Omnicare interview

[Rxcoffee]

Got an interview from Omnicare/ CVS -

Anyone worked there - How do you like it?

What are the hrs/ shifts like considering it’s 24hrs ?

How bad is the “on call business” ?

PIC vs Staff - what would you prefer ?

Any tips/ advice is appreciated !

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[sosoo]

Omnicare is a nonprofitable business at cvs. like any losing business it will eventually come to an end. if you get a job there, be sure to use it as a stepping stone. step on cvs and move on.

 

[owlegrad]

Omnicare is a nonprofitable business at cvs. like any losing business it will eventually come to an end. if you get a job there, be sure to use it as a stepping stone. step on cvs and move on.

How can that be possible, they are the largest LTC company in the US. If they really are not profitable someone somewhere really messed up.

 

[mentos]

How can that be possible, they are the largest LTC company in the US. If they really are not profitable someone somewhere really messed up.

They were profitable before CVS bought them. CVS cut hours down to bare bones skeleton schedule as they always do. Deliveries were late and the facilities got pissed, they lost contracts and made layoffs. That's why CVS stock dropped from mid 60s/share to low 50s/share a couple months ago.

They overpaid for Omnicare and now they are overpaying for Aetna. I wish they'd stop buying companies and putting them out of business.

 

[Mambo#5]

They were profitable before CVS bought them. CVS cut hours down to bare bones skeleton schedule as they always do. Deliveries were late and the facilities got pissed, they lost contracts and made layoffs. That's why CVS stock dropped from mid 60s/share to low 50s/share a couple months ago.

They overpaid for Omnicare and now they are overpaying for Aetna. I wish they'd stop buying companies and putting them out of business.

This. That’s one of their strategies to dominate the market. Just talk to the owners of independent pharmacy’s that had to sell. By forcing others out of business and buying profitable or non profitable businesses they then own the customer base.

 

[Litha]

They were profitable before CVS bought them. CVS cut hours down to bare bones skeleton schedule as they always do. Deliveries were late and the facilities got pissed, they lost contracts and made layoffs. That's why CVS stock dropped from mid 60s/share to low 50s/share a couple months ago.

They overpaid for Omnicare and now they are overpaying for Aetna. I wish they'd stop buying companies and putting them out of business.

Exactly right, I could have written this myself.

 

[Xenophylia]

A lot of facilities that are still under contract with them utterly hate them. They are the best thing that ever happened to independent LTC providers. Can't offer the kind of service we offer, nor do they want to try. They seem to exist solely because the facilities that have them are still under contract. I agree that they won't last forever as all their business will eventually be divided and eaten up by independents.... LTC is kind of an independent game- nursing homes are way too fickle and needy to put up with corporate regulations and bull****- it's clearly not the kind of game an entity like CVS should have ever gotten involved in. Unless they just take sadistic pleasure in putting random other companies out of business. And they are well on their way to doing that with Omnicare...

CVS has the arrogance to believe that they are too big to fail. And, laughingly, they are incorrect about that.

 

[pharmdit]

A lot of facilities that are still under contract with them utterly hate them. They are the best thing that ever happened to independent LTC providers. Can't offer the kind of service we offer, nor do they want to try. They seem to exist solely because the facilities that have them are still under contract. I agree that they won't last forever as all their business will eventually be divided and eaten up by independents.... LTC is kind of an independent game- nursing homes are way too fickle and needy to put up with corporate regulations and bull****- it's clearly not the kind of game an entity like CVS should have ever gotten involved in. Unless they just take sadistic pleasure in putting random other companies out of business. And they are well on their way to doing that with Omnicare...

CVS has the arrogance to believe that they are too big to fail. And, laughingly, they are incorrect about that.

Word. I took a couple Omni facilities last month and four more this month. I have never had them take one from me.

 

[Xenophylia]

And, unless you fall, bump your head, and wake up a nazi, they never will.....

 

[Sparda29]

I heard quite a few independents are getting into doing LTC for nursing homes. I'm leaving independent other than per dieming for cash occasionally. Got offered full time hospital overnight 7on/7off so I'm jumping on it.

 

[JustFillIt]

And, unless you fall, bump your head, and wake up a nazi, they never will.....

Wait.. does this actually happen?

 

[Xenophylia]

Anything's possible.....

 

[SKRATCH]

Exactly right, I could have written this myself.

Then add on insurance restrictions that require prescriptions to be filled at only CVS, and the horrible service no longer matters.

 

[owlegrad]

I heard quite a few independents are getting into doing LTC for nursing homes.

I have often wondered how that works. All of the facilities at my place get 24 hour service plus IV services (except for a few ALFs) so I don't know how an independent can compete with that. Are many independents 747 compliant? Is the owner on call for those emergency 2am doses of docusate? Or for that matter is 24 hour service not really that standard in LTC?

 

[Sparda29]

I have often wondered how that works. All of the facilities at my place get 24 hour service plus IV services (except for a few ALFs) so I don't know how an independent can compete with that. Are many independents 747 compliant? Is the owner on call for those emergency 2am doses of docusate? Or for that matter is 24 hour service not really that standard in LTC?

I think a lot of them just don't provide IV services. I also work per-diem at an actual LTC facility that has an in-house pharmacy and they outsource the IVs.

 

[Litha]

I have often wondered how that works. All of the facilities at my place get 24 hour service plus IV services (except for a few ALFs) so I don't know how an independent can compete with that. Are many independents 747 compliant? Is the owner on call for those emergency 2am doses of docusate? Or for that matter is 24 hour service not really that standard in LTC?

In my experience independent retails will only service ALF's. I did hear of one in my area that was contracted with a SNF years ago (way before I worked there), and yes the owner would go in a 2am to make an elastomeric vancomycin or what have you. The facility ended up contracting with Omni eventually because the profit margin didn't make sense anymore for the independent guy to keep going and he chose not to renew.

 

[VictorOfHungerGames]

Have a friend who moved from kroger to omnicare. Thought she was going to a better place but now shes regretting it and recently asked me to let her know if i hear any indie openings. CVS apparently is doing to Omnicare what they did to Target: cut hours, push for impossible metrics, layoff full time pharmacists and hire contract workers to avoid giving out benefits. I say if cvs continues this wonderful strategy, theyre gonna be done in about a few years. Hence, keep up CVS! Youre doing a great job!

 

[owlegrad]

In my experience independent retails will only service ALF's. I did hear of one in my area that was contracted with a SNF years ago (way before I worked there), and yes the owner would go in a 2am to make an elastomeric vancomycin or what have you. The facility ended up contracting with Omni eventually because the profit margin didn't make sense anymore for the independent guy to keep going and he chose not to renew.

Honestly my feeling is the independents can have the ALFs. Obviously my employer wouldn’t agree but they are our whiniest accounts. Always complaining when whatever crazy OTC thing they want isn’t in stock or claiming they didn’t get the medications we sent them etc etc. Plus they hardly give us any scripts at all compared to our SNFs. Maybe we are the exception rather than the rule but I often wonder if our ALFs are even worth the trouble/effort we put in to trying to keep them.

 

[Xenophylia]

The indy I work for does skilled and assisted living. I'm the night guy so the day people don't have to take call on weeknights. Typically we don't get IVs over night although we could provide them. We use computerized stat- safe setups for after hours meds so we rarely have to actually deliver anything during my shift (10pm to 6am); I spend most of my time checking cycle fill and answering nursing questions (which are usually simple...). One of the weekend pharmacists takes call on weekends.

 

[Xenophylia]

At the last job I worked, we were trying to steal a part time pharmacist away from Omni. When they found out she was leaving they promised her full time hours and she turned down our offer. Unfortunately for her, she didn't get that in writing. They then actually cut her hours further to punish her for looking for another job. When she came back to us crying that they cut her hours, our people would no longer hire her since she turned down our offer.... Moral of the story is don't trust anything involved w. CVS!

 

[mentos]

At the last job I worked, we were trying to steal a part time pharmacist away from Omni. When they found out she was leaving they promised her full time hours and she turned down our offer. Unfortunately for her, she didn't get that in writing. They then actually cut her hours further to punish her for looking for another job. When she came back to us crying that they cut her hours, our people would no longer hire her since she turned down our offer.... Moral of the story is don't trust anything involved w. CVS!

That's like Tyrion trusting Cersei.

 

[BidingMyTime]

At the last job I worked, we were trying to steal a part time pharmacist away from Omni. When they found out she was leaving they promised her full time hours and she turned down our offer. Unfortunately for her, she didn't get that in writing. They then actually cut her hours further to punish her for looking for another job. When she came back to us crying that they cut her hours, our people would no longer hire her since she turned down our offer.... Moral of the story is don't trust anything involved w. CVS!

Yeah, work rules at any place of employment (not just pharmacy), once your employer knows you are looking, you have to leave. There will be nothing but doom if you stay.

And a pharmacist should know that everything has to be documented. Anything not documented, never happened, was never said.

 

[owlegrad]

Yeah, work rules at any place of employment (not just pharmacy), once your employer knows you are looking, you have to leave. There will be nothing but doom if you stay.

And a pharmacist should know that everything has to be documented. Anything not documented, never happened, was never said.

Interestingly that hasn’t been my experience. CVS knew I was looking and they tried to retain me. Multiple coworkers at PharMerica have left and come back. I guess it depends on the boss.

 

[alpha12]

Interestingly that hasn’t been my experience. CVS knew I was looking and they tried to retain me. Multiple coworkers at PharMerica have left and come back. I guess it depends on the boss.

That's like Tyrion trusting Cersei.

white walkers are coming

 

[Litha]

Honestly my feeling is the independents can have the ALFs. Obviously my employer wouldn’t agree but they are our whiniest accounts. Always complaining when whatever crazy OTC thing they want isn’t in stock or claiming they didn’t get the medications we sent them etc etc. Plus they hardly give us any scripts at all compared to our SNFs. Maybe we are the exception rather than the rule but I often wonder if our ALFs are even worth the trouble/effort we put in to trying to keep them.

I feel the same way. ALF's are the worst and whiniest of the bunch. Once I was on call and was chewed out by some stupid med tech around midnight because they didn't have an OTC vitamin D that the patient "urgently needed" and they were in survey. I also despise cycle fill with a passion! SNF's are much more reasonable in many ways.

 

[owlegrad]

I feel the same way. ALF's are the worst and whiniest of the bunch. Once I was on call and was chewed out by some stupid med tech around midnight because they didn't have an OTC vitamin D that the patient "urgently needed" and they were in survey. I also despise cycle fill with a passion! SNF's are much more reasonable in many ways.

Right, never mind that they could have ordered the refill days in advance as they watched the card get emptier and emptier. It’s only an issue now that they are out and surprise have survey.

They also complain about the dumbest things. Like if we send them an OTC that’s in a blister pack they will send it back with a note for us to send it back to them in a card. Uhhhhh no, we don’t repackage meds. Your option is to accept the blister pack or do without the medication. And yet every month it’s the same merry go round of sending the Med back and forth...

 

[Idk17]

I have often wondered how that works. All of the facilities at my place get 24 hour service plus IV services (except for a few ALFs) so I don't know how an independent can compete with that. Are many independents 747 compliant? Is the owner on call for those emergency 2am doses of docusate? Or for that matter is 24 hour service not really that standard in LTC?

We have a lot of issues with independent pharmacies. They'll try to take our patients and act as LTC pharmacies, but as soon as an emergency comes up most of them won't be available 24/7 or can't do IVs.. the home will try to call us and use us as a "back up pharmacy," and we have to have the same conversation every time - it doesn't quite work that way, we aren't in business to help the independents act as shoddy LTC pharmacies that can't fulfill the obligations of those contracts.

I'm pretty sure 24/7 service is a requirement - we have overnight pharmacists, but I think any pharmacy servicing LTC facilities has to be at least on call 24/7.

Right, never mind that they could have ordered the refill days in advance as they watched the card get emptier and emptier. It’s only an issue now that they are out and surprise have survey.

They also complain about the dumbest things. Like if we send them an OTC that’s in a blister pack they will send it back with a note for us to send it back to them in a card. Uhhhhh no, we don’t repackage meds. Your option is to accept the blister pack or do without the medication. And yet every month it’s the same merry go round of sending the Med back and forth...

I feel this way about... probably half of our facilities. They'll send an order for "lasix 20mg take 2 tabs daily" and complain that we sent them a card of 40mg QD tabs. Or, "metoprolol tartrate 25mg QD, take with metoprolol tartrate 50mg QD" - complaining that we made it one order with 3x 25mg tabs because that's 1) what makes sense and 2) what their insurance will pay for. They're perpetually confused about why we do these things.


We also have a huge issue with them using C2s from our ekits and not having a prescription to cover it - sometimes it'll take us a month's worth of phone calls to get them to understand why they can't just grab some morphine and never have the doctor write a script for it.

 

[owlegrad]

We have a lot of issues with independent pharmacies. They'll try to take our patients and act as LTC pharmacies, but as soon as an emergency comes up most of them won't be available 24/7 or can't do IVs.. the home will try to call us and use us as a "back up pharmacy," and we have to have the same conversation every time - it doesn't quite work that way, we aren't in business to help the independents act as shoddy LTC pharmacies that can't fulfill the obligations of those contracts.

I'm pretty sure 24/7 service is a requirement - we have overnight pharmacists, but I think any pharmacy servicing LTC facilities has to be at least on call 24/7.

Yeah, I think so too. Which makes me wonder how the independents service those facilities. I highly doubt any of them have the ability to service them 24/7.

I feel this way about... probably half of our facilities. They'll send an order for "lasix 20mg take 2 tabs daily" and complain that we sent them a card of 40mg QD tabs. Or, "metoprolol tartrate 25mg QD, take with metoprolol tartrate 50mg QD" - complaining that we made it one order with 3x 25mg tabs because that's 1) what makes sense and 2) what their insurance will pay for. They're perpetually confused about why we do these things.

Haha, we used to do this all the time but our director made us stop. She insists that if the order needs to be changed in any way we must contact the facility and get a new order sent over with whatever change we need. I hate it, I spend so much time wasted on the phone on hold trying to explain to whoever answers the phone why I need a new script when "it's the same thing". So frustrating.

We also have a huge issue with them using C2s from our ekits and not having a prescription to cover it - sometimes it'll take us a month's worth of phone calls to get them to understand why they can't just grab some morphine and never have the doctor write a script for it.

OMG yes. What is so hard to understand about it being illegal to steal controls? It is my fondest dream to simply call the DEA or local police and have the offenders arrested.

 

[Idk17]

OMG yes. What is so hard to understand about it being illegal to steal controls? It is my fondest dream to simply call the DEA or local police and have the offenders arrested.

We're busy enough, and our ekits have enough meds in them, that some weeks we essentially have a full time pharmacist position dedicated to just making phone calls trying to track down who controlled meds were used for and trying to get scripts to cover them; paying somebody a pharmacist salary to do something that should be so totally unnecessary.

I don't know how the powers that be don't crack down on this stuff - not having legal coverage for a CII for a month is ridiculous.

 

[Sparda29]

We have a lot of issues with independent pharmacies. They'll try to take our patients and act as LTC pharmacies, but as soon as an emergency comes up most of them won't be available 24/7 or can't do IVs.. the home will try to call us and use us as a "back up pharmacy," and we have to have the same conversation every time - it doesn't quite work that way, we aren't in business to help the independents act as shoddy LTC pharmacies that can't fulfill the obligations of those contracts.

I'm pretty sure 24/7 service is a requirement - we have overnight pharmacists, but I think any pharmacy servicing LTC facilities has to be at least on call 24/7.


I feel this way about... probably half of our facilities. They'll send an order for "lasix 20mg take 2 tabs daily" and complain that we sent them a card of 40mg QD tabs. Or, "metoprolol tartrate 25mg QD, take with metoprolol tartrate 50mg QD" - complaining that we made it one order with 3x 25mg tabs because that's 1) what makes sense and 2) what their insurance will pay for. They're perpetually confused about why we do these things.


We also have a huge issue with them using C2s from our ekits and not having a prescription to cover it - sometimes it'll take us a month's worth of phone calls to get them to understand why they can't just grab some morphine and never have the doctor write a script for it.

Do these LTC facilities not have Omnicell?

 

[nextyearrx]

I have spoken to some former rite aid/Eckerd pharmacists who say they miss their older days of job!!!
True

 

[Idk17]

Do these LTC facilities not have Omnicell?

I don't know if this is a common thing in other states, but no. They'd need pharmacy employees to go out to each facility and stock them, and the facilities definitely aren't interested in covering the cost of the machines.

In theory, all the facilities need is an ekit/emergency kit - ours have things like IV fluids with a clysis kit, clonidine, oral and injectable Ativan, Roxanol and Ativan Intensol for hospice patients and so on; stuff that they actually might need urgently. Meds for newly admitted patients are delivered with drivers separately. Everything else can be scheduled to start after scheduled deliveries arrive, and refills should be ordered 3 days before they run out.

The problem comes when the facilities think that their new Bactrim order needs to be started at 4am, or that their patient is going to die if they don't get their monthly B12 injection immediately (that the nurse forgot to order). They forget to order refills constantly and then request these meds immediately all the time. And almost every time, we give in and just do it.. because we bend over backwards to get their business, and if we won't treat a B12 injection as an emergency, another LTC pharmacy will.