Why are pharmacy boards appointed and not elected by pharmacists?

[TheMadPharmacist]

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Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the problems with the pharmacy profession. I know there are a lot of problems. However, something struck me is the idea that pharmacy boards are appointed and many of the members have previous or current big businesses ties.

This explains in a way why the pharmacy boards seem to care only about big chains and pbms and not about pharmacists or independent pharmacies.

Thoughts???

 

[Digsbe]

Pharmacy boards exist to protect the public and govern the practice of pharmacy with the public interest in mind. Their goal is not to advance the profession or to in some way look out for pharmacists.

 

[lord999]

Pharmacy boards exist to protect the public and govern the practice of pharmacy with the public interest in mind. Their goal is not to advance the profession or to in some way look out for pharmacists.

These are for Boards in general. Most states explicitly have some composition rules (representation of both urban and nonurban areas and public membership without pharmacy affiliation rules are common). I do not know of a state that does not have informal networks for recommending board members. In the three places that I "practice" actively, the associations and NACDS have a strong say for their candidates. Kind of like running for office, you have to have a special interest boost you for recommendation. The public members usually come from the party faithful. In AZ, there is an unwritten rule that the sitting President and Vice President cannot come from the same practice constituency. In MN, MD, and VA, there is an unwritten rule that the Board President is the member whose term is closest to expiring and may not be a public member (even though the books say that the public member can be the President).

In AZ, there is also a strong unwritten rule in the present day that the membership of any professional board is composed of non-drama personnel (people who are not going to have strong, public stands, even if they conform to Republican standards). Those of you who were around during Evan Mecham's governorship and the members appointed during that time remember the Board member impeachment.

Former Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham dies at 83

 

[confettiflyer]

Boards of Pharmacy are not guilds, they function as an arm of government to enforce laws and regulate licensure.

It’s like asking why the IRS isn’t an elected body by accountants, or why food/health dept inspectors aren’t elected by restaurant owners.

In theory, a pharmacist-elected board is more likely to protect its own vs the public.


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[JamesL1585]

I echo what you're saying here, but the folks responding, give typical crappy pharmacist answers. The "if you don't like it, quit your job". Or just being more "this is the answer" but no real solution, or even engagement. So freaking annoying. I hate pharmacist.

But yea, typically when they're appointed, they want to see a track record of the pharmacist being very active within the profession, these are the "usual suspects" in pharmacy that work at big chains and interest groups, unfortunately. But, to further your question, the problems in pharmacy are less about these folks, and more about your Association management organization this is ASHP, APhA, and then especially the association that gives accrediation to new schools. All of these organizations SHOULD work in tandem, on behalf of our interest, but they don't. This is why we need our own unionized organization, or a new one that steps away from the old one's focal point and puts pharmacist who think like you (and me), interest in mind, instead of one's that are funded by chains and other s*** money.

If you want, feel free to shoot me a PM. I know a lot of board members in the two states I've practiced in, and think about this kind of stuff quite often as well.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the problems with the pharmacy profession. I know there are a lot of problems. However, something struck me is the idea that pharmacy boards are appointed and many of the members have previous or current big businesses ties.

This explains in a way why the pharmacy boards seem to care only about big chains and pbms and not about pharmacists or independent pharmacies.

Thoughts???

 

[Dred Pirate]

in NC they are elected by pharmacists - but I think that is the only state they are

 

[VictorOfHungerGames]

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the problems with the pharmacy profession. I know there are a lot of problems. However, something struck me is the idea that pharmacy boards are appointed and many of the members have previous or current big businesses ties.

This explains in a way why the pharmacy boards seem to care only about big chains and pbms and not about pharmacists or independent pharmacies.

Thoughts???

Same reason why supreme court justices are appointed... well at least they kinda vote on that... but then again, do elections really give us a choice? haha Trump vs Clinton wasn't much of a choice... and I knew as soon as Trump was elected, it was rigged lol there is no way there are THAT many dumb people in the US... wait... no...

Whether you believe this or not, seems interesting lol

The Atlantean Conspiracy: American Presidential Bloodlines

Maybe it's better to just appoint them into corrupted offices instead of go through all the trouble of corrupted elections lol

 

[VictorOfHungerGames]

Boards of Pharmacy are not guilds, they function as an arm of government to enforce laws and regulate licensure.

It’s like asking why the IRS isn’t an elected body by accountants, or why food/health dept inspectors aren’t elected by restaurant owners.

In theory, a pharmacist-elected board is more likely to protect its own vs the public.


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Wait, so... if that's the case, then why aren't they protecting the public by limiting number of scripts filled by a pharmacist per hour, set standards on how many hours a tech needs to get so a pharmacists aren't over worked or hell i'm sure there is a way for them to stop these illegitimate schools from popping up every year lol

 

[owlegrad]

Is anyone here familar with the dental board they got slapped by the supreme court for looking out for their profession? Surely @lord999 knows what I am referring to?

Sorry I don’t have a link handy, but it truly is a fascinating case. And should be mandatory reading for anyone who thinks that our boards of pharmacy are not doing enough to advocate for our profession.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

in NC they are elected by pharmacists - but I think that is the only state they are

I thought this was weird so I looked. In my state, SC, the medical board is elected (the governor can reject, but then we just keep electing people until he/she OKs them) but the pharmacy board is entirely appointed.

Kinda weird.

 

[TheMadPharmacist]

Wait, so... if that's the case, then why aren't they protecting the public by limiting number of scripts filled by a pharmacist per hour, set standards on how many hours a tech needs to get so a pharmacists aren't over worked or hell i'm sure there is a way for them to stop these illegitimate schools from popping up every year lol

Amen!!!!!

As a pharmacist, I should have time to verify, counsel, perform REAL DURs and MTM, ...etc. Now, it feels like I am an expensive robot in an assembly line, and I am sure they are looking for a way to reduce this 6 figures price tag.

I do not when pharmacists will stop bowing their head in a servile manner and grow a pair.

 

[TheMadPharmacist]

Is anyone here familar with the dental board they got slapped by the supreme court for looking out for their profession? Surely @lord999 knows what I am referring to?

Sorry I don’t have a link handy, but it truly is a fascinating case. And should be mandatory reading for anyone who thinks that our boards of pharmacy are not doing enough to advocate for our profession.

I thought this was weird so I looked. In my state, SC, the medical board is elected (the governor can reject, but then we just keep electing people until he/she OKs them) but the pharmacy board is entirely appointed.

Kinda weird.

Imagine if the BOP was elected, and they set meaningful limits on hours without break, RX:RPh:Tech ratios,... etc. CVS/WAGs will bankrupt in few months LOL

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Wait, so... if that's the case, then why aren't they protecting the public by limiting number of scripts filled by a pharmacist per hour, set standards on how many hours a tech needs to get so a pharmacists aren't over worked or hell i'm sure there is a way for them to stop these illegitimate schools from popping up every year lol

Well that's an easy one - there's not much harm.

If y'all being overworked was routinely harming patients, you might see action taken.

 

[VictorOfHungerGames]

Well that's an easy one - there's not much harm.

If y'all being overworked was routinely harming patients, you might see action taken.

What makes you think that there is no harm?

 

[johnpharm01]

in NC they are elected by pharmacists - but I think that is the only state they are

Pharmacists in Alabama select the board members as well

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

What makes you think that there is no harm?

What makes you think there is?

 

[confettiflyer]

Wait, so... if that's the case, then why aren't they protecting the public by limiting number of scripts filled by a pharmacist per hour, set standards on how many hours a tech needs to get so a pharmacists aren't over worked or hell i'm sure there is a way for them to stop these illegitimate schools from popping up every year lol

ugh do I need to lecture you on Sherman Antitrust

I said they exist to protect the public and not actual pharmacists, I never said anything about them being good at it.

And so the NS order I verify counts the same as the methotrexate IM order next to it? Sounds like a disaster trying to implement such a regulation.



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[confettiflyer]

Well that's an easy one - there's not much harm.

If y'all being overworked was routinely harming patients, you might see action taken.

Yeah that’s a pharmacist problem, not a board problem. Typical whining pharmacist expecting the law to fix their own problems.


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[JohnDoeRPH]

Okay so this is my first time posting here.
I just graduated last week and I'm currently attending Pharmacy board review. Until now, I don't really know what`s my future career path since Pharmacy is not really my choice but my parent`s choice.
But I`m now inspired and wanting to become a professor because of our lecturers in our review center.
But I don't know if I'm suit to become a professor since I`m not like our professors/lecturers who are smart, cumlaude ,suma and magna during their school days. I`m not confident but I really want to try, I want to improve myself.

Well that's an easy one - there's not much harm.

If y'all being overworked was routinely harming patients, you might see action taken.

Other professions have limits on hours speed/workload/hours to protect the public. Probably the most obvious example is truckers. They can only drive 10 hours per day in my state. Not a single minute more.

 

[lord999]

Is anyone here familar with the dental board they got slapped by the supreme court for looking out for their profession? Surely @lord999 knows what I am referring to?

Sorry I don’t have a link handy, but it truly is a fascinating case. And should be mandatory reading for anyone who thinks that our boards of pharmacy are not doing enough to advocate for our profession.

Yes, I do, it was the NC Board of Dentistry. Those guys, NV, and TN are the worst to deal with from a federal perspective as they cover up their own people's stuff and basically screw over the public repeatedly.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Other professions have limits on hours speed/workload/hours to protect the public. Probably the most obvious example is truckers. They can only drive 10 hours per day in my state. Not a single minute more.

I'm a physician, so talk of limited work hours is just going to make me laugh at you.

 

[JohnDoeRPH]

How many patients would you be willing to see in a day? How would you feel if your job security was tied to how many patients you serve during your shift?

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

How many patients would you be willing to see in a day? How would you feel if your job security was tied to how many patients you serve during your shift?

Most I've ever done was 80 in a 12 hour shift.

And my job security is tied to productivity. My group just parted ways with a doctor who wasn't seeing enough patients.

 

[PharmFarmed]

I'm a physician, so talk of limited work hours is just going to make me laugh at you.

When I was working in retail, I would work 14-15 hour shifts standing up with no breaks frequently. Never had to do that as an MD. Hell, we have our own break rooms to nap (that no one uses) while my pharmacist colleagues are crammed in an outdated room that has needed expanding for the past decade.

Hours as a pharmacist is much harder.

 

[Sine Cura]

inb4 "pharmacists are not responsible for anything"

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

When I was working in retail, I would work 14-15 hour shifts standing up with no breaks frequently. Never had to do that as an MD. Hell, we have our own break rooms to nap (that no one uses) while my pharmacist colleagues are crammed in an outdated room that has needed expanding for the past decade.

Hours as a pharmacist is much harder.

I wouldn't know about that. But I don't know many pharmacists working 24+ hours at a go while that is quite common among residents and reasonably common among lots of specialties in medicine.