New Policy at CVS: a warning from a current tech to pharmacists

[StevePerry]

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This question is for Old Timer or anyone in particular. Has anyone worked with the new CVS computer system that is supposed to be coming out any time now? Rx Connect I believe it is called? I heard it is an upgrade as it is Windows based (unlike Rx2000BC), but wondered if it uses the "dynamic workflow" bs that Wags does? Is the call center just going to be for physicians phoning in scripts, or are you going to have irate customers who just want to speak to THEIR pharmacist or tech about a refill or insurance question or counseling, etc. etc.? Those two worry me the most because criticize CVS as a lot of you will, they give their pharmacists FAR more autonomy to run their own pharmacy, especially if they do a good job, than Wags does and it would be a shame to lose this. Making more money with the PSR's and all is one thing and one could debate it is unnecessary, but OUTSOURCING from the actual physical pharmacy itself to save money and expecting customer and employee satisfaction is completely asinine.

 

[tussionex]

sorry, but i gotta do it....


why would ANY ONE want to work for a chain? especially after reading this thread.
i dont care who they are....chain stores represent all that is evil in the profession of pharmacy.


here it comes....


WORK IN A HOSPITAL

😎

 

[StallionRx]

sorry, but i gotta do it....


why would ANY ONE want to work for a chain? especially after reading this thread.
i dont care who they are....chain stores represent all that is evil in the profession of pharmacy.


here it comes....


WORK IN A HOSPITAL

😎

Salary.

 

[loo]

At 450 per day x 7 days that's over 3000 per week you have around 300 tech hours at CVS......

😆

I'll believe it when I see it. I worked for CVS for over 10 years. They were pretty good to me, but still messed with tech hours (yes, cutting tech hours SEVERAL TIMES during the year). You want proof? PM me and I'll give you my DM's name. Chances are, this person is no longer working for the company.

I moved to another state, and management there was even worse. I specifically asked about tech hours and how much was guaranteed...similar formula spewed, but the reality was different. After they kept whittling away my tech hours (over the space of six months), I'd had enough and quit. Our script counts were increasing and we rarely went over tech hours. Management for that particular area was poor, to say the least.

So sorry I don't have proof for you. That was my EXPERIENCE and OPINION. I'm happy that you are in an "ideal" environment. It's too bad that "ideal" environment is NOT uniform throughout CVS. If it was and they hired folks at equal rates, then maybe I'd reconsider.

 

[MountainPharmD]

😆

I'll believe it when I see it. I worked for CVS for over 10 years. They were pretty good to me, but still messed with tech hours (yes, cutting tech hours SEVERAL TIMES during the year). You want proof? PM me and I'll give you my DM's name. Chances are, this person is no longer working for the company.

I moved to another state, and management there was even worse. I specifically asked about tech hours and how much was guaranteed...similar formula spewed, but the reality was different. After they kept whittling away my tech hours (over the space of six months), I'd had enough and quit. Our script counts were increasing and we rarely went over tech hours. Management for that particular area was poor, to say the least.

So sorry I don't have proof for you. That was my EXPERIENCE and OPINION. I'm happy that you are in an "ideal" environment. It's too bad that "ideal" environment is NOT uniform throughout CVS. If it was and they hired folks at equal rates, then maybe I'd reconsider.

Old Timer lives in his own world. I wonder what color the sky is there? Wait better yet I bet he lives in the same cartoon world on CVS's stupid commercials. You know the ones with the birds singing and the stupid music. What is there slogan....for all the things you care or some BS.

I bet I would like my job if I lived in a cartoon.....

 

[pharmpilot]

They would need a license in the USA so I think India is out of the question.

India is working on that. They are starting to change to a five year degree so their graduates can meet US requirements.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1858621

 

[loo]

I apologize for my role in derailing the topic.

This new policy for CVS is just the beginning. As we all know, insurance reimbursements are lower and a company has to do what it can to generate profit. This is understandable.

I hope CVS will spend the money necessary to REALLY update their computer systems to reduce all the paperwork, inventory issues, and reports that some posters have mentioned.

I don't have a problem with generating a profit (since my employer pays my salary), but it's sorta hard to do when bogged down with reports, call lists, and ancillary stuff that makes it very difficult to practice pharmacy. Yes, I would like to use what little time I have to counsel patients---not solve their insurance issues. I really detest craploads of reports that mean nothing unless you have a business degree.

Why don't the chains get it?

 

[MountainPharmD]

Why don't the chains get it?

They do get it, for them it is all about the money. Its not about treating employees well or actually having the time to take care of our patients.

 

[bananaface]

sorry, but i gotta do it....


why would ANY ONE want to work for a chain? especially after reading this thread.
i dont care who they are....chain stores represent all that is evil in the profession of pharmacy.


here it comes....


WORK IN A HOSPITAL

😎

Chains can do it right, some just choose not to.

I wonder if I could stand to work in a hospital for an extended period of time. It reminds me so much of working in an office like I did the summer after high school.

 

[rxblitzrx]

Major problem: we are tired.

Sounds like a pretty big problem to me! Why work for a company that will make you work like a dog?

Pharmacists have JOB SECURITY. Take advantage of it and find a company that will cater to your needs.

 

[bananaface]

Sounds like a pretty big problem to me! Why work for a company that will make you work like a dog?

Pharmacists have JOB SECURITY. Take advantage of it and find a company that will cater to your needs.

My dog lays around all day. I want to get paid to work like a dog! 😀

 

[Billybob12]

You will get fired for deliberately disobeying your superiors. If you flagrantly disregard the program or any other legitimate request of your boss. That being said if you attempt to make the calls and do not complete them, you will probably be fine.

I am 57 years old. I have never seen any pharmacist fired for simply disobeying a superior unless an outside entity (ex, board inspector) was involved. I have seen transfers, write ups, threats, yelling and intimidation. Never saw a firing.

That is all I know.

 

[wagmanager]

This is a typical cycle of CVS business activity. Economic projections look unfavorable---cut tech hours, introduce stupid programs to get people in the door, etc.

CVS constantly screws with tech hours and asinine programs...until they fail and significant numbers of pharmacists leave for greener pastures. Then they relent and increase tech hours, etc. again because they create staffing issues and generate boatloads of customer complaints. It's not like they don't have the money--they just don't want to spend anymore than they have to.

Not much has changed.

To answer your original question: Yeah, it's possible. I only have 120 tech hours for a 450+ script/day store. That's the WAGS way!

i do not believe that i am a wag manger do an average of 300 per day and have 184 tech hrs per week( that 120 is per week right)

 

[MountainPharmD]

i do not believe that i am a wag manger do an average of 300 per day and have 184 tech hrs per week( that 120 is per week right)

Oh yeah...Averaging 300 a day with 184 tech hours a week is soooo much better....

 

[pharmfunky]

Gotta Love Those Lines At The Register And Drive Thru. I Think Pharmacies Should Implement The Same Configuration As The Local Dmv......take A Number. Your Prescription Will Be Ready When Your Number Is Posted On The Screen

 

[fiorio]

most techs I work with hate PCI calls, it is a stupid program. many patients hate it too. They already receive automated PCI calls, and they call us back "my caller ID said you guys called me?" and we have no clue about whatsoever since it is automated phone call.
in the beginning of this year, they cut tech hours by 15% and expect the sale increase by 10%. yes, this is CVS's goal in my area.
now the PCI calls just take more tech hours, I work at a short staffed 24 hours busy pharmacy, the turn over rate of tech is 1.5 per months, we are going to lose more people in September since school starts. New people never get trained properly, experienced techs leave us right after becoming experienced for higher pay at other pharmacies. the techs are always being "abused" and work like a slave with little pay constantly.

We can hardly attract good workers and make them stay. Everytime we hire about 3 new techs, it would be lucky if one of them will stay, not get fired or quit, god bless us it he/she will be a good tech. by good tech I mean who can type rx, bill 3rd party, fill rx, and do drive thru and pick up.
We have people that just not intelligent enough to do drop off and bill insurance.

The PCI calls really take too much time, I won't even bother calling anyone who is more than 70 yrs old. I even write no PCI in their profile. Many customers take care their own medications, they don't need reminder. One senior tech knew all the customers, she would tell me who we don't need to call from the list, and I would write no PCI in their profiles, that save much time.

 

[FruitFly]

Do you live in an alternate universe? First, I will give you some slack because you are not a Pharmacist and therefore have no clue what you are talking about.

You talk as if the only thing that needs to be done is type the script, throw some pills in a bottle and slap a label on it. Granted, this is all that happens at CVS and Walgreens and is the first of many areas they fail their customers on a daily basis. A good Pharmacist isn't just checking to make sure the picture on the screen matches the pill in the bottle. The fact you say it takes a Pharmacist 2 minutes to check a prescription is probably an over estimate. I would say at Walgreens or CVS the average time a Pharmacist spends on each script is more like 30 seconds. What happens if there is a problem with the prescription such as a dosing irregularity, drug interaction, therapeutic duplication, patient allergy ect.? Oh thats right at Walgreens and CVS they don't worry about that stuff because it would slow them down and they might have to actually practice pharmacy instead of rushing to verify the next 500 prescriptions. As you say I guess the most important thing is everyone gets their script filled in 15 minutes or less.

I say who cares if the prescription is done in 15 minutes or 2 hours. If it is typed wrong, filled wrong or a serious problem such as a drug interaction is missed I doubt the patient will forgive you just becasue you got it to them in 15 minutes.

There's no such thing as a "15 minute photo" in any of these pharmacies. Why should they expect their medications in less than one-hour?! Providing it in less than 1hour, in my opinion, is a service, not a right. Some places try to be way too nice and make everything so expedient and not care about accuracy as much. This may also be geography-based, as well. When I'm in NYC, and I present an Rx, and ask if I could get it in 15minutes, the tech stares me down and says "1hour" (and you get the impression she's gonna dump it in the trash or punch u in the nose if u say "One hour, what the hell?!"). When I'm down south, the tech's like, "We're working on getting it ready for you, mr. so an so., it should be about 15 minutes". The greatest customer service is accuracy.