What’s your retail pharmacy like now?

[cuckoo879]

Just wondering because I get mixed comments from different pharmacist in my area. I’m a newly promoted PIC to a previous 24hr store. We are open from 8-midnight. The overlap were thin due to coverall hour cuts. I was given 2.5 staff pharmacist, sharing one with another store. We are struggling to keep up with the workload. Before the whole pandemic we would do about 500/day, now we dropped to about 300/400 per day depends on who’s working. So a little background I’ve been at this store as staff for 4 years now, we had an older rph who was super fast and my previous manager and my current closing rph. Well, after my previous manager left for another store, the older rph decided the retail pharmacy is getting too horrible to work for and retired. So left me and my current closing rph. We had a new DL and she assigned a new grad to my store (never worked in a pharmacy for a day except IPPE/APPE). That was tough, but between me and the closing rph and a few floaters the stores were doing sort of ok. Then she assigned another rph that transferred from a different district, supposedly she worked in a store about the same volume. But that was disastrous ‍♀️, I think her old store had a drive-thru and closing earlier so she always had enough tech help? As I observe she couldn’t multitask or handle the workflow. She only did about 52 rx in 8 hrs and I verified 250rx within 6 hrs of my shift. All scripts has been filled but they are just everywhere...

Monday I was off and my three other staff were working we only did 302, given 16 flu shots but the two morning rph who had overlap only did 180 rx all together. The closing pharmacist did more than half of the rx. Well thanks the schedule algorithm, now the system thinks we do even less rx and started cutting another 10 hrs off.. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I try to clean up, but it’s now beyond repair.. I’ve become more stressed out when I’m off than I’m at work, because I knew I’d walk into a mess.. plus all the flu shot goals they are pushing at me. Maybe I’ll get replaced or laid off pretty soon... I’m trying to think maybe now is a blessing in disguise if they do decide to fire me due to poor performance...

But seriously my store was open for 16 hrs and but were only given a total of 40 hrs per day. 1 tech +1 rph that’s already 32 hrs gone plus maybe a 8hr shift in the middle. Pickup was basically none stop once we opened.... sometimes both techs are at the register...

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[Chrish]

If you have a problem with one particular rph, talk to him/ her directly. Show them those numbers and tell them you have a concern with their performance.

It’s a tough conversation to have but if I was that pharmacist, I would rather hear from you than DM. If they don’t take it well, then inform DM about the situation. Put that in writing and prove it with numbers. They should have no trouble finding more competent rph these days.

 

[Chrish]

And retail pharmacy is more stressful; far more than it used to be even a year ago. It’s only normal that you are feeling the heat.

 

[JustFillIt]

If you have a problem with one particular rph, talk to him/ her directly. Show them those numbers and tell them you have a concern with their performance.

It’s a tough conversation to have but if I was that pharmacist, I would rather hear from you than DM. If they don’t take it well, then inform DM about the situation. Put that in writing and prove it with numbers. They should have no trouble finding more competent rph these days.

And we eat our own.... It could be that the pharmacist is actually doing her job and performing thorough DURs and, checking history, etc... She may just need to be informed that retail pharmacy is no longer concerned about doing the true spirit of our jobs - instead it is a place to pump out as much Rx as possible with as little complaint as possible. It’s a harsh reality to accept but one that is eventually realized by anyone who works busy retail.

Show her the enter button and teach her how to mash it is fast as possible. What a nightmare...

 

[NorthTexasPharmacist]

If you're gonna stay in retail , I suggest moving to an independent. If not, the next best option would be to just leave retail all together.

 

[cuckoo879]

I had the conversation and it made them nearly in tears. But seriously with the hours they are given, how does any store perform without being in the reds.

 

[Chrish]

And we eat our own.... It could be that the pharmacist is actually doing her job and performing thorough DURs and, checking history, etc... She may just need to be informed that retail pharmacy is no longer concerned about doing the true spirit of our jobs - instead it is a place to pump out as much Rx as possible with as little complaint as possible. It’s a harsh reality to accept but one that is eventually realized by anyone who works busy retail.

Show her the enter button and teach her how to mash it is fast as possible. What a nightmare...

Let’s be honest here.. It’s business. When I have gone to doctors office in the past, I can count on one hand how many times they spent more than 10 minutes in the room. In fact it’s more 5 minutes. All they were interested in is getting in and out ASAP.

Fault lies with the Heath care system. If pharmacies weren’t reimbursed on their prescription count and doctors based on their production, this wouldn’t be happening.

 

[Deja]

Just wondering because I get mixed comments from different pharmacist in my area. I’m a newly promoted PIC to a previous 24hr store. We are open from 8-midnight. The overlap were thin due to coverall hour cuts. I was given 2.5 staff pharmacist, sharing one with another store. We are struggling to keep up with the workload. Before the whole pandemic we would do about 500/day, now we dropped to about 300/400 per day depends on who’s working. So a little background I’ve been at this store as staff for 4 years now, we had an older rph who was super fast and my previous manager and my current closing rph. Well, after my previous manager left for another store, the older rph decided the retail pharmacy is getting too horrible to work for and retired. So left me and my current closing rph. We had a new DL and she assigned a new grad to my store (never worked in a pharmacy for a day except IPPE/APPE). That was tough, but between me and the closing rph and a few floaters the stores were doing sort of ok. Then she assigned another rph that transferred from a different district, supposedly she worked in a store about the same volume. But that was disastrous ‍♀, I think her old store had a drive-thru and closing earlier so she always had enough tech help? As I observe she couldn’t multitask or handle the workflow. She only did about 52 rx in 8 hrs and I verified 250rx within 6 hrs of my shift. All scripts has been filled but they are just everywhere...

Monday I was off and my three other staff were working we only did 302, given 16 flu shots but the two morning rph who had overlap only did 180 rx all together. The closing pharmacist did more than half of the rx. Well thanks the schedule algorithm, now the system thinks we do even less rx and started cutting another 10 hrs off.. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I try to clean up, but it’s now beyond repair.. I’ve become more stressed out when I’m off than I’m at work, because I knew I’d walk into a mess.. plus all the flu shot goals they are pushing at me. Maybe I’ll get replaced or laid off pretty soon... I’m trying to think maybe now is a blessing in disguise if they do decide to fire me due to poor performance...

But seriously my store was open for 16 hrs and but were only given a total of 40 hrs per day. 1 tech +1 rph that’s already 32 hrs gone plus maybe a 8hr shift in the middle. Pickup was basically none stop once we opened.... sometimes both techs are at the register...

hummm you work for CVS? her verifying 52 scripts vs you verifying 250 can be misleading, she couldve been data reviewing all day and her count would be at 0, while you got the easy part and was just doing production review and pumping them out... feel like there needs to be more details and also see how your techs are working... whole workflow may need an overhaul

buuuuuuut only doing 302 scripts with 3 pharmacists is pretty bad, i assume there are a lot of scripts thats not finished

 

[mentos]

hummm you work for CVS? her verifying 52 scripts vs you verifying 250 can be misleading, she couldve been data reviewing all day and her count would be at 0, while you got the easy part and was just doing production review and pumping them out... feel like there needs to be more details and also see how your techs are working... whole workflow may need an overhaul

buuuuuuut only doing 302 scripts with 3 pharmacists is pretty bad, i assume there are a lot of scripts thats not finished

52 scripts? Come on there's no excuses for that.

 

[Deja]

52 scripts? Come on there's no excuses for that.

if there was overlap and she was data reviewing while the other pharmacist did production review, the other pharmacist would get all the credit for less work thats my point... so only listing script numbers done is misleading

 

[mentos]

if there was overlap and she was data reviewing while the other pharmacist did production review, the other pharmacist would get all the credit for less work thats my point... so only listing script numbers done is misleading

Should be able to verify 2-3 times that amount easily. Doesn't matter what type of verification.

 

[Deja]

Should be able to verify 2-3 times that amount easily. Doesn't matter what type of verification.

if she was data reviewing and doing other side tasks she wouldn't be able to do production review... have you worked at a 600 script store before for cvs?

 

[mentos]

if she was data reviewing and doing other side tasks she wouldn't be able to do production review... have you worked at a 600 script store before for cvs?

My store did about 4300 per week.

 

[Deja]

My store did about 4300 per week.

Then I don't know what you are trying to argue about... if she did 250 data review in those 6 hours who do you think had it easier? the person that did 250 production review or her?

 

[mentos]

Then I don't know what you are trying to argue about... if she did 250 data review in those 6 hours who do you think had it easier? the person that did 250 production review or her?

What are you talking about data review vs product review? Do you mean when refills go straight to product verification instead of a new script where you have to go through 3 screens?

It's way more efficient now. Back then we had to do everything, data review, product review whatever for all scripts and log C2s by hand. If a script was filled at a different CVS, you had to call that store and have them return it before you could bill it which meant waiting on hold for 20min. Now you can just transfer it in without waiting. We had to fold every script into quarters at drop off, now there is no folding you can just lay it flat inside the folder.

I don't care where you work or what tasks you're doing. 52 scripts in 8 hours is pathetic any way you cut it. That's less than 7 scripts per hour! Even if they're C2s, compounds, flu shots, that's very low.

 

[Sine Cura]

if she was data reviewing and doing other side tasks she wouldn't be able to do production review... have you worked at a 600 script store before for cvs?

Pharmacists typically do both in series

 

[Sleepingdoc]

Let’s be honest here.. It’s business. When I have gone to doctors office in the past, I can count on one hand how many times they spent more than 10 minutes in the room. In fact it’s more 5 minutes. All they were interested in is getting in and out ASAP.

Fault lies with the Heath care system. If pharmacies weren’t reimbursed on their prescription count and doctors based on their production, this wouldn’t be happening.

Yeah you get to see the patient for 10 minutes, when you are double booked for that time slot of 15-20 minutes ( you have impatient patients who come in late and you sometimes see 3-4 patient during the slot and they are very anxious about you being late to address their concerns)- you dont have time to write notes while you are seeing the patients... and you go back home and write notes for the rest of the night- Rinse and Repeat next day...

 

[mentos]

Pharmacists typically do both in series

I know right? They have two pharmacists doing one job?? That store sounds so inefficient.

 

[cuckoo879]

hummm you work for CVS? her verifying 52 scripts vs you verifying 250 can be misleading, she couldve been data reviewing all day and her count would be at 0, while you got the easy part and was just doing production review and pumping them out... feel like there needs to be more details and also see how your techs are working... whole workflow may need an overhaul

buuuuuuut only doing 302 scripts with 3 pharmacists is pretty bad, i assume there are a lot of scripts thats not finished

Actually no, when I walked in there were 8 pages in QV1 and 8 pages QV2. So I hopped on both that’s how I got the number.... rx were filled and piled everywhere. Tech ran out of space to put baskets. There’s no excuse

 

[cuckoo879]

Then I don't know what you are trying to argue about... if she did 250 data review in those 6 hours who do you think had it easier? the person that did 250 production review or her?

She obviously wasn’t data reviewing all day if there’s still 8 pages left when I walked in around 1pm. On average I’d keep QV around 8 pages, 2 pages of QV1. But then we catch some break I can drop QV2 very fast. Let me make this more clear, I cleared QT (was stuck at 3 pages) QV 16 pages and QP around 4. I dropped QV to 7 pages and helped the tech fill. Total script count at the end of the day for her was 52.. She was at verification all day, I honestly had floater better than that

 

[cuckoo879]

I know right? They have two pharmacists doing one job?? That store sounds so inefficient.

Yeah I was wondering if the slower store pharmacist can just stay in verification and not worry about insurance/ calls/ production etc. BC that’s what she’s been telling me that at her old store it’s like that. I’ve observed her work, she hardly hop on to other task, not even helping with insurance. Just dropping verification very slowly...

i told my DL that I really need someone strong, can’t drag on two rph doing total of 180 script ( they had 5 hr overlap too)

 

[Ladyg228]

What kind of plan have you both formulated in helping her improve her certain skill set?
What kind of support is being provided for her to develop higher productivity levels?
Is there a time frame for said improvement?

Everyone has been a novice or beginner at some point in their career. We all need support and guidance to become the best version of ourselves.

 

[Sine Cura]

Since it is now flu shot season and OP mentioned 16 flu shots, they are also probably slow at flu shots too, perhaps "20 minutes to draw up Shingrix and give that and a flu shot" slow

It's the most wonderful time of the year~