Misc What Do Pharmacists Do?

[Michael_25]

I've always wondered this. When ever I put in an RX, I normally wait 10 to 15 minutes before they come back with my meds. Why does it take so long? Do they actually MAKE the drug??? I can't see why it would take 15 minutes to grab a packet of valium off the shelf. Do they MAKE the diazepam? If so, how the hell to they get the dosage for each pill correct? (EG 5mg of diazepam -- how do they know how much is in a pill?)

 

[sekio]

they have to make sure your prescription is valid, check to see if there are obvious interactions with other drugs you are taking, print rx labels, etc.

 

[Michael_25]

they have to make sure your prescription is valid, check to see if there are obvious interactions with other drugs you are taking, print rx labels, etc.

And you need college degree just for that?

 

[clubcard]

Yes - pharmacists are the fielder for the doctor. doctors don't keep up with the latest in interactions, pharmacists are permanently learning this stuff. The degree is HARD. It's like pilots & bus drivers. If a plane is late, people don't line up to curse the pilot while bus drivers who also hold your life in their hands are treated badly.

 

[shreddedlettuce]

And you need college degree just for that?

not only do you need a degree, but imagine you had a shop and all your customers are edgy, stressed, tired, strung out, injured, sad or just there to have someone to get free advise from.
then you go home and do it all again the next day.
oh and if you make one stuff up with a wrong label or dosage or medication combination, you are ##$$ked.
So next time keep a valium on hand for you trip to the pharmacy and be thankfull you don't have to be under all that pressure and actually choose to be there.

You would be shocked at how many doctors just write out prescriptions leaving it up to the Pharmacist to figure out how the person who actually wrote the prescription ever made it through junior high, never mind college. When it comes to medicine it is the Pharmacist who carries all the responsibility and not the MD who scribbles things on a piece of paper just to get the next patient into their office ASAP.

Hope your next experience at the Pharmacy is a more enlightened journey.

SL

 

[crzydiamond]

And, during that 15 or so minutes, they have to verify your insurance coverage (either by phone or online), so that you can pay the $10 or whatever copay instead of the 200$ (just an example)

My mom was a pharmacy tech. Most interactions will pop up on screen with other medication the patient receives there. The biggie is the billing/insurance

The techs can do that part. The pharmacist must actually count and package the pills (not a tech) of course the pharmacist has the knowledge to educate you about the med itself

 

[Kittycat5]

^^^ No that last part is wrong. Techs can count and label everything. Pharmacist just verify it. If it is not busy, I can fill a single rx in maybe 1 minute. But I still tell patients, 10 to 15 because insurance sucks, I may get a phone call that is urgent and a million other things could potentially happen. If you seriously cant wait 10 minutes, you need to re-evaluate your life. Fuck, Ive waited 10 minutes at McDonalds and its not like they have the same liability.

And when you go to your doctor, he talks to you and writes on a pad. You need a college degree for that? If all you see is one tiny aspect of what a profession does, maybe you should not make ignorant statements.

 

[tacodude]

It is also first come first serve. Once they do the possibly 5, 10, or even 30 scripts before you they clear it with the insurance, grab the stock, use tools to count them one by one checking it twice as to avoid anything causing the medication to not be the same quality as the 100+ stock, and finally then give you your meds. They also work with distruters to obtain the cheapest brand name and generic medications while staying educated to inform you on safe medication use. They do a hard job so show them respect, say hello, ask how they are as your pharmicist is just a person struggling to feed themselves in this world just like you, and say thank you as they put up with some rude people who insult rather than say thanks. It can make things smoother and faster too.

 

[manboychef]

it doesn't matter the proffesion the person holds (barring politicians, and asshole cops). Always be polite and courteous.

 

[Tinker55]

If it only takes 10-15 minutes to get your script filled, you are lucky. Some of the mega drug store chains take a minimum of 40 minutes. They are dealing with phone refills, emails as well as customers coming in with the script.

 

[Kittycat5]

Here is a little humor based on reality.


http://drugmonkey.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-realize-today-ive-done-you.html

 

[shreddedlettuce]

OMG, we are certainly on the same page tonight Kitty.

Lol, did I write that blog too?

 

[SixBuckets]

There's a shit ton of 'paperwork' (although most of it is now digital) in every dispensing interacting in a pharmacy. They're not just checking on your script and history, they're ticking a lot of boxes regarding their own supply and documentation. Remember that the stuff they're selling you is heavily restricted - they have to meet a lot of documentation criteria to be able to sell it. That's what takes up the bulk of the time it takes to fill your script.

 

[Hodor]

You Americans have a complicated way of handling prescriptions... here in Europe you just give them your script and they give you the meds in the original packaging, no relying on a stressed-out pharmacist to count your pills individually.

 

[manboychef]

Indeed hodor. That is why I go to a mom and pop pharmacy. I call in my prescription in the morning so he has time to fill it (as he is very busy). I show up early and when I make bread, cornbread, or soup I bring some for him and his family as he generally doesn't have time to take a lunch.

We are missing something here in america now, and it is common courtesy.

 

[StaffWriter]

Pharmacists are just glorified customer service employees who took a very tough program at a University. That's why most of them are assholes.

 

[FnX]

Pharmacists are just glorified customer service employees who took a very tough program at a University. That's why most of them are assholes.

I suppose you could put it that way, depending where you live and where the pharmacist is working. After all they are in a position where they are directly responsible for peoples lives too, wouldn't want to be the pharmacist who sold/gave the nurse the deadly combination of medication that killed John Doe. Wouldn't be the first time I or someone I know of go to a pharmacy to get my script and the pharmacist goes "hold on, why did your doctor prescribe you this? This would kill you.."

 

[shreddedlettuce]

Pharmacists are just glorified customer service employees who took a very tough program at a University. That's why most of them are assholes.

lmao

yup, man you are so right.
ever thought of entering the presidential race?
Seriously I think you would fit right in and do really well.

I think every one that drives a Mercedes-Benz is an asshole, especially pharmacists.



Carry on winning and nice chirp dude.

 

[manboychef]

Love when people generalize a whole set of people because of being slightly inconvenienced. I love my pharmacist. Sometimes I go there just to say hi to him and his wife when I am in the area.

 

[udontunderstand]

I have to honestly say that society as a whole needs to have more patience for people just trying to do their job. Especially with all the rules and constraints pharmacists are under these days due to all these changes with the controlled substances in the last few years. I am always very sweet and accommodating to my pharmacy and the time they need to process things and they are always willing to go the extra mile to help me. My grandmother used to say "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Even if the saying is back woods or redneck, it holds truth....