Will Walgreens new "Power" be the death of the retail pharmacist?

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Is Walgreens "Power" going to be the death of the retail pharmacist?

  • Yes

    Votes: 10 31.3%

  • No

    Votes: 22 68.8%
  • Total voters
    32
  • Poll closed .
MountainPharmD

MountainPharmD

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There have been a few threads in the last few weeks on Walgreens new system. Is this the death of the commmunity pharmacist?
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It will be the death of Walgreens......
 
Yeah judging by what certain people I know are saying, the implementation has been terrible and overall it has been a huge loss for them thus far. Unless they make some drastic changes my bet is that they'll abandon the project eventually and start lobbying to lessen restrictions on dispensing medications at the pharmacy with no RPh present. Lord knows they'd get more for their money's worth from doing that than throwing it in the current money pit.
 
meister said:
Yeah judging by what certain people I know are saying, the implementation has been terrible and overall it has been a huge loss for them thus far. Unless they make some drastic changes my bet is that they'll abandon the project eventually and start lobbying to lessen restrictions on dispensing medications at the pharmacy with no RPh present. Lord knows they'd get more for their money's worth from doing that than throwing it in the current money pit.
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I have heard enough talk that I seriously believe this is their next plan. Walgreens goal is to fill every presciption in America with as few pharmacists as possible. Strange from a company that claims they are run by pharmacists.
 
I think the role of the community pharmacist will continue to evolve like it has since the late 1800's...good bad or indifferent
 
MountainPharmD said:
I am sure CVS isn't far behind with their own version.
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As usual, you have less than no clue about what you are speaking about. There are no plans anywhere on the horizon to do anything other than a central call center to decrease the number of calls to the store.

It really goes against the concept CVS is trying to develop which is driving more business into the stores.
 
Old Timer said:
As usual, you have less than no clue about what you are speaking about. There are no plans anywhere on the horizon to do anything other than a central call center to decrease the number of calls to the store.

It really goes against the concept CVS is trying to develop which is driving more business into the stores.
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A central call center is also part of the Walgreens Power program.

So you answered my question. CVS's own version starts off with a call center. As soon as they see if Walgeens central fill works they will be right behind. You will see. CVS is just as bad if not worse than Walgreens.
 
The call center is actually pointless. We have more work to do now because we're constantly filling and double verifying and we're all congested on one side of the pharmacy. On top of all that, patients are aware that they're now talking to people in Orlando and they specifically ask to speak to people in the store, so our phones haven't stopped ringing. The workload has increased, the phones are still ringing like crazy, and now we're all congested on one side of the pharmacy since we have no in window (and people complain that they don't understand why they have to wait in this long line just to drop off a prescription).

Like I said previously, they've put a halt on rolling out more stores with power for two months because according to the pharmacy district supervisor, they are having serious customer service issues.

I have to agree with Old Timer, this will probably be the death of Walgreens.
 
Sulilina said:
I have to agree with Old Timer, this will probably be the death of Walgreens.
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We can only hope!

They will dc it before it ever brings the company down.

My feelings on it are mixed. I still like the idea of a community pharmacy run by the same pharmacists and techs for years and years. People get to know and trust you. After all community pharmacy is about building relationships. A central fill center and a call center sounds great from an efficiency stand point. I do not like how it depersonalizes pharmacy. The $4 dollar generics were the first step in reducing our jobs to nothing more than providing a commodity for the lowest possible price. Depersonalizing it with call centers and central fill centers is another step in the wrong direction.

CVS and Walgreens would have you believe they are concerned about the patient. All these new programs are to benefit the pharmacist by allowing us more time to counsel and do MTM. Ya right! BS big time!!!! The only thing that matters to CVS and Walgreens is delivering medication to the patient as quickly and cheaply as possible. Having to pay pharmacists is a huge barrier to this.
 
I don't think it is the end, necessarily, but is definitely a step in the wrong direction for us if they end up pulling this off. I understand Walgreens desire to save inventory and payroll dollars, and I can see how this program would do so. However, I think they have made a very serious error in failing to consider the roll of customer service in all of this. I work in an area with lots and lots of competition, and we have become a very busy store by focusing extensively on customer service, and by going out of our way to gain customers trust by treating them well, remembering them, and doing everything we can to help them and resolve their problems. Taking that connection away and shifting everything to some remote location just isn't going to be good for Walgreens. I don't know why they can't see that. :confused:
 
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Old Timer,
YOU have no clue. You most likely work for CVS in one state, probably in one district. During the time that I worked at CVS (until February 2008) CVS approached the board of pharmacy at least 3 times, once for central call, once for expanded technician roles, and once with plans for central fill. This is in Rhode Island where their headquarters are. It also happens to be the the smallest state (area wise) and a good pilot location for central fill. Since then I haven't heard anything more about it but that doesn't mean it's not on the agenda for some planning committee. What makes you so sure that if Walgreens pulls this off and cuts costs (I am not sure they can) that CVS won't follow?
Retail pharmacies mirror each others 'successes', drive thru, central call, 4 dollar generics, refill by phone automated systems, hard copy scanning, use of fill automation systems. I have no idea if it WILL happen but neither do you. Go ahead, debate about the feasibility and downfalls of such a program but don't call someone out for a seemingly sound rationalization.

And in an attempt to spare myself some of the "Your pulling this out of your a**" I heard this information from a professor of mine who also sits on the RI board. A tertiary source at best but that hasn't stopped anyone else here from posting.
 
willxm said:
Old Timer,
YOU have no clue. You most likely work for CVS in one state, probably in one district. During the time that I worked at CVS (until February 2008) CVS approached the board of pharmacy at least 3 times, once for central call, once for expanded technician roles, and once with plans for central fill. This is in Rhode Island where their headquarters are. It also happens to be the the smallest state (area wise) and a good pilot location for central fill. Since then I haven't heard anything more about it but that doesn't mean it's not on the agenda for some planning committee. What makes you so sure that if Walgreens pulls this off and cuts costs (I am not sure they can) that CVS won't follow?
Retail pharmacies mirror each others 'successes', drive thru, central call, 4 dollar generics, refill by phone automated systems, hard copy scanning, use of fill automation systems. I have no idea if it WILL happen but neither do you. Go ahead, debate about the feasibility and downfalls of such a program but don't call someone out for a seemingly sound rationalization.

And in an attempt to spare myself some of the "Your pulling this out of your a**" I heard this information from a professor of mine who also sits on the RI board. A tertiary source at best but that hasn't stopped anyone else here from posting.
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got to love pharmacy students with all the answers that they heard from their professors in school (who themselves are more than likely out of touch)
 
willxm said:
Old Timer,
YOU have no clue. You most likely work for CVS in one state, probably in one district. During the time that I worked at CVS (until February 2008) CVS approached the board of pharmacy at least 3 times, once for central call, once for expanded technician roles, and once with plans for central fill. This is in Rhode Island where their headquarters are. It also happens to be the the smallest state (area wise) and a good pilot location for central fill. Since then I haven't heard anything more about it but that doesn't mean it's not on the agenda for some planning committee. What makes you so sure that if Walgreens pulls this off and cuts costs (I am not sure they can) that CVS won't follow?
Retail pharmacies mirror each others 'successes', drive thru, central call, 4 dollar generics, refill by phone automated systems, hard copy scanning, use of fill automation systems. I have no idea if it WILL happen but neither do you. Go ahead, debate about the feasibility and downfalls of such a program but don't call someone out for a seemingly sound rationalization.

And in an attempt to spare myself some of the "Your pulling this out of your a**" I heard this information from a professor of mine who also sits on the RI board. A tertiary source at best but that hasn't stopped anyone else here from posting.
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Thanks for the information. You have an interesting perspective since CVS's HQ is in Rhode Island. I have heard the same things about Walgreens. They have been pushing for years for the so called "super tech". It does not surprise me that CVS has as well. I figure what Walgreens does CVS is trying to do or soon will and what CVS does Walgreens will try to copy.

We are very lucky there are 50 State Boards of Pharmacy. It will be very difficult for any of the corporate chains to get the laws changed in their favor.

Old Timer seems to be way out of touch. His blind loyalty to his company would be admirable in Japan. If he thinks CVS is great company and heading in the right direction then he has problems. His blind loyalty clouds his judgment so you have to take what he says with a grain of salt. I am glad he is happy with CVS. He seems to be in the minority.
 
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You guys are way behind California. Kaiser, Longs Drugs, and the Veterans Affairs already use this system for years now.
 
Central fill is legal in most states. It is already being used by PBMs trying to push mail order pharmacies.
People claim the sky is falling every time something new happens. We were told many pharmacists were up in arms about the emergence of the pharmacy tech. Many retail chains have tried to push for a super tech for many years, and they haven't been successful in any case.
All companies want to save money.
Walgreens has been around for about a 100 years. They have made mistakes over the years, but they are still here. I doubt they are going to go out of business any time soon. If Power doesn't work, they'll try something else.
 
You still got to give credit to walgreens. They are the one who invented all these "advancements" like drive thrus, power, slower stores checking for faster stores, etc. CVS just follows because it has to.

During my recruiting dinner, I have never seen pharmacists so proud to present to us that Walgreen was the first to do all of that and thus, a leader in the business. I had to do all I can from going hulk on them.

Of course they were the first to come out with 8 hour shifts so props to them.
 
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Aznfarmerboi said:
You still got to give credit to walgreens. They are the one who invented all these "advancements" like drive thrus, power, slower stores checking for faster stores, etc. CVS just follows because it has to.

During my recruiting dinner, I have never seen pharmacists so proud to present to us that one of walgreen was the first to do all of that and thus, a leader in the business. I had to do all I can from going hulk on them to wake them up.

Of course they also was the first to come out with 8 hour shifts so props to them.
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They have their staff brain washed pretty good. Kind of like CVS does with Old Timer.

If any of them were to spend anytime at all working in a pharmacy and they would change their tune! I have said it many times. Anyone can sit around a conference table at the corporate office and talk about practicing pharmacy.
 
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We have already started phase 1 of power here in AZ. I have heard phase 2 is supposed to start in a few stores in Feb. It doesn't look like WAG is putting power on hold.
 
rxdout said:
We have already started phase 1 of power here in AZ. I have heard phase 2 is supposed to start in a few stores in Feb. It doesn't look like WAG is putting power on hold.
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We go to phase 2 march 1st in AZ. I look forward to it.
 
MountainPharmD said:
There have been a few threads in the last few weeks on Walgreens new system. Is this the death of the commmunity pharmacist?
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YES!!!!! IT is the pharmacist armageddon! You should all quit and become PA's/NP's/CRNA's NOW :eek:
 
I have the inside scoop as a 20+ WAG employee. Walgreens will succeed with POWER and will not give up. They have invested allot of time and resources, and will work the kinks out. Its just like when the Mail Service was created years ago... many thought that it was going to kill retail and "take scripts" away, create pharmacists layoffs, etc.. .. bla bla bla... it didn't and has proved to be a successful busines unit.

I'm reading allot of negative posts about WAG and wonder why you stick around if you are so un-happy or if you feel that the Drive Thru is hurting the pharmacy profession and image of Pharmacists - GET OVER YOURSELF!
It's a major convenience to customers and has been a huge kudo for WAG.

If you want to work on a pedestal, not speak to customers, work in a less computer saavy environment- Go work in the basement of a hospital!
 
azpharmD1366 said:
I have the inside scoop as a 20+ WAG employee. Walgreens will succeed with POWER and will not give up. They have invested allot of time and resources, and will work the kinks out. Its just like when the Mail Service was created years ago... many thought that it was going to kill retail and "take scripts" away, create pharmacists layoffs, etc.. .. bla bla bla... it didn't and has proved to be a successful busines unit.

I'm reading allot of negative posts about WAG and wonder why you stick around if you are so un-happy or if you feel that the Drive Thru is hurting the pharmacy profession and image of Pharmacists - GET OVER YOURSELF!
It's a major convenience to customers and has been a huge kudo for WAG.

If you want to work on a pedestal, not speak to customers, work in a less computer saavy environment- Go work in the basement of a hospital!
Click to expand...

You want fries with that?
 
azpharmD1366 said:
I have the inside scoop as a 20+ WAG employee. Walgreens will succeed with POWER and will not give up. They have invested allot of time and resources, and will work the kinks out. Its just like when the Mail Service was created years ago... many thought that it was going to kill retail and "take scripts" away, create pharmacists layoffs, etc.. .. bla bla bla... it didn't and has proved to be a successful busines unit.

I'm reading allot of negative posts about WAG and wonder why you stick around if you are so un-happy or if you feel that the Drive Thru is hurting the pharmacy profession and image of Pharmacists - GET OVER YOURSELF!
It's a major convenience to customers and has been a huge kudo for WAG.

If you want to work on a pedestal, not speak to customers, work in a less computer saavy environment- Go work in the basement of a hospital!
Click to expand...


You're a WAG...
 
"PATIENTS DO NOT WANT YOU TO CALL THEM AT HOME TO ASK IF THEY NEED REFILLS!!!"

um, if it is a patient on a difficult to remember transplant or
HIV regimen, it behooves the pharmacist to call and follow up if there are gaps in refills.

looks like you are still in p-school. i hope they go over this kind of stuff. i think touro would.
 
A lot of people right now can't afford their medications so I can understand why they are annoyed when CVS or Walgreens reminds them to refill their medications.
 
BMBiology said:
A lot of people right now can't afford their medications so I can understand why they are annoyed when CVS or Walgreens reminds them to refill their medications.
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So as a pharmacist, if your patient is not compliant, you should say nothing and assume it's economic? If you speak to people, you can point them to patient assistance programs or encourage them to discuss a more affordable regimen with their physician. Just because the corporate entity is doing the calls to make money does not mean a priori there can be no patient good from said calls....

It's hard to judge motive. It's results that count. When you are in a hospital winged paid for by Joe Jones, do you really care why Mr. Jones gave the money.....
 
Is there a better forum anywhere on the net for those of us who have been doing this awhile? Who remember making $3.10 as a tech.
 
Old Timer said:
If you speak to people, you can point them to patient assistance programs or encourage them to discuss a more affordable regimen with their physician.
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Why stop there? Why not tell them to get their medications thru a mail order, Wal-mart or Costco where it is cheaper? God forbid if you actually put the patient first at CVS.
 
BMBiology said:
Why stop there? Why not tell them to get their medications thru a mail order, Wal-mart or Costco where it is cheaper? God forbid if you actually put the patient first at CVS.
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May times that has been done.....
 
Losec said:
Is there a better forum anywhere on the net for those of us who have been doing this awhile? Who remember making $3.10 as a tech.
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I resemble that remark...do you not feel fulfilled reading and posting here?
18 years ago as an intern, I started at $11.80 per hour. So if you got paid $3.10, you must be older than dirt.
 
ItsOverZyvox said:
I resemble that remark...do you not feel fulfilled reading and posting here?
18 years ago as an intern, I started at $11.80 per hour. So if you got paid $3.10, you must be older than dirt.
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18 years ago you were an intern? It appears I am 2 years older than dirt.:laugh:
 
azpharmD1366 said:
If you want to work on a pedestal, not speak to customers, work in a less computer saavy environment- Go work in the basement of a hospital!
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Thanks. I will. I like pedestals. (Who doesn't like pedestals?) And basements are nice and cool. And I LOVE working at a hospital. When I'm a pharmacist I DEFINITELY plan on working at a hospital.
 
Sparda29 said:
I hate all these bull**** things that the companies are putting out. PCI is the worst.

PATIENTS DO NOT WANT YOU TO CALL THEM AT HOME TO ASK IF THEY NEED REFILLS!!!
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Or from experience when I worked at CVS, how about all the people we called that said, sure, fill my prescription and then never came to pick it up. Not only then did it require the first phone call, but several more phone calls over the next 2 weeks to find out why they hadn't picked it up, and then you had to reverse it all and put it back on the shelf - now in the prescription bottle. So the popular meds would have 10 or so little prescription bottles we'd have to use up and that took up shelf space. Pain in the arse!
 
It's probably worse now than it ever has been simply due to the fact that everyone is finally feeling the pinch of the recessioni and prescription insurance coverage is the worst it has been since before there was prescription insurance in the 80s. You know, back when #30 HCTZ would cost you thirty cents or so.

Bet you could track deathrates and see a nice spike in bad economic times when people forgo their meds for HTN or hypercholesterolemia or DM.
 
ItsOverZyvox said:
You want fries with that?
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Perfect.

Walgreens certainly has its share of good and bad pharmacists, just like any company.

However, as a corporation looking to maximize profits and satisfy stockholders they look for any opportunity to cut costs, and pharmacists are a huge cost and therefore a huge target. If Walgreen's had its way they would only employ one pharmacist per store and have a bunch of "Pharmacist Assistance" the rest of the time.

I think the profession of pharmacy is headed in this direction, and that makes me sad.

Pharmacists need to stand to gether and fight this kind of crap instead of constantly trying to bring each other down.
 
Its not a question of whether Power will work or not.....its going to work whether we like it or not. Firstly, the company has invested too much in the program to let it go down. It piloted in Orlando over a year and a half ago. Secondly, the patients that are upset now will still keep coming in because really Walgreens, CVS are a monopoly....one in the same created to make people believe they have choices. Are they going to runaway to an independent? Maybe for a minute....they'll be back when they need an rx after 6pm. The pharmacists that go work for other companies will soon find the same changes occuring there, if they are in a big retail chain.

In no way am I advocating the program because I do feel it is humiliating BUT just stating the facts. Its unlikely that complaints will stop its roll out, I think there is a bigger picture in the long run that cant be seen yet...whether is has to do with socialized medicine and all-inclusive clinics with pharmacies cough:take care clinics:cough....not sure. Hopefully there is a place for us in it, I'm sure there will be.
 
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DRRX2008 said:
Its not a question of whether Power will work or not.....its going to work whether we like it or not. Firstly, the company has invested too much in the program to let it go down. It piloted in Orlando over a year and a half ago. Secondly, the patients that are upset now will still keep coming in because really Walgreens, CVS are a monopoly....one in the same created to make people believe they have choices. Are they going to runaway to an independent? Maybe for a minute....they'll be back when they need an rx after 6pm. The pharmacists that go work for other companies will soon find the same changes occuring there, if they are in a big retail chain.

In no way am I advocating the program because I do feel it is humiliating BUT just stating the facts. Its unlikely that complaints will stop its roll out, I think there is a bigger picture in the long run that cant be seen yet...whether is has to do with socialized medicine and all-inclusive clinics with pharmacies cough:take care clinics:cough....not sure. Hopefully there is a place for us in it, I'm sure there will be.
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It is possible the failure in customer service could quickly spiral into a negative perception problem of the company by consumers. Who's to know how likely this is.. but according to some reports, there have so far been a large number of frustrated customers. I dont personally know anyone who puts up with walgreens' slow rx speed around here, but depending on how the cookie crumbles with national healthcare, if independents get any bones tossed their way, i think there would be a resurgence of independents.

I mean, the people who come into walgreens at its current level of customer service are often pissed off. If it gets worse.. are they going to keep coming back?!
 
Anyone have any information to share on the walgreens work from home option for pharmacists in florida?
 
jasperandgump said:
Anyone have any information to share on the walgreens work from home option for pharmacists in florida?
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I dont believe they are hiring right now but you would just apply at their website. Its a little monotonous and boring but its nice not dealing with irrate customers (very common now with POWER) and not having to deal with traffic to get to work and all that. :) You just verify prescriptions all day and sometimes do clinical review.
 
Just got a call from my boss this morning. Apparently Walgreens has let go all of our technicians aside from one senior tech (we had 4 technicians total before this). I'm an intern, so I guess I'm safe, but the pharmacy manager is struggling now to find people to work the shifts. It's not like she has a ton of options, it's either me or the senior tech.

We are a busy south Florida store (avg 500+/day), and now at all times it's just going to be one pharmacist and one tech/intern, except for on the weekends when it's just a pharmacist. This is going to be insane. I am dreading going in to work today, and my faith in this company is dwindling. Well done Wags.
 
MindOverMatter said:
Just got a call from my boss this morning. Apparently Walgreens has let go all of our technicians aside from one senior tech (we had 4 technicians total before this). I'm an intern, so I guess I'm safe, but the pharmacy manager is struggling now to find people to work the shifts. It's not like she has a ton of options, it's either me or the senior tech.

We are a busy south Florida store (avg 500+/day), and now at all times it's just going to be one pharmacist and one tech/intern, except for on the weekends when it's just a pharmacist. This is going to be insane. I am dreading going in to work today, and my faith in this company is dwindling. Well done Wags.
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I feel sorry for you. What a disaster. I hope your pharmacy manager can find another job and is not stuck there.
 
MindOverMatter said:
Just got a call from my boss this morning. Apparently Walgreens has let go all of our technicians aside from one senior tech (we had 4 technicians total before this). I'm an intern, so I guess I'm safe, but the pharmacy manager is struggling now to find people to work the shifts. It's not like she has a ton of options, it's either me or the senior tech.

We are a busy south Florida store (avg 500+/day), and now at all times it's just going to be one pharmacist and one tech/intern, except for on the weekends when it's just a pharmacist. This is going to be insane. I am dreading going in to work today, and my faith in this company is dwindling. Well done Wags.
Click to expand...

In this case, wouldn't you just do what you can for the patients, and if some of them can't be helped, you can tell them to complain to Walgreens or just switch to some other place. This way, Walgreens can experience the consequences of their own program.

If Walgreens is taking away resources, there's no reason to go out of your way to help Walgreens out. You work as normal, and if patients get mad, then Walgreens can suffer!
 
That's exactly what I do. Any complaints, I tell them I agree with them and tell them to call 1-800-Walgreens or the 1-800 number that prints out on the receipt. Our scripts numbers are dwindling but I could careless since I am starting school soon and never, ever plan on working for walgreens when I graduate.

mindovermatter:

I'm starting Nova in August but I am in south florida (obviously) so if you're in broward county, what store # are you? I am looking for a few hours even while i am in school so if you're near me, maybe I can cover shifts there. and I know a few people looking for hours.
 
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