This is a comment that was posted on another RPH blog from a RPH that is apparently familiar with WAG’s POWER PROGRAM… For those of you who are not familiar with WAG’s POWER PROGRAM… it started back in 2006 +/- in FL & AZ… where they established centralized call centers and fill centers. It was reported back then .. that every Rx dept staff member had to RE-APPLY for their job and that staff at the store level was dramatically reduced, apparently seniority with the company meant little about continuing to be employed by WAGS. If fact, there were rumors that seniority and age worked against those who re-applied for their jobs. At the time, it was stated that WAGS was going to take this program nationally rather rapidly, but it seemingly was stopped dead in its expansion tracks after AZ was brought on line.
FYI, there are two versions of POWER. At the high-volume stores, the pharmacist in charge never touches a prescription unless it is required due to a REMS (think Claravis and the hoop jumping that goes on trying to fill that type of prescription), a third-party rejection, or if POWER is off line and you have to manually type everything. So, basically you are trusting off-site personnel to type and verify. All you do is make sure what’s in the bag matches the label and sell it.
At low-volume stores, the PIC verifies virtually every order that comes in; some call-ins are punted through, but you are responsible for the vast majority of the prescriptions. The problem is that you are counting on someone off-site to type up a poor electronic version of the prescription that you have in your hands. And you are trusting these people to make the correct interpretation. A prescription was scanned in twice by accident the other day and came back as two different drugs. Which one is correct? Call and see!!!
I have worked in both environments and mistakes are made. At least at the low-volume stores I can figure out what happened. I’ve had off-site pharmacists override documented patient allergies at high volume stores. It’s hard to explain a mistake that you literally had no control over. At least at a low volume store I know that I made the mistake and I can make it right for the patient and make sure they are safe.
As for the new pharmacy format, there are rumblings that the pharmacist on site will be set loose in the aisles to walk amongst the people. Offsite pharmacists will finalize the verification via pictures of the prescription!
And that will be the day I give my two weeks notice.
Filed under: General Problems
Leave a Reply