Walgreens pharmacists - advice on workflow.

[nsansom15]

New grad here and I’m just wondering how seasoned vets prioritize f4 and final verication with clearing the belt. I tend to find myself getting backed up in one section thus causing a back up in the other. Does anyone have any advice and how to improve my workflow besides being more comfortable at being quick, but efficient.

Thanks,

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[txpharmguy]

Are you doing other functions F1, answering phones, and running register when you should be focusing on pharmacist tasks? (These are all secondary responsibilities and shouldn't be ignored, but the pharmacist is the rate limiting step). Find out what is causing delay. When you have exceptions with a particular rx (missing info, question about dose, etc), are you sitting on hold trying to get a clarification? One thing to do is get it have techs type it up (to the best guess as to what is in question), put a MSC on it and fax it off. Try to keep below 20 in either category. If techs have 50 or 60 filled, have them keep rxs with a later promise time (auto fills, next day, etc) off the belt and out of the way so you can focus on the ones due sooner. With time, you'll get faster. Being a new pharmacist, your probably unsure about certain drugs (or interactions) and you are probably on Lexicomp looking things up, etc. Hope this helps.

 

[PharmacistFl12]

I like to work in a wave pattern. Always prioritize F4 first because that will determine the pace of how many labels are printed and need to be filled. I let F4s go up to at least 20, that will be my queue to prioritize and get it down to zero. Then the time I wait for it to go up over 20 again, I focus on product verification and make prescriptions go to ready status. I will also use that time waiting for F4s to accumulate to do transfers and call MD for scripts verification. Just continue to rinse and repeat that pattern and you should be ok.

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

Are you doing other functions F1, answering phones, and running register when you should be focusing on pharmacist tasks? (These are all secondary responsibilities and shouldn't be ignored, but the pharmacist is the rate limiting step). Find out what is causing delay. When you have exceptions with a particular rx (missing info, question about dose, etc), are you sitting on hold trying to get a clarification? One thing to do is get it have techs type it up (to the best guess as to what is in question), put a MSC on it and fax it off. Try to keep below 20 in either category. If techs have 50 or 60 filled, have them keep rxs with a later promise time (auto fills, next day, etc) off the belt and out of the way so you can focus on the ones due sooner. With time, you'll get faster. Being a new pharmacist, your probably unsure about certain drugs (or interactions) and you are probably on Lexicomp looking things up, etc. Hope this helps.

Really good advice for most workflows

 

[Lnsean]

New grad here and I’m just wondering how seasoned vets prioritize f4 and final verication with clearing the belt. I tend to find myself getting backed up in one section thus causing a back up in the other. Does anyone have any advice and how to improve my workflow besides being more comfortable at being quick, but efficient.

Thanks,

Your focus should always to clear F1s and F4s. Have your techs ALWAYS stay on F1s (back them up if you have to...yes..it's dangerous to type and verify so this takes a bit more diligence) and you have to constantly make sure your F4s are cleared. Why? F1s is where all the troubles happen...I'm talking insurance troubles...OOS troubles...typing errors....stupid sht like expired dates. This is really the most important step even though it rests mostly on your techs. It allows you to proactively identify problem scripts and resolve the issue before having to argue with the customer. This makes a huge difference in patients coming back and yelling at you as to why something is OOS and they did not get a call...why it's not covered and no one told them...why it was typed incorrectly and sitting TPR all day. These are the kind of issues and interactions that will waste alot of your time. You need to minimize it.

F4 is your #1 priority as pharmacist besides keeping tabs on F1s...keep that thing near <10 or near 0 at all times. It is the rate limiting step. Once F4s are done, everything that prints should be a clean script. At times, I'll have like 50-70 in printed (we're a very busy store and understaffed) but it's very smooth because these are clean scripts and ready to be filled and product reviewed.

I have worked with rphs where they tried to balance all 4 metrics, focusing on the belt and filling scripts...and then they have like 30 to 40 in F1...and you know what? Those patients are gonna show up in a couple hours expecting their scripts, and there will be a lot of explaining you got to do. If you have them typed up, any OOS/TPRs...they should get an automated call as well.

 

[grumpyRph]

Your focus should always to clear F1s and F4s. Have your techs ALWAYS stay on F1s (back them up if you have to...yes..it's dangerous to type and verify so this takes a bit more diligence) and you have to constantly make sure your F4s are cleared. Why? F1s is where all the troubles happen...I'm talking insurance troubles...OOS troubles...typing errors....stupid sht like expired dates. This is really the most important step even though it rests mostly on your techs. It allows you to proactively identify problem scripts and resolve the issue before having to argue with the customer. This makes a huge difference in patients coming back and yelling at you as to why something is OOS and they did not get a call...why it's not covered and no one told them...why it was typed incorrectly and sitting TPR all day. These are the kind of issues and interactions that will waste alot of your time. You need to minimize it.

F4 is your #1 priority as pharmacist besides keeping tabs on F1s...keep that thing near <10 or near 0 at all times. It is the rate limiting step. Once F4s are done, everything that prints should be a clean script. At times, I'll have like 50-70 in printed (we're a very busy store and understaffed) but it's very smooth because these are clean scripts and ready to be filled and product reviewed.

I have worked with rphs where they tried to balance all 4 metrics, focusing on the belt and filling scripts...and then they have like 30 to 40 in F1...and you know what? Those patients are gonna show up in a couple hours expecting their scripts, and there will be a lot of explaining you got to do. If you have them typed up, any OOS/TPRs...they should get an automated call as well.

this is more my style too.

 

[txpharmguy]

Your focus should always to clear F1s and F4s. Have your techs ALWAYS stay on F1s (back them up if you have to...yes..it's dangerous to type and verify so this takes a bit more diligence) and you have to constantly make sure your F4s are cleared. Why? F1s is where all the troubles happen...I'm talking insurance troubles...OOS troubles...typing errors....stupid sht like expired dates. This is really the most important step even though it rests mostly on your techs. It allows you to proactively identify problem scripts and resolve the issue before having to argue with the customer. This makes a huge difference in patients coming back and yelling at you as to why something is OOS and they did not get a call...why it's not covered and no one told them...why it was typed incorrectly and sitting TPR all day. These are the kind of issues and interactions that will waste alot of your time. You need to minimize it.

F4 is your #1 priority as pharmacist besides keeping tabs on F1s...keep that thing near <10 or near 0 at all times. It is the rate limiting step. Once F4s are done, everything that prints should be a clean script. At times, I'll have like 50-70 in printed (we're a very busy store and understaffed) but it's very smooth because these are clean scripts and ready to be filled and product reviewed.

I have worked with rphs where they tried to balance all 4 metrics, focusing on the belt and filling scripts...and then they have like 30 to 40 in F1...and you know what? Those patients are gonna show up in a couple hours expecting their scripts, and there will be a lot of explaining you got to do. If you have them typed up, any OOS/TPRs...they should get an automated call as well.

Of course all this goes to piss is a pot with Phlex. I've had rxs not typed and data entry not done AFTER the promised time. (Phlex wasn't in yellow). Definitely some pain points there at beginning of new year

 

[RxRetailRx]

How do you handle the weekend tasks when you have only one tech? I know it all depends on who you work with, do you filling prescriptions ? Just wondered how many RPh out there really filling prescriptions ! How do you deal with those “new to therapy” and “late refill” calls ?

 

[txpharmguy]

How do you handle the weekend tasks when you have only one tech? I know it all depends on who you work with, do you filling prescriptions ? Just wondered how many RPh out there really filling prescriptions ! How do you deal with those “new to therapy” and “late refill” calls ?

One tech and one RPH, you're filling (unless tech is filling, you're doing drive thru and out window). Techs can call on LTR list. NTT calls are probably a couple per day. (Check image to see if a transfer or profile if had before). I believe criteria is drug is a candidate if >12 months since being on profile

 

[nextyearrx]

I wish all pharmacies had 1 hour or 45 minutes mandatory lunch break for all Pharmacy employees!!

 

[crossurfingers]

One tech and one RPH, you're filling (unless tech is filling, you're doing drive thru and out window). Techs can call on LTR list. NTT calls are probably a couple per day. (Check image to see if a transfer or profile if had before). I believe criteria is drug is a candidate if >12 months since being on profile

Yes, I have problems on weekends too. So tech rotating and getting both drive thru and in window is most efficient? Should I still expect tech to type up rx's if he/she is the only one and has a line on both ends? Problem is there are only 1 tech and 1 rph, a line up front and at drive thru, a bunch printed, a bunch of untyped waiters, phone ringing, etc. No one comes for IC3. I also run back and forth to registers for mandatory counseling. I can get the waiters out but then keep pushing back the rest of them. And then customers giving dirty looks that there's only one person rotating between them and drive thru.

 

[walgreen123]

We do around 160 to 200 in a weekend day and sell around the same amount, with one RPH and one tech. yes, I do almost all the fillings, and answer phone calls, help registers. The tech will mainly stay in the front, typing, ring pts up, drive through, other calls, deletes, etc. Sometimes we have floater RPH who doesn't fill or help front, my tech will complain a lot to us later.

 

[Chriskahn]

Currently on an APPE at Wags rights now and it seems like they are constantly understaffed. Having to call an IC3 constantly to help with register and drive through. Ive done rotations nearly at every chain and Wags is the worst when it comes to staffing. Its always chaotic and things are barely getting done.