as we all know, is the most important thing in the universe.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I go talk to people all the time. Coumadin teaching, asking them what the hell it is they take at home because I know they don't take Prograf 800mg q12h as the med rec sheets claim they do, going on the long-stay patient rounds they make me go on occasionally...etc...

Though if you don't want to, I suppose you don't have to....just call the nurse on the floor and have them go ask...but I got tired of them ignoring me, so I go do it myself now...

Coumadin/Warfarin clinic, HTN clinic, and Diabetes clinic (along with a lot of other things) are done by "Clinical Pharmacists" at my hospital. Staffers sit at a square table thing (Reminiscent of what lab classes have) for 8-12 hours straight and never leave the pharmacy save for breaks/lunch.

I guess there are no hard and fast rules for job titles.

 

[SHC1984]

People are always talking about owning their own pharmacy to make more $$$. Some independent pharmacies are doing very well. Are there any independent mail order pharmacies???? will that be just as successful? why or why not? Anyone know anyone that has opened an independent mail order pharmacy?? It sounds more profitable than a independent retail pharmacy b/c you are selling by bulk right?

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

People are always talking about owning their own pharmacy to make more $$$. Some independent pharmacies are doing very well. Are there any independent mail order pharmacies???? will that be just as successful? why or why not? Anyone know anyone that has opened an independent mail order pharmacy?? It sounds more profitable than a independent retail pharmacy b/c you are selling by bulk right?

Why and what would you be selling by bulk?

 

[SHC1984]

Why and what would you be selling by bulk?

Mail order you sell to a lot of people at ONE time and you have time to order by bulk and mail it out. Versus retail you never know what you will sell until someone walks into the door and sometimes you order something you will never use/sell.

Do you think an independent mail order pharmacy will work out?

 

[Praziquantel86]

Mail order you sell to a lot of people at ONE time and you have time to order by bulk and mail it out. Versus retail you never know what you will sell until someone walks into the door and sometimes you order something you will never use/sell.

Do you think an independent mail order pharmacy will work out?

Assuming you're using legal methods, absolutely not. A single establishment would never be able to establish the economies of scale and vertical integration necessary to break even. Keep in mind that many of the mail-orders (all?) are run by insurance companies. They have a captive audience who has no other choice but to go through mail order. Given a choice, many patients would never have left brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

Now, if you were to start some sort of a joint brick-and-mortar/mail order independent joint, you might be able to get your feet off the ground. It would take an awful lot of start-up money and some savvy entrepreneurship, though.

 

[confettiflyer]

A single establishment would never be able to establish the economies of scale and vertical integration necessary

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[ffpickle]

Mail order you sell to a lot of people at ONE time and you have time to order by bulk and mail it out. Versus retail you never know what you will sell until someone walks into the door and sometimes you order something you will never use/sell.

Do you think an independent mail order pharmacy will work out?

Not sure but depending on what you're envisioning, there may be less overhead than a local independent pharmacy establishment.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Coumadin/Warfarin clinic, HTN clinic, and Diabetes clinic (along with a lot of other things) are done by "Clinical Pharmacists" at my hospital. Staffers sit at a square table thing (Reminiscent of what lab classes have) for 8-12 hours straight and never leave the pharmacy save for breaks/lunch.

I guess there are no hard and fast rules for job titles.

Mine is "50/50"...even though I try to avoid the clinical shifts with a passion because it boils down to doing menial work like IV/PO conversions, vanc monitoring, and anticoag "monitoring" (we are basically baby sitters that make sure the physician has called in the daily warfarin dose based upon INR...we make no decisions ourselves...lame...)...I think I'm more useful in the pharmacy being the copy editor. Random example...yesterday I had a new onset a-fib patient getting a new dig order. Like a good little staffer, I checked the labs and noticed his K+ was only 3.3. That's not low enough to trigger a "critical low" in the computer, so unless you specifically looked, there is no way to know its too low to give dig. I called physician, told him to add 40mEq of KDur (yes, told), and then we gave the dig. Now, what is more clinically relevant? Making sure a person doesn't risk dig toxicity by trying to get their K+ above 4.0...or sending off little pieces of paper that beg the physicians to change IV Protonix to PO Protonix?

I think the "clinical" shifts you see in smaller hospitals like mine are a misnomer. It should be called the "clerical" shift.

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

Mine is "50/50"...even though I try to avoid the clinical shifts with a passion because it boils down to doing menial work like IV/PO conversions, vanc monitoring, and anticoag "monitoring" (we are basically baby sitters that make sure the physician has called in the daily warfarin dose based upon INR...we make no decisions ourselves...lame...)...I think I'm more useful in the pharmacy being the copy editor. Random example...yesterday I had a new onset a-fib patient getting a new dig order. Like a good little staffer, I checked the labs and noticed his K+ was only 3.3. That's not low enough to trigger a "critical low" in the computer, so unless you specifically looked, there is no way to know its too low to give dig. I called physician, told him to add 40mEq of KDur (yes, told), and then we gave the dig. Now, what is more clinically relevant? Making sure a person doesn't risk dig toxicity by trying to get their K+ above 4.0...or sending off little pieces of paper that beg the physicians to change IV Protonix to PO Protonix?

I think the "clinical" shifts you see in smaller hospitals like mine are a misnomer. It should be called the "clerical" shift.

quiet... you don't know chit!

 

[WVUPharm2007]

quiet... you don't know chit!

Hells nah, oh great overseer.

 

[SHC1984]

Assuming you're using legal methods, absolutely not. A single establishment would never be able to establish the economies of scale and vertical integration necessary to break even. Keep in mind that many of the mail-orders (all?) are run by insurance companies. They have a captive audience who has no other choice but to go through mail order. Given a choice, many patients would never have left brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

Now, if you were to start some sort of a joint brick-and-mortar/mail order independent joint, you might be able to get your feet off the ground. It would take an awful lot of start-up money and some savvy entrepreneurship, though.

Good point, a lot of people don't like to do mail order because it takes them too long to get their Rx by mail. They only do mail order because insurance won't cover it anywhere else. I never wanted to open up my own pharmacy...I was just wondering why there was NO independent mail order pharmacy. I thought it would be more profitable at first, but yeah it is better to just work for a mail order pharmacy like Caremark or Medco etc.

 

[kaemelyeon]

The times I've called mail order places, I've been underwhelmed by the idiots they employed.

Once I got a med rec home med sheet signed off by a physician where he ordered both atenolol and metoprolol (because he didn't read the damn thing...)

I call the mail order pharmacy to ask which one the patient is one. The "pharmacist" on the other end goes "oh, they are on both." I then say "Uh...yeah...the same physician?" And the other person goes..."no, two different docs." I just sat there silent for like 15 seconds. "Ok...so you got two scripts for two different beta-blackers from two different physicians and you filled them both." *pause* "Let me get you a manager."

I can laugh in retrospect...at least the damned med rec sheet had a use for once...

Hmmm. I work for a mail order pharmacy and I am NOT an idiot. But stupid people do work here sooo. But we get a lot of idiots that call in asking dumb questions and asking for the pharmacist. We transfer the call to them and 90 percent of they time they won't take the call.
Therefore I will be trying to cut down on some of the stupidity that I deal with daily and try to get into pharmacy school.

 

[spacecowgirl]

Oh, good grief. What makes you think that wouldn't be stressful?

Pharmacy isn't an easy, make the big bucks, and out the door type of job. I have a feeling you're going to be sorely disappointed if that's what you're expecting.

No kidding. I think maybe this was a case of the wrong chosen profession. The interactions are different in hospital and I definitely prefer it to the types I have in retail, but certainly they are challenging as well.

 

[SHC1984]

No kidding. I think maybe this was a case of the wrong chosen profession. The interactions are different in hospital and I definitely prefer it to the types I have in retail, but certainly they are challenging as well.

Yeah, hospital is going to be worst bc you are dealing with nurses PMSing all day and we all know how they are.

Mail order and eventually WORKING FROM HOME will be the ultimate goal. You should read the "pharmacists working from HOME thread." to know your best options in this field. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=583500

Its a blessing to know that you don't even have to get out of bed in the mornings to go to work.

 

[fenderbiz]

Its a blessing to know that you don't even have to get out of bed in the mornings to go to work.

Every post you make is a joke. It sounds like you want to be a stay-at-home mom. Why are you even interested in pharmacy?

 

[SHC1984]

Every post you make is a joke. It sounds like you want to be a stay-at-home mom. Why are you even interested in pharmacy?

Its not a joke. I am completely serious. I just hate it when people keep on saying that all pharmacists have to LOVE dealing with the public and kissing ass. I don't think its true. In fact I KNOW FOR A FACT that there are a TON of pharmacists out there that HATE dealing with people. I have talked to plently of mail order pharmacists and they all hate dealing with the public. They have all work at retail before and hated it with a passion. Myself included and there is NOTHING wrong with that. So YES, its possible to be a pharmacist and hate dealing with people. Not everyone went into this profession b/c they like kissing ass everyday in a retail setting. And I know there are going to be people on here that disagree with me but I really don't care b/c I know for a fact that what I am saying is true. In fact I seriously doubt anyone like dealing with people. Can you honestly tell me right now that you love being yelled at and cuss out by someone or rushed and be treated with disrespect? Sorry, but I didn't take out 80K in student debt and go to 4 years of school to be treated like a Mcdonald's worker. Why am I in pharmacy? B/c I am smart enough to be in it. I can do anything I want (med, pharm, dent, whatever) and if there is a job that offers a possibility of staying at home and making 100K a year. I am up for it. Thats why I am in this profession. No joke and I am sure everyone feels the same way, I am just the only one on here with the balls to admit it. LOL...
Okay, I am done ranting now. Back to studying.

 

[spacecowgirl]

Not me. I would HATE a work from home job. Hate.It. I don't like being yelled at but I do like interacting with patients and providers and knowing I'm helping people all while making a good living. Plus I think the work is just interesting. I like everything about medications - the indications, the MOAs, the interactions, the side effects - it's all interesting to me.

I guess at least you know what you want. Good luck find that though.

 

[SHC1984]

Not me. I would HATE a work from home job. Hate.It.

I know a few people that feel this way...is it b/c you are afriad that you will be working TOO much from home? Like you won't be able to leave your laptop on a saturday night? or that you will not be able to balance home life with work life??? I can see that being the ONLY reason why working from home can be a diaster. Its kinda like studying in your bedroom instead of the library...Most people tell me they can't do it b/c they are tempted to sleep or get off task..however, I love studying in my bedroom. I don't find it any different then studying at the library.

 

[ForgetMeNot]

I like having the seperation of work life and home life. I think the line would become blurred for me working from home.

 

[Rebel78]

Yeah, hospital is going to be worst bc you are dealing with nurses PMSing all day and we all know how they are.

Mail order and eventually WORKING FROM HOME will be the ultimate goal. You should read the "pharmacists working from HOME thread." to know your best options in this field. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=583500

Its a blessing to know that you don't even have to get out of bed in the mornings to go to work.

Just out of curiosity, what is your pharmacy work experience? You seem to have some very strong views on the different career paths.

 

[naseuy]

If I were to work at home, it's very likely that I would just end up watching porn for the whole day and not get anything done.

 

[p-rog]

If I were to work at home, it's very likely that I would just end up watching porn for the whole day and not get anything done.

HAHA. now if you could get paid for it...... 😀😀😀

 

[SHC1984]

Just out of curiosity, what is your pharmacy work experience? You seem to have some very strong views on the different career paths.

Walgreens tech for 6 months, Target tech for 2 months. Ask retail pharmacists that I worked with why they are not in hospital and they all replied, "b*tchy nurses are worst than the customers here".

Thats enough to tell me that working in retail/hospital is not the fun.