Need some advice

[sozetone]

So i have been managing this walmart pharmacy in BFE for about 1.5 years now. They hired me at 70/hr in 2017. The store is in a terrible neighborhood and script volume has declined for many reasons. They opened a neighborhood market with a drive thru, we lost contracts with med Part d, people were forced to mail order...you guys know the deal. We are down about 5% in script growth. Most other metrics are in very good shape though. ADHERENCE and SCRIPT GROWTH are my issues. So my DM comes in today and we have a talk. He would like to see adherence and script growth improved. The conversation got a bit negative and we started talking about the struggles the store has over-all. He "offered" me an opportunity to take a staff spot "if" i wanted it. He was asking if i was burnt out and wanted to be sure i was excited to grow business and move forward. The truth is guys, this store is hopeless. About 5 miles away is another supercenter which is the highest profit store in the state, due to its location in a wealthy neighborhood. The DM and i are on good terms though....i let him know i was not burnt out and wanted to increase script growth the best i could, but didnt think i could reach a 5% gain ya know? His idea for starters is handing out business cards and asking people for their business by the grocery entrance #1 and doctor detailing to get specialty drugs on board #2. These could work, but a 5% gain? And my adherence is at about 76%. I'm doing everything i can man, I'm good at this, but i may not make the mark ya know? my review is in march and bonus as well. I feel like things are closing in on me now. It's not my fault we lost such severe script volume. Between cannibalizing the business to the neighborhood market and the new opiod rules, we are losing patients. period.

Quite honestly, anyone manager put into this store would be set up for failure. What do you guys think i should do? try to hang on till march, grab my bonus and run? or dip out now? or something else perhaps? Thanks for reading....i don't usually type this much, been a long day, didnt see this coming.

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[Sine Cura]

76% is considered bad? California has pockets of sub 65% adherence rate all over the state. I think it's great you guys have time to talk about detailing and whatnot. Some other places are truly dumpster fires.

You'll still get your manager bonus prorated if you step down.

 

[BigBoss]

Look for a better position and dip when you find one.

 

[sozetone]

Look for a better position and dip when you find one.

Theres nothing appealing out there. but yeah ill start the search i suppose.

 

[DOOM N GLOOM]

Theres nothing appealing out there. but yeah ill start the search i suppose.

Weren’t you going to suck it up for a while longer then go into your family’s restaurant business in Europe?

 

[Sine Cura]

When you mean down 5% in script growth do you mean actual loss in script growth or 95% to goal. If the latter who cares...

Some stores in my market are down 10% YTD (but like 95% to goal) and no one seems to care.

If you are considered just a commodity do the bare minimum to stay off the radar.

 

[Sine Cura]

I know 3 people who have voluntarily stepped down as failed managers and they still work for WM. Of course, all of them currently staff RPH at ****ty stores so there you go

 

[Apotheker2015]

So i have been managing this walmart pharmacy in BFE for about 1.5 years now. They hired me at 70/hr in 2017. The store is in a terrible neighborhood and script volume has declined for many reasons. They opened a neighborhood market with a drive thru, we lost contracts with med Part d, people were forced to mail order...you guys know the deal. We are down about 5% in script growth. Most other metrics are in very good shape though. ADHERENCE and SCRIPT GROWTH are my issues. So my DM comes in today and we have a talk. He would like to see adherence and script growth improved. The conversation got a bit negative and we started talking about the struggles the store has over-all. He "offered" me an opportunity to take a staff spot "if" i wanted it. He was asking if i was burnt out and wanted to be sure i was excited to grow business and move forward. The truth is guys, this store is hopeless. About 5 miles away is another supercenter which is the highest profit store in the state, due to its location in a wealthy neighborhood. The DM and i are on good terms though....i let him know i was not burnt out and wanted to increase script growth the best i could, but didnt think i could reach a 5% gain ya know? His idea for starters is handing out business cards and asking people for their business by the grocery entrance #1 and doctor detailing to get specialty drugs on board #2. These could work, but a 5% gain? And my adherence is at about 76%. I'm doing everything i can man, I'm good at this, but i may not make the mark ya know? my review is in march and bonus as well. I feel like things are closing in on me now. It's not my fault we lost such severe script volume. Between cannibalizing the business to the neighborhood market and the new opiod rules, we are losing patients. period.

Quite honestly, anyone manager put into this store would be set up for failure. What do you guys think i should do? try to hang on till march, grab my bonus and run? or dip out now? or something else perhaps? Thanks for reading....i don't usually type this much, been a long day, didnt see this coming.

Do not step down. Just keep nodding your head and say you will try harder. Ask your DM for guidance. Request a mentor. This is all to buy you time until you hit the 18 month mark. Then you can run. Start looking at stores where you would like to work. Take a look at their metrics. Pick up shifts there.

They won't happily allow you transfer if you have not been there for 18 months. It's very hard to get fired. So keep opening and closing the pharmacy. Don't sweat it.

Get everyone on text alerts, show them how to use the app, and any prescriptions for 30 days with 11 refills, try to switch them to 90 day supply if your state law and walmart allows you to OR call the doctor. Start faxing your prescriber this note:

Dear Provider,

we appreciate your choosing our pharmacy to take care of your patient's needs. We kindly ask your support in our efforts to enahnce medication adherence. Whenever clinically appropriate, please provide your patients with prescriptions for a 90 day supply.

We sincerely appreciate your assistance.

Thank you.

Bla bla bla - you get the idea.

 

[FMLazole]

He "offered" me an opportunity to take a staff spot "if" i wanted it.

If it was offered to you and you see stability (store is performing moderately well) I'd say take it. I am a current mgr and have put in for several staff spots and haven't even been given a thought, mostly because they know that filling manager spots is a challenge. I think the decrease in stress/responsibility you will receive when stepping down will be so worth it. The only reason to stay in a manager spot is job security. It's simply not worth the pay differential that coincides with the additional amount of responsibility.

As for adherence, only 4 stores in my market are at 77% or higher, so I don't think you are in that terrible of position. I guess a lot of adherence has to do with geographic/economic surroundings. What steps are you taking to improve adherence? I have been marking all will call bags that have a 'star rating' with clothes pins and I have my techs call these patients on day 3 and day 6 and ensure they are enrolled in messaging. My store currently sits above 78% vs just over 74% for same month last year.

Growing the business is something you will have little control over. Sure you can pass out business cards, do doctor detailing, etc... but at the end of the day, policies that are put in place are going to trump your efforts. I'd say that it is pretty rare for a staff spot to just be 'offered' to a manager without prior expressed interest. Take it and run. PM me if you want any additional details on things.

 

[SoylentGreen]

I would take the staff position. If he's offering it to you, that means he's not satisfied with your work, and you're lucky that he's trying to find a position for you rather than get rid of you. If you don't take this way out, maybe next they try to get rid of you completely? Whether your store's woes are really your fault or not is irrelevant if you are taking the blame. I know it would be a blow to the ego, but being rx manager is not worth the stress and anybody would really be better off to be staff anyway. I've seen your posts here and you do seem burnt out like your boss says.

 

[Modest_anteater]

I would take the staff position. If he's offering it to you, that means he's not satisfied with your work, and you're lucky that he's trying to find a position for you rather than get rid of you. If you don't take this way out, maybe next they try to get rid of you completely? Whether your store's woes are really your fault or not is irrelevant if you are taking the blame. I know it would be a blow to the ego, but being rx manager is not worth the stress and anybody would really be better off to be staff anyway. I've seen your posts here and you do seem burnt out like your boss says.

oro o plomo

if he doesn't take the gold you know what comes next...

 

[sozetone]

Do not step down. Just keep nodding your head and say you will try harder. Ask your DM for guidance. Request a mentor. This is all to buy you time until you hit the 18 month mark. Then you can run. Start looking at stores where you would like to work. Take a look at their metrics. Pick up shifts there.

They won't happily allow you transfer if you have not been there for 18 months. It's very hard to get fired. So keep opening and closing the pharmacy. Don't sweat it.

Get everyone on text alerts, show them how to use the app, and any prescriptions for 30 days with 11 refills, try to switch them to 90 day supply if your state law and walmart allows you to OR call the doctor. Start faxing your prescriber this note:

Dear Provider,

we appreciate your choosing our pharmacy to take care of your patient's needs. We kindly ask your support in our efforts to enahnce medication adherence. Whenever clinically appropriate, please provide your patients with prescriptions for a 90 day supply.

We sincerely appreciate your assistance.

Thank you.

Bla bla bla - you get the idea.

Yeah your 100% right. It was only a bad day, he has no spot available that i know of and was testing me to see if i wanted out, i expressed negativity, which we all know corporate does not want to hear.. I said no way to stepping down. Fact is, my store metrics are pretty solid, it would be hard to go from a "solid performer" to "needs improvement" over night. My 18 month mark is about up, but i will stay because this spot pays 70/hr! and we all know this money is no longer being paid. ( and i get along with my DM pretty well, no need to rock the boat)

That note you have is a good idea , I will implement it right away and see if we can get more 90 day conversions going. I'm still at almost 77% so not terrible, but we can do better.

 

[sozetone]

I would take the staff position. If he's offering it to you, that means he's not satisfied with your work, and you're lucky that he's trying to find a position for you rather than get rid of you. If you don't take this way out, maybe next they try to get rid of you completely? Whether your store's woes are really your fault or not is irrelevant if you are taking the blame. I know it would be a blow to the ego, but being rx manager is not worth the stress and anybody would really be better off to be staff anyway. I've seen your posts here and you do seem burnt out like your boss says.

Nah man, I'm just frustrated with the treatment we get ya know? I'm nowhere near burnt out, i promise. And it was just some negative sentiment i expressed to him, which i probably should not have. HE has no spot available at this store he was speaking of, he was testing the waters to see if i wanted out, thats all. I responded no way! i got this...lol. My metrics are great, just a few tweaks in a few areas we would literally be a near perfect store! And this was a "ghetto" dump when i arrived April 2017. i hope you are wrong, but hey you never know what these corporate people are thinking.

 

[sozetone]

Weren’t you going to suck it up for a while longer then go into your family’s restaurant business in Europe?

Weren’t you going to suck it up for a while longer then go into your family’s restaurant business in Europe?

LOL yes.... thats the plan, but im gonna be 40 next month man...i gotta learn polish! that stinks! im getting too old to turn my life around and start over...its a last resort, but a heck of a good one. Like i said her parents are leasing the restaurant on a 6 month contingency basis , ( means either party can give 6 month notice and back out) but they will always own it in the end and it will go to us. yes. I think if we really get jammed up here (and are still alive) around 2023---2025 we may dip then... They have a huge house and everything would be set for us. But i dont wanna just leave america man....This is the country i was born in and love (most of the time)....lol

 

[sozetone]

When you mean down 5% in script growth do you mean actual loss in script growth or 95% to goal. If the latter who cares...

Some stores in my market are down 10% YTD (but like 95% to goal) and no one seems to care.

If you are considered just a commodity do the bare minimum to stay off the radar.

Well, the outcomes that matter dashboard says we should hit -2.25% roughly right? so they expect a loss. I am at -5.4% roughly.

 

[sozetone]

thanks for all the advice guys, i will keep you updated in the saga of sozetone.....lol i have a visit from the regional on the 29th.....jeez...i cant wait.

 

[Sine Cura]

How do you even know? I only get surprise visits

 

[sozetone]

How do you even know? I only get surprise visits

My dm is preparing me , we get along pretty well ,

 

[Apotheker2015]

Yeah your 100% right. It was only a bad day, he has no spot available that i know of and was testing me to see if i wanted out, i expressed negativity, which we all know corporate does not want to hear.. I said no way to stepping down. Fact is, my store metrics are pretty solid, it would be hard to go from a "solid performer" to "needs improvement" over night. My 18 month mark is about up, but i will stay because this spot pays 70/hr! and we all know this money is no longer being paid. ( and i get along with my DM pretty well, no need to rock the boat)

That note you have is a good idea , I will implement it right away and see if we can get more 90 day conversions going. I'm still at almost 77% so not terrible, but we can do better.

That's the spirit! And you know what? You have the right to vent from time to time. Pick yourself back up and be very smart with money, so that you are not tied to retail forever.

And yes, please convert folks to 90 days if clinically appropriate. Ask Medicaid patients when they want to pick up their next refills and nter them all for the same date! Agnes does not need to stop by every day of the week to pick up a medication at a time.