The Pharmacy Swami Thread

[WVUPharm2007]

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1) There are some (CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens...) that don't like us. We cost a **** ton of money. Don't get me wrong, they NEED us....but they would do anything to ge rid of us. After talking to my dean the other day, he tells me that they want to introduce the idea of a 2-year associates degree that will allow folks to monitor the dispensing of medications at drug stores without a pharmacist on staff?

Will this happen? If so, in 10 years? 15? 20? What would this do to patient safety should it come to fruition?

2) Currently there are well over 100 pharmacy schools. Up until a bit over a decade ago the number of schools were in the 70s. In order to receive accreditation one must only do as ACPE desires. Due to a law case last decade that didn't allow the medical profession to limit medical school numbers, it is unlikely that pharmacy educators could ever put a brake on the handful of new schools that are apparently popping up annually with no end in sight.

Will there be over 200 pharmacy schools by 2020? 2030? What might this do to the profession if it comes to fruition?

3) Currently pharmacist salaries are rocketing. If you move to certain areas, you can legitimately make $130k for 40 hours of work. That was UNHEARD OF when I began my education. We were just pumped that some pharmacists made 6 figures. Now it's the norm for kids with new degrees.

Where will the increases stop? Will they stop? Will they reverse?

4) Pharmacists don't have a very large role in prescribing. If you read between the lines, IMO, the leaders of pharmacy want to eventually position the profession so that we have a much larger say in drug therapy. Not just in an inpatient setting, but in an outpatient setting as well.

Will pharmacists ever have some sort of prescriptive authority similar to PAs?


Put on your Merlin caps and tell me what you think....then in 15 years we can see who was full of ****. Haha.

 

[Caverject]

the real question is...did Rich Rod take the files?

 

[Epic]

1) There are some (CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens...) that don't like us. We cost a **** ton of money. Don't get me wrong, they NEED us....but they would do anything to ge rid of us. After talking to my dean the other day, he tells me that they want to introduce the idea of a 2-year associates degree that will allow folks to monitor the dispensing of medications at drug stores without a pharmacist on staff?

Will this happen? If so, in 10 years? 15? 20? What would this do to patient safety should it come to fruition?

It's true retailer would love to have 2 year AA pharmacist and pay them 40K a year. All it will take is one dead patient and a lawsuit to throw that idea out of the hat.

2) Currently there are well over 100 pharmacy schools. Up until a bit over a decade ago the number of schools were in the 70s. In order to receive accreditation one must only do as ACPE desires. Due to a law case last decade that didn't allow the medical profession to limit medical school numbers, it is unlikely that pharmacy educators could ever put a brake on the handful of new schools that are apparently popping up annually with no end in sight.

Will there be over 200 pharmacy schools by 2020? 2030? What might this do to the profession if it comes to fruition?

Too many pharmacists.

3) Currently pharmacist salaries are rocketing. If you move to certain areas, you can legitimately make $130k for 40 hours of work. That was UNHEARD OF when I began my education. We were just pumped that some pharmacists made 6 figures. Now it's the norm for kids with new degrees.

Where will the increases stop? Will they stop? Will they reverse?

It will slow down and may stop. But it won't reverse.

4) Pharmacists don't have a very large role in prescribing. If you read between the lines, IMO, the leaders of pharmacy want to eventually position the profession so that we have a much larger say in drug therapy. Not just in an inpatient setting, but in an outpatient setting as well.

Will pharmacists ever have some sort of prescriptive authority similar to PAs?


Put on your Merlin caps and tell me what you think....then in 15 years we can see who was full of ****. Haha.

Probably not.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

the real question is...did Rich Rod take the files?

No, he just shredded files that correlated with missing 1100 club monies and his assistant Gibson had tranny porn on his PC. I am being 100% serious.

 

[dgroulx]

1. I have heard that Walgreens wants technicians to verify fills. I think a technician is capable of comparing pills in a bottle to a picture and/or description of the markings on a pill. This will free up pharmacists for more patient care. There would still be a pharmacist there if any questions came up. So, they would still be paying a pharmacist to be there. It would just be a shift of duties. Of course, technicians would not perform DURs. This may not be in the immediate future, but I see it happening at some point.

2. I agree that there will be too many pharmacists. The same thing happened with IT. In the Tampa Bay area we do not have any shortages. I understand from 4th year UF students that the signing bonuses are now history. I work in a district north of Tampa and I still haven't gotten a permanent store after 6 months of work. New grads may have to work part time or PRN shifts at hospitals.

3. When I started school, retail pharmacists were making in the low 80's and hospital pharmacists in the upper 60's. This looked good to me back then. I expect that salaries will flatten out. I don't expect anymore big increases. I'm happy with my salary and I don't really expect an increase this year. I don't think that salaries will actually decrease.

4. Right now, if I see a drug interaction (usually with an antibiotic chosen), I phone the MD. I've had them ask me for a suggestion, I've also just left messages and "suggested" an alternative. I always get a voice mail back with a therapy change with the drug I suggested. I think prescribers on the most part are open to us suggesting alternative drug therapy. Family doctors also phone me to figure out Lovenox dosing for them. It's not something that they normally prescribe. I don't think we will ever have prescriptive authority. The AMA will fight this tooth and nail.