PHARMACIST STEVE

Over the last year.. I have seen several Pharmacists bloggers come and go.. and some whose blogs have become stagnate and others that may get around to doing a post every month or so.

I have watched the number of page views per day on my blog grow dramatically, especially over the last 6 months. Unfortunately, the number of comments are very low.. just like I have seen on the few other active Pharmacist’s blogs.

I have read where other Pharmacists and technicians continue to whine .. bitch.. moan.. about their work environment and how they are losing sleep over contemplating if they had made any errors during the work day and hoping that if they did…no one was seriously harmed.

IMO.. we are reaching a tipping point.. We have seen four different investigative reporters doing pieces on medication errors in the community setting in the last few weeks.. Joe Zorek has put his life on hold to fight for the profession and taking on CVS.. over some of the same issues.

IMO.. the profession is looking at the next crisis with chronic pain pts filing ADA violation of their civil rights.. over Pharmacists refusing to fill legit Rxs for control meds using nebulous rational.. or no rational at all.

There has been several reporters recently doing pieces on the issue of chronic pain pts not being able to get their meds.

Let’s face it.. the Pharmacists and technicians are the “low hanging fruit” on these issues and we also know who is really behind all these problems.

At this point in time, Pharmacy has gotten the attention of the media.. not necessarily good attention…but.. as they say .. bad publicity is better than no publicity.

I have already been contact my a investigative reporter in my home market.. wants to talk about medication errors in the community setting.

The bottom line is that a handful of us.. cannot push this discussion up to a national level and/or into dozens and dozens of media markets… BUT .. YOU CAN!

Just look at the interview of the CVS Pharmacist from the piece that Tisha Thompson did on 02/24/2014… you can’t tell if the Pharmacist is a he/she… young/old.. black/white… here is the interview link   http://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/Perscription-Errors-Pharmacy-CVS-Investigation-246947451.html

I am confident.. that any investigative reporter will treat any Pharmacist that comes forward with similar information.. in the same “light”.. BUT.. you are going to  have to reach out to them in the media market that you are in.

If you have been around for 5 yrs or more .. you know the safety slide that community  pharmacy is on..  just how many tombstones are we going to cause.. before you speak up .. or you just waiting for the system to totally collapse around you.. and guess who is going to get blamed for the collapse.. BECAUSE .. your corporate employer will find a page in the company’s policy & procedures manual that you violated.. and that they have no responsibility.. because you violated the company’s P&P.

You know who you are.. you either need to speak up … or just shut up.. bow your head.. and continue to stare at those colored icons on the pharmacy computer screen. We all know .. that ignoring a problem.. is the best way to be sure that it goes away !

Filed under: General Problems