Another example of a healthcare corporation taking away the professional discretion from their employed Pharmacists. They use the “excuse” of corresponding responsibility as justification for their actions. Corresponding Responsibility is suppose to be a “two way street”… making sure that valid medications reach patients that need them and preventing the diversion of controlled substances.
Apparently some large corporations – like Walmart – that basically “dabble in providing healthcare” have decided that they have the right to revoke the professional discretion of their employed Pharmacists and insert a corporate edict for them to follow.
Unfortunately, in this country we have a serious and growing Pharmacist surplus. Currently for ever TWO new pharmacists that we need, the pharmacy schools are graduating THREE. Some 5000 new pharmacists graduating every year looking for jobs that don’t exists. Pharmacists understand, don’t follow the corporate edict and you will be looking for a job.
Most/all boards of pharmacy have taken a similar stance.. their total focus seems to be on the prevention of diversion of controlled substances and those who have a valid medical necessity for controlled substance are just left to defend for themselves..
Since most of the 51 Boards of Pharmacy are “stacked” with non-practicing corporate Pharmacist and if you believe that these Pharmacists will stand up against the same corporations they work for… you need a massive dose of REALITY.
The primary directive of the Boards of Pharmacy is to protect health/safety of the general public… and when individual pharmacists or healthcare corporations with pharmacies take the position that they are making a broad denial of care for certain pts… generally, the boards of pharmacy are as quiet as a “church mouse”
Generally speaking, independent pharmacies don’t “play games” with a pt’s necessary medications because you are dealing with the Pharmacist/owner and not a pharmacist that is being forced to walk in “lock-step” with their corporate employers.
Here is a website that will help locate a independent pharmacy by zip code
http://www.ncpanet.org/home/find-your-local-pharmacy
Filed under: General Problems
I took a new prescription to walmart for hydrocodone 10 325 I was told that for the first new opiate rx I could only get a week worth our of 90 tablets they’d only give me 28 and krato the rest but just the first time the next time id get the full script. The pharmacist told me he’d be looking for another job if he didn’t follow corporate rules he felt bad but at least he didn’t fill it and have it back to me. Safeway filled it without issue.
For those on Medicaid ask your doctor for an opioid attestation it makes you exempt for a year with no limit on narcotic rx which is handwritten on the hard copy EXEMPT.