My first test...

  In the world of pharmacy, a common theme is "Professionalism." This concept is fed to you during your entire stay at a school of pharmacy. Its just that, pharmacy is changing.  I believe that pharmacy was originally filled with smart businessmen. What sells better than what people can't do without? Pills are now apparently one of those commodities. Now the profession wants to evolve into a clinical one, that will help people with their conditions and actually help them get healthier instead of just better.  Very admirable I think.  So we first have to maintain the trust of the people and get on the physicians' good side.  The physicians "own" the rights to prescribe or authorize others to prescribe.  Pharmacists now go through a doctorial coursework that not only deals with medications, but also disease states, so we want a piece of the action!!!!

  To get there, we have to maintain respect and be professional.  There is just one problem with that.  I'm ghetto. I am.....always have been.  Don't get me wrong, I am respectful, but I'm from the the streets. I was raised mostly in a small town, but I did time in the ghetto and that always changes you.  Grew up on food stamps and section 8.  I even hung around with thugs, even though they sold drugs, they showed a young brotha love (Tupac).  So when someone comes in and demands something from me, my instincts are to get hood with em. 

  I work in retail ( a large chain pharmacy). So one day, this guy comes in on workers comp (where you get hurt on the job and now the employer foots the bill).  Now I don't care who pays.  I just want to make sure everyone gets the right medication and good care. But he gets a med that has to be compounded (mixed) and wants it on workman's comp (same as above).  So, we spend an hour on the phone and get it to go through, but our company adds a $1.20 compounding fee and he throws a fit.  Again over $1.20.  Now I am new, but I know that workman's comp has limitations, and I figure that compounding fees are one of them.  So we call workers comp, but they say they covered the cost. So my company must have added the fee.

 I tell him that $1.20 is what he owes.  He says "NO they pay it all, have you EVER done a workers comp claim before, I work there so I know how it works!" 

 Now my first thought is....... I'm about to stomp this dude out.  Little skinny buster, you think your gonna come in here and talk to me like I'm some sort of punk.  NOT UP IN HERE YOU AIN'T! But the professional side comes out and I say... "yeah, every day. I know that there are some things they don't cover."  He says "NO they cover everything." ----- Well apparently not. He starts to insist that one of my staff added the charge on there. Now I work for a chain, I don't care if they get their money. They are gonna get their money to regardless, even if it means calling their customers everyday and begging (like they already do!).  Anyway, I took the charge off, and have now I have to every time he comes in for a refill.

Now pharmacy is lucrative, but this is the kind of stuff you deal with everyday and multiple times a day. Not to mention the volume of medication you deal with and all the struggles that brings. Is it worth it? Time will tell I guess. My main question for now is why are people so worried about everything that goes on in a pharmacy and why are they so demanding and rude.  When did a pharmacy become like a fast food restaurant?  Do you really want your pills as fast as you want your fries?  What do you think?

PS to see more of what I am talking about  go to http://www.theangrypharmacist.com/, but be sure to come back here!