How many Rph's on here working under power have said it has destroyed their relationship with the pt? My store is not there yet, but I have more time for the pt now just with central fill. Take those annoying phone calls away of "are my vicodins ready", "how much is my medicaid script", "Did dr abc call in my soma's", and I will have even more time.
I actually believe that the typical Walgreens customer (and CVS customer from what my cvs rph friends say) doesn't care who fills their script or who they talk to on the phone. They want speed, convienence, and service. They are getting that. If they gave a crap about who filled their scripts, they would not take their scripts to these stores that have revolving floaters in them. But, I don't see any walgreens stores failing due to lack of business. Half of my pt's don't even know what I look like, because they won't get out of their cars to come in, and I counsel from my workstation on the phone if you are in drive-thru. But they keep coming back. Customers that need that more personal touch go to slow grocery stores or independents. People that want it now go to cvs and wags. They don't care who is behind the counter as long as it is done correctly and at a price they are cool with.
Then you my friend have little or no emotional connection with the patient because my patients come to me because they trust me...and they do care who fills their prescriptions...Its usually the oxy freaks who dont give a damn, and honestly i dont give a damn if i fill their rx or not (the oxy freaks that is). We fill 2700 rx weekly, and believe me, i know a good chunk of them and they know me. CVS will never go to a centralized system, they will make the staff have an emotional connection by way of phone calls. I do not see CVS heading to a centralized system anytime soon. I yet to see the full POWER system in place in florida, but from what i heard, you will have plenty of time to counsel cause you will probably lose 10% of your business. i have to side with old timer here...based only on early reports of POWER and JEDDevil, dont take my first sentence personally, but i believe retail is what you make of it...I choose to be emotionally involved with the patient...