Pharmacists= pill counters.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

Seriously, why do they get such a good salary?

 

The computer alerts them to drug interactions.

 

They are just glorified pill counters. Change my mind.

[bostonlager 2,463]

They give flu shots

[wiffleball 4,639]

The education and testing is incredibly hard. I had a friend whose daughter went through it. I don't disagree with what you're saying above, but you would think there's got to be a lot more to it than that.

[drobeski 3,061]

I had a friend

calling bullsh!t

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Was once a profession, now a vending machine could do just as good a job.

[Cdub100 3,380]

Was once a profession, now a vending machine could do just as good a job.

Bingo they didn't always have computers and they still have value.

 

In general they could he replaced by a vending machine though

[wiffleball 4,639]

calling bullsh!t

Did Too!

[crackattack 513]

Adverse reactions.

 

Compatibility with other drugs.

 

They always (or supposed too) double check you're recieving proper dosing. Hell, sometimes the doctors will tell the pharmacist to dose the patient.

 

Patient education.

 

That's just a small example of retail pharmacists. Hospital based pharmacists do a lot more behind the scenes. Inpatient pharmacists do most of a patient's dosing of antibiotics, blood thinners, etc.

 

They review lab work and adjust accordingly. They make rounds with Dr's and advise what meds would work best against certain bacterial infections. They really do a ton behind the scenes.

 

Pharm D's are extremely knowledgeable individuals. Almost all students leaving pharmacy schools are Pharm D's. Smart people.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

Adverse reactions.

 

Compatibility with other drugs.

 

They always (or supposed too) double check you're recieving proper dosing. Hell, sometimes the doctors will tell the pharmacist to dose the patient.

 

Patient education.

 

That's just a small example of retail pharmacists. Hospital based pharmacists do a lot more behind the scenes. Inpatient pharmacists do most of a patient's dosing of antibiotics, blood thinners, etc.

 

They review lab work and adjust accordingly. They make rounds with Dr's and advise what meds would work best against certain bacterial infections. They really do a ton behind the scenes.

 

Pharm D's are extremely knowledgeable individuals. Almost all students leaving pharmacy schools are Pharm D's. Smart people.

I have never had a pharmacist talk to me...ever. the girl at the counter gives me my meds.

[crackattack 513]

I have never had a pharmacist talk to me...ever. the girl at the counter gives me my meds.

You can request to speak with a pharmacist at any time. You as a patient/customer have that right.

[NorthernVike 2,080]

Seriously, why do they get such a good salary?

 

The computer alerts them to drug interactions.

 

They are just glorified pill counters. Change my mind.

Your point?

[crackattack 513]

Seriously, why do they get such a good salary?

 

The computer alerts them to drug interactions.

 

They are just glorified pill counters. Change my mind.

Also, do you want a person with a high school diploma trying to read and evaluate drug interactions, dosing information, possible allergic reactions, sensitivity to certain medications, counter indications, etc.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

Also, do you want a person with a high school diploma trying to read and evaluate drug interactions, dosing information, possible allergic reactions, sensitivity to certain medications, counter indications, etc.

The computer does all the alerts now. Maybe they have a special ability to read dr script. My pcp has the worst writing ever.

 

I think of the pharmacist like the kids at auto zone...type it in the computer...it spits out any relevent information.

 

Im sure Im wrong and being shortsighted.. but seriously...with todays technology I could see them becoming irrelevent.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

Also, do you want a person with a high school diploma trying to read and evaluate drug interactions, dosing information, possible allergic reactions, sensitivity to certain medications, counter indications, etc.

Thats what my pcp does.

[crackattack 513]

Thats what my pcp does.

I don't think you're completely wrong. Yes, techs can do some of that. Yes techs can read some of the alerts. Where I think you're short sighted is with deciphering the necessary info. Or knowing if there's better/cheaper alternative meds to treat the pt with. 1st, 2nd, 3rd generation antibiotics for example. Can/should pt's recieve a higher dose and so on.

 

Not all interactions are created equal. Some sensitivities are ok. Absorption rates, toxicity, drug excretion through the kidneys, etc. I'm not leaving those decisions up to a tech. Idk pharmacist do more then most people realize. To each their own.

[frank 2,144]

On a related note, there is no reason for every tv station to have a meteorologist. Any dope can look it up online and read it on tv.

[crackattack 513]

Also, a few years back, there was talk of creating pharmacists assistant. Or something like that. It would've been a degreed job. Maybe a bachelor degree. Where the "assistant" (or whatever it was called) could legally do a lot of the pharmacist work unsupervised. This was due to a national shortage of pharmacists. Not sure what happened with that.

[wiffleball 4,639]

Let's not forget the online options. I wish they had those a few years ago when my folks were still kicking. Huge fonts individually dosed individual packets. People are really short-sighted when it comes to figuring out how somebody who's nearly blind with 0 dexterity is somehow going to be able to parcel out their pills on a twice daily basis.

 

 

The major health insurance companies have but into these companies already. And for good reason. As we see Amazon and Walmart try to getting on the huge Farmers market, we ought to see prices drop and convenience increase.

 

can you make it so, for that reason you may get your wish. The days of going to the pharmacy and waiting in line for your herpes cream maybe ending.

 

that would be huge for places like Walgreens and CVS. Where the pharmacist makes more than five of their employees combined.

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

Hospital pharmacists is a real professional. Mixing IVs and such.

 

The dumbass who works at the Walgreens on the corner in bumfock? Replace him with a vending machine.

[crackattack 513]

Hospital pharmacists is a real professional. Mixing IVs and such.

 

The dumbass who works at the Walgreens on the corner in bumfock? Replace him with a vending machine.

Hospital pharmacists rarely mix iv's. That's a tech job.

 

To your second point, I'm telling you guys, you wouldn't want that. but as I've said, to each their own.

[nobody 2,037]

Someone has to negotiate and accept the kickback from pharmaceutical companies to put a drug on formulary.

[Reality 2,710]

I heard they deal with the customers so the engineers don't have to.

 

[crackattack 513]

Someone has to negotiate and accept the kickback from pharmaceutical companies to put a drug on formulary.

That's dr's and typically the directors of the pharmacy. Not your everyday Walgreens pharmacist.

[porkbutt 861]

I heard they deal with the customers so the engineers don't have to.

 

youre jumping to conclusions

[mcgruber 17]

Pharmacists override countless interactions each day that are really irrelevant. If you wanted a vending machine you would never get drugs. I would say well over 50% of patients will have at least one flag for an interaction. How is the machine going to know whether to override the warning or send it back to your doctor? is your doctor doing to decide what can be overridden? Believe me, that's the last thing you really want.

 

There's also a good chance in the next 5-10 years pharmacists will be considered providers and be able to bill for services. You can just go on down to your local CVS or Walgreens for common ailments and the pharmacist can diagnose and prescribe you treatment. one stop shop and now your doctor is the one that'll be overpaid.

[wiffleball 4,639]

youre jumping to conclusions

I'M A PEOPLE PERSON GOD DAMN IT!

[Djgb13 2,338]

Adverse reactions.

 

Compatibility with other drugs.

 

They always (or supposed too) double check you're recieving proper dosing. Hell, sometimes the doctors will tell the pharmacist to dose the patient.

 

Patient education.

 

That's just a small example of retail pharmacists. Hospital based pharmacists do a lot more behind the scenes. Inpatient pharmacists do most of a patient's dosing of antibiotics, blood thinners, etc.

 

They review lab work and adjust accordingly. They make rounds with Dr's and advise what meds would work best against certain bacterial infections. They really do a ton behind the scenes.

 

Pharm D's are extremely knowledgeable individuals. Almost all students leaving pharmacy schools are Pharm D's. Smart people.

This. Pharmacists do a lot more than you think. Computers make it easier nowadays but they can and do go down. Manual medication dosage calculations are often needed. Medications come in different dosages, measurements, have different drug interactions, food interactions, patient allergies, pt weights, etc. Some medications have to be mixed by hand or drawn up by an actual pharmacist and approved due to the restrictions on the med. A lot of meds can and are filled by pharmacy techs. But just like the doctor is the one in charge of all the decisions related to a patients care the pharmacist is responsible for all the meds going in and out of the pharmacy.

[avoiding injuries 1,220]