The best hospital org Kaiser?

[BustyPharmD]

I've been told that the best employer for Hospitals its Kaiser.

For retail its Walgreens

The reason why is they both pay the most. But does anyone know if these are really good companies to work for or are pharmacists willing to put up with the extra workload for the money? I'd like to know from people who have insight/experience on this topic.

I'm almost done with pharm school and I'm leaning towards hospital pharmacy in the So Ca area but wanted to know who maybe the best organization to work for in the future and why?

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[Vyvanase]

The best place to work for in So Cal for hospital is the County. Have you started your hospital rotations in So Cal? Ask other hospital pharmacist and technicians, they'll probably tell you the same. There benefits and retirement plans are probably the best in the nation, but the starting pay isn't as high as Kaiser. They are probably one of the very few places that still offer a real pension and 401k. Also a cool thing too is you do not pay into the largest ponzi scheme ever known as social security. Many pharmacist and technicians go cradle to grave in the County so that tells you something.

 

[charfdorn]

The best place to work for in So Cal for hospital is the County. Have you started your hospital rotations in So Cal? Ask other hospital pharmacist and technicians, they'll probably tell you the same. There benefits and retirement plans are probably the best in the nation, but the starting pay isn't as high as Kaiser. They are probably one of the very few places that still offer a real pension and 401k. Also a cool thing too is you do not pay into the largest ponzi scheme ever known as social security. Many pharmacist and technicians go cradle to grave in the County so that tells you something.

How do you get out of paying into social security? I thought everyone had to pay into that...

 

[confettiflyer]

How do you get out of paying into social security? I thought everyone had to pay into that...

There are certain exemptions, I believe that government employees can be exempt because they do not participate in the social security system. The rationale is that if you are part of a pension system (like working for the State of California), when you retire, you're pension is guaranteed and you're taken care of.

So these employees don't pay into the system, but they also don't withdraw from the system either.

Someone correct me if my rationale is off, it's been a while.

 

[aboveliquidice]

There are certain exemptions, I believe that government employees can be exempt because they do not participate in the social security system. The rationale is that if you are part of a pension system (like working for the State of California), when you retire, you're pension is guaranteed and you're taken care of.

So these employees don't pay into the system, but they also don't withdraw from the system either.

Someone correct me if my rationale is off, it's been a while.

Military pays in...

You don't have to pay in if you do not work - Serious

 

[charfdorn]

Military pays in...

You don't have to pay in if you do not work - Serious

True. And once you get into the six-figure range you stop paying.

 

[BanBidil]

How is Kaiser a Non-Profit?
They collect fees and pay their CEO yet get 340B plan pricing and now, they don't want to participate in the state super fund Rx "tax" matching contribution to get more $ for medi-cal reimbursement from the FEDS.

George Halvorson, CEO of Oakland-based Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, received $5.5 million in pay and benefits when he left his former CEO post at HealthPartners based in Bloomington, Minn., according to published newspaper reports.

 

[confettiflyer]

How is Kaiser a Non-Profit?
They collect fees and pay their CEO yet get 340B plan pricing and now, they don't want to participate in the state super fund Rx "tax" matching contribution to get more $ for medi-cal reimbursement from the FEDS.

George Halvorson, CEO of Oakland-based Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, received $5.5 million in pay and benefits when he left his former CEO post at HealthPartners based in Bloomington, Minn., according to published newspaper reports.

per wiki

The Health Plan and Hospitals operate under state and federal not-for-profit tax status, while the Medical Groups operate as for-profit partnerships or professional corporations in their respective regions.

 

[VancTheTank]

.

 

[aboveliquidice]

How is Kaiser a Non-Profit?
They collect fees and pay their CEO yet get 340B plan pricing and now, they don't want to participate in the state super fund Rx "tax" matching contribution to get more $ for medi-cal reimbursement from the FEDS.

George Halvorson, CEO of Oakland-based Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, received $5.5 million in pay and benefits when he left his former CEO post at HealthPartners based in Bloomington, Minn., according to published newspaper reports.

Kaiser pays a RIDICULOUS pay for interns... That said, they are just like any other health system as a professional. What makes kaiser nice is the incredible access you have to patient data and the ability to give refills for maintenance medications if the prescriber has a corraborative practice agreement in place.

This means that when a patient says "I just went to the lab for a throat culture" - you can check EPIC to see if the results have come back. "Postitive for strep - yep, penicillin is the right choice for therapy...". Also, when a patient is out of their statin - just check to make sure the agreement is in place, and right them one extra fill and tell them to make a new appointment.

The ability to simply take care of your patients is pretty awesome. I hate saying "I'm sorry, but you are out of your metoprolol refills - here's a few and I'll fax the doctor - give us 48 hours" It blows...

Aside from that - if you don't mind seeing kaiser physicians... you would literally love kaiser.

 

[confettiflyer]

Aside from that - if you don't mind seeing kaiser physicians... you would literally love kaiser.

Did Kaiser offer a PPO option for its health professionals? I could have sworn I read that on a benefits page somewhere.

As for Kaiser MD's/etc... all of my friends who are in this system like it and its ease of use (and 90 day birth control refills, haha). I was born in a Kaiser hospital and had it all throughout childhood, my health care oriented parents didn't seem to mind.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Did Kaiser offer a PPO option for its health professionals? I could have sworn I read that on a benefits page somewhere.

Not sure - I was there as part of my IPPE... thus my pay = 0 and I was not considered a "real" employee.

 

[BustyPharmD]

Not sure - I was there as part of my IPPE... thus my pay = 0 and I was not considered a "real" employee.

while you did your IPPE, did you notice if the phamacist were happy about working for Kaiser?

 

[confettiflyer]

while you did your IPPE, did you notice if the phamacist were happy about working for Kaiser?

old pharmacist i worked with up and left CVS to go back to kaiser, if that's any indication.

also, jobs at kaiser seem hard to come by. i'm pushing for a kaiser rotation just so i can get an "in" with employment later.

 

[aboveliquidice]

while you did your IPPE, did you notice if the phamacist were happy about working for Kaiser?

From what I saw - yes. However, I worked at just one of many sites - and the people you work with have way more influence on job satisfaction.

 

[BustyPharmD]

From what I saw - yes. However, I worked at just one of many sites - and the people you work with have way more influence on job satisfaction.

so true... that gave me an idea for a new thread! =)

 

[atlrph]

i wouldn't say Kaiser is the best place to work for. Getting in is a bit difficult depending on where you wanna work. Right now it isn't the best any place, any where. Back in the old days, they were begging people to work for them. The Epic system is ok. Having the ability to advance refill is ok. Having the authority to approve refill request is alright. The work load can be a bitch at times since most Kaiser facilities do over 800 prescriptions per day with 3 pharmacists. People are lazy due to the so called union. Both for techs and pharmacists. It gets old after awhile when people are sitting on their asses and know they can get away with it because of the Union.