Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Consulting

     I have recently began providing MTM for a company that contracts with insurance providers.   I have made a few calls and have started making headway.   In doing so, I have realized that.... this is not going to be easy. 

     Not only am I not personally associated with the patient, I am not even associated with the patient's pharmacy.  Therefore, I find it hard to believe that any doctor will listen to any recommendations that I may make.  Not only that, when I call the patients, they think I am trying to sell them something. When I call I basically tell them that I am a local pharmacist that is working with their insurance company, and that I will be reviewing their information.  Most of them really don't understand what's going on, and some of them are not interested in what I have to say.

   One of the patient's said that what she is on is working and she doesn't want to change.  That's fine, but what if it can save her money?  I didn't get into that with her yet, but I wonder if I should even call back.  She really didn't want to hear what I had to say (I don't think).  I can't help to wonder, though, if her doctor recommended Crestor over Simvastatin, would she take him up on that.  I mean he is a doctor with one class of pharmacology behind his belt, who probably receives all kinds of goodies for talking people into taking that medication. 

   Anyways, I just thought I would give an update on the MTM stuff.  I'm excited to start, but feel like it will take up a lot more time than I once thought.  Hopefully I will get a good grip on how to perform these services, and then I can cut out the middle man and work independently as a consultant. (Hopefully increasing my reimbursement rates as well).  Anyone else out there having any luck?

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Bridge Program?

Why is there not a bridge program for a pharmacist anesthetist? If the nurses have a program to learn more about the pharmacological side, why then can't there be a bridge for us to learn more of the patient care side? I realize the nurses learn more than the pharmacological side of the profession, but I think that we are qualified enough to make the transition as well. Is there something out there, if not, shouldn't there be?