Apps useful for Pharmacy Techs and Pharmacist

😏 I permanently borrowed this information from Drug Topics website. 

If you don't already subscribe give them a try, they are a free source of information. 

You can receive normal paper magazine subscription via mail

or if you prefer an online version they offer that as well. 

I guess I am greedy I checked both boxes.

Independent or Chain Pharmacy what's the difference?

Independent Pharmacy?  

Chain Pharmacy? 

Is one better than the other? 

Most cities have the option of one or the other.  I've used Chain Pharmacies, as well as, an independent outpatient pharmacy that is part of our hospital.  

Of course, my opinion of the independent pharmacy as a customer doesn't count because I was also a pharmacy technician working there at the time.  When I started working as a pharmacy technician for the inpatient side of our hospital at an offsite mental facility I moved my family prescriptions for convenience.

I think smaller chain style pharmacies probably get to know their patients better.  This results in personalized service.  One service small pharmacies offer is a newsletter to their patients.  If your pharmacy doesn't have this newsletter ask them to subscribe.  It is a short read, packed with educational information. Here is a website they can use to sign  up for it.  https://thepharmacynewsletter.com

As an added bonus 5% of the net profits from the pharmacy newsletter subscribers will be donated to NCPA ( National Community Pharmacist Association ) & FPA ( Florida Pharmacy Association) by subscribing to this newsletter pharmacies are helping 2 great organizations, advertising their pharmacy, and helping their patients all the same time. :-) 

 

 

What is your preference for pharmacies and why? 

Big chain?

Smaller independent style? 

Share your experiences with us. 

We would love to hear your story.

Diabetic? Are you prepared for a disaster?

If you or anyone in your family / friend circle use insulin keep reading.  The time to plan and prepare for emergencies is before it happens not during!  Get a Emergency Action Plan in place today.

Living with an magaging diabetes can be harder when your  in the middle of a storm or dealing with the aftermath resulting from a storm.  People all over the world have different types of disasters they deal with.  I live in Florida so here we plan for hurricaines.  This Emergency Action Plan should be in place for all kinds of disasters.  Hurricaines, tornado, floods, twisters, tripical storms, snow storms, EMP whatever comes your way be ready before it happens.

Diabetes Emergency Kit:

• week or more supply of medications.  ALL medications no just diabetic including insulin.
• supplies to check your blood sugar.  Including extrea batteries for the monitor kit
• extra misc. supplies for a glucose monitor or insulin pump
• cooler and keep reusable ice packs in your freezer frozen ready to use.

• items to treat low blood sugar :  juice box, regular soda, honey, hard candy (not sugar free) glucose tablets.  These items will stay good for years
• battery
• flash lights.
• non perishable food w/ manual can opener 

Emergency Documents :

• type of diabetes you have, other medical conditions, allergies
• medication list including dose and times you take them
• doctor name phone number & address
• phone numbers for family & friends
• copies of insurance card 
• copies of photo id
• cash
•  
  

Pack the above items into a water proof bin or container.  If it's to heavy to lift I suggest a container on wheels or two boxes so another person can help you.  Teamwork!  Pre packed kits can be purchased where you just add your personal medications they have the rest already in them in.

Cash is needed for emergencies.  My husband & I were in SC when a category 5 hurricaine Hugo hit. Electricity goes out this isnt just a pull out the flash light inconvience.  Gas stations cant process credit debit payment,  life becomes a cash only society during the recovery process.  It gets ugly.

Will Pharmacy Technicians be replaced by automation dispensing robots?

Pharmacy automation dream or nightmare?  Will Pharmacy Technicians be replaced by automation robots?  Will Pharmacists still need Pharmacy Techs?  Troubling questions for technicians these days. 

I was reading an article in Drug Topics e-magazine.  They are talking about this subject in an article written by Fred Gebhart.  It’s very interesting.  On one hand the article says that dispensing robots will “free up time for Pharmacist and pharmacy Technicians to work on more profitable clinical services that require human judgement.”

Further into reading the article, he is interviewing a pharmacist that admits he used to have two technicians but now only needs one, his automation robot has helped the work load.

I personally don’t think automation will replace us Technicians.  The reason being is Technicians would still be needed to fill the machines.  Also perform needed programming and maintenance.  The pharmacist I work B. Nipper said “this topic has been talked about for at least 30 years.  Automation machines will never be able to replace critical thinking in our pharmacies.”

  We will always need Pharmacist and Technicians to keep patients safe.  Every year more and more drugs are developed and released onto the market.  That should keep us busy for a while.  

This subject has already come up at the Florida Pharmacy Association conference meeting.  So far the machines are not taking over.

What are your thoughts on this automation dispensing robot subject?

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Technicians & Pharmacist working for Wal Mart hang on tight before your laid off!

A few weeks ago Wal~Mart laid off 1000 of their hardworking Technicians & Pharmacist.
Alot of them were close to retirement.  There is talk of age discrimination lawsuits against Wal~Mart.  I really don't blame them.  To put in so many years then be dumped like that.

Wal~Mart is where I started my Pharmacy career.  I worked there for 10 years.  The changes they made at that time to us employees were bad enough.  I found a job at the hospital where I currently work. I am very happy I left when I did.

They have laid people in other departments off that were close to retirement in past  years, now they are actually spreading this to Technicians & Pharmacist.  People that worked hard in school for our liscense and put in alot of hours for their company.

It will be interesting to see how customer service is affected.  Will they use automated machines?  With already long wait times and understaffed over stressed employees will errors increase?
I personally wonder if they are laying off to rehire part-time staff to avoid the cose of paying benefits to full time staff.  Either way with all the money Wal~Mart brings in they should treat their employees with more respect than this.

I first heard about these Wal~Mart layoffs reading an article in Drug Store News.  They have alot of detal if you want to click over and read more, I just like to keep it short and sweet. 

There has been talk in our Alachua County Association of Pharmacist board meetings about  ATM like prescription dispensing machines possibly being in use in the Pharmacy world.  I am looking up that info for a future article.
Check out Amazon for new scrubs, they have great deals, click here to see what I am talking about. 

NEED CE? Some links below are for free CE some charge $$

• Power-Pak CE
• Pharmacy Technician's Letter
• Foundation for Care Management
• Free CE
• Pharmacy Times / CE ~ This is also a free magazine
• ASHP PharmTechCE
• PTCB

If you know of any other CE sites please share in comments.  Especially if they are free.  We are all here to help each other.

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