MSNBC Article about drug shortages

[GamecockPharmD]

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4371829...es-slam-patients-health-workers-surveys-show/

Decent article on the drug shortage situation this country is facing. I also read a little rant about pharmacists driving up healthcare costs by some comment poster. I guess this is what most people think of us. No respect at all. I can't wait until I'm out of retail. I've got my PRN hospital job. Now I just have to wait until this chick goes out on maternity leave to get in there full time.

Here is the idiot's comment:

"2) We have created medical professions that essentially perform no function except to drive up medical costs. Pharmacists come to mind. Does it really require a $70k a year professional to count pills and make sure the right bottle is selected? In this country there are fewer than 5,000 pharmacists who do drug consulting (advising physicians on dosage, etc) and who do compounding (mixing of ointments and drugs.) Physicians long ago neutered pharmacists be having laws passed to stop pharmacists from prescribing drugs (formerly physicians could not prescribe, pharmacists or apothecaries did that.) All others do a job that is not really necessary. All that biochemistry is was wasted when all you do all day is to count pills and make entries in a computer --- a duties that a pharmacy tech could do for less than 1/3 the salary. We could do away with the jobs of around 80+% of all pharmacists with a huge savings but no noticeable adverse effect on the medical system."


I'm not trying to troll or anything. This is just really discouraging when you go into a profession and this is what people in general think of you. I've gotten to the point where I can't stand the public.

 

[WhiteSnows]

The comment is from a person who is quick to judge a profession without doing his/her homework. But I think part of problems that cause the misunderstanding is because of us. We have not done a good job in educating public about pharmacy. We can't put all the blame on public while we have not even tried to promote or market our profession.

 

[psychoandy]

As much as I dislike retail, rphs do provide cognitive services that most ppl will never see. Even how to interpret a handwritten rx I consider to be an actual skill. And we're not gonna brag and be like your MD didn't write for the correct product, etc.

I also enjoy how they don't describe the reasons of why propofol, epi, IV bactrim, cytarabine etc happen. Yay for just in time inventory and production lines going down bc FDA started doing their job.

 

[Ackj]

Just today had an issue about shortages. Patient has been on Dilantin 100mg for years, have been unable to get it for past few weeks. pt is up for refill in a few days, but still can't get it in. Obviously this is one of those nti drugs that you don't just switch to generic without problems, so we'll see how this goes.

 

[Old Timer]

Just today had an issue about shortages. Patient has been on Dilantin 100mg for years, have been unable to get it for past few weeks. pt is up for refill in a few days, but still can't get it in. Obviously this is one of those nti drugs that you don't just switch to generic without problems, so we'll see how this goes.

Switch the patient and make sure the MD monitors the levels. Adjust the dose accordingly. Problem solved....

 

[Rxnupe]

Just today had an issue about shortages. Patient has been on Dilantin 100mg for years, have been unable to get it for past few weeks. pt is up for refill in a few days, but still can't get it in. Obviously this is one of those nti drugs that you don't just switch to generic without problems, so we'll see how this goes.

Can't you just let the MD kn ow med is short and than just switch it to the 50mg chewable tabs and double the dose?

 

[chuckle beast]

dilantin chewable and dilantin caps have different kinetics, not interchangeable.

 

[moissanite69]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4371829...es-slam-patients-health-workers-surveys-show/

here is the idiot's comment:

"2) We have created medical professions that essentially perform no function except to drive up medical costs. Pharmacists come to mind. Does it really require a $70k a year professional to count pills and make sure the right bottle is selected? In this country there are fewer than 5,000 pharmacists who do drug consulting (advising physicians on dosage, etc) and who do compounding (mixing of ointments and drugs.) Physicians long ago neutered pharmacists be having laws passed to stop pharmacists from prescribing drugs (formerly physicians could not prescribe, pharmacists or apothecaries did that.) All others do a job that is not really necessary. All that biochemistry is was wasted when all you do all day is to count pills and make entries in a computer --- a duties that a pharmacy tech could do for less than 1/3 the salary. We could do away with the jobs of around 80+% of all pharmacists with a huge savings but no noticeable adverse effect on the medical system."


I'm not trying to troll or anything. This is just really discouraging when you go into a profession and this is what people in general think of you. I've gotten to the point where I can't stand the public.

While this is the comment from an idiot, I sadly agree with most of what he/she said there. Really, when you come pick up your prescription at the counter, do you see the pharmacist performing surgery? No, right? Just staring at the computer...or pulling a bottle of pills down and start counting...5, 10, 15....that's all I see in retail settings.

 

[eagles22]

If that idiot poster saw most of the idiot public, he'd be glad there's someone with a doctorate counting by fives. I'm usually surprised that most of my customers remember to close their mouths in the shower so they don't drown (that is when they're actually bathing).

And really, how much of the cost of pharmaceuticals is due to pharmacist salary? People don't have any idea of what happens behind a pharmacy counter, and they never will. It's something everyone should have pounded into his/her head during the first day of pharmacy school orientation.

 

[PharmDstudent]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4371829...es-slam-patients-health-workers-surveys-show/

Decent article on the drug shortage situation this country is facing. I also read a little rant about pharmacists driving up healthcare costs by some comment poster. I guess this is what most people think of us. No respect at all. I can't wait until I'm out of retail. I've got my PRN hospital job. Now I just have to wait until this chick goes out on maternity leave to get in there full time.

Here is the idiot's comment:

"2) We have created medical professions that essentially perform no function except to drive up medical costs. Pharmacists come to mind. Does it really require a $70k a year professional to count pills and make sure the right bottle is selected? In this country there are fewer than 5,000 pharmacists who do drug consulting (advising physicians on dosage, etc) and who do compounding (mixing of ointments and drugs.) Physicians long ago neutered pharmacists be having laws passed to stop pharmacists from prescribing drugs (formerly physicians could not prescribe, pharmacists or apothecaries did that.) All others do a job that is not really necessary. All that biochemistry is was wasted when all you do all day is to count pills and make entries in a computer --- a duties that a pharmacy tech could do for less than 1/3 the salary. We could do away with the jobs of around 80+% of all pharmacists with a huge savings but no noticeable adverse effect on the medical system."


I'm not trying to troll or anything. This is just really discouraging when you go into a profession and this is what people in general think of you. I've gotten to the point where I can't stand the public.

I'm not sure if the comment was out of jealousy or stupidity?!

While this is the comment from an idiot, I sadly agree with most of what he/she said there. Really, when you come pick up your prescription at the counter, do you see the pharmacist performing surgery? No, right? Just staring at the computer...or pulling a bottle of pills down and start counting...5, 10, 15....that's all I see in retail settings.

... ok, but he's judging a book by its cover.