APhA and Procter & Gamble Healthcare Consumer Institute executives on the APhA terrace.
On Thursday, APhA staff members participated in a discussion with folks from Procter & Gamble’s Healthcare Consumer Institute, a group within P&G that conducts ongoing research of consumers and pharmacists. We spent several hours learning from each other. While the company’s research corroborates our own—that consumers truly value pharmacists’ recommendations—I thought I would share, with P&G’s permission, two key perspectives that resulted from their work. These perspectives suggest that we have some work to do, but that if we do it, the outcomes could be quite fulfilling.
The first is the “Patient Current Pharmacy Experience,” which I take as a challenge to improve. Understand that this is a blended perspective based on interviews and surveys of thousands of consumers:
“My prescription is fulfilled, but I’m not. I’m not always sure what I’m going to encounter at the pharmacy. I don’t know if my prescription will be correctly filled on time. It’s such a busy place, I feel like a number there. I feel retail pharmacists are the medicine experts, but I’m not confident I can comfortably ask my questions. If they knew me, they would know my needs and be able to meet them.”
The second perspective is a blend of observations from hundreds of community pharmacists and is considered the “Pharmacist Current Reality”:
“I had dreams of making a difference in people’s lives. But now my life is so routine. I just wish they understood the complexity and importance of being a pharmacist. Unfortunately, I’m trapped by routine. I’m trapped by the business and feel beat up by patients and the system. I just wish I could help people more.”
While there were many positive perspectives shared, the two blended “averages” above are important for us to consider. I returned to the APhA staff to commit the rest of my career to helping pharmacists make a difference by becoming increasingly relevant in patients’ lives. Expanding opportunities to provide MTM is a key part of that. Challenging pharmacists and their employers to redesign workflow that gets their fingers off keyboards and in front of patients gets us there. Pounding Congress to include us in health care reform as service providers gets us there. The list goes on.
If you are reading this, chances are you are one of the pharmacists making a difference every day. But I’m sure you feel elements of the “average” above. Just know that I know and that we’re working hard to continue the changes that will place pharmacists front and center in primary care. Please continue to share your stories with me about how you are making a difference. Thanks for reading.
I am not a pharmacist, but I am a patient. I used to be a patient at Wal-Mart (the worst place to get new medications). Wal-mart Pharmacists and Pharmacy Techs do not have time, patience, and carry around alot of attitude for the most part…you are a number! I switched to Eckerd Drugs which was a bit better as was Walgreens. Eckerd Drugs never has enough people working, so a very long wait at their pharmacy is expected. At Walgreens, I had to special order a medication every other week. If I went to the same Pharmacist each time, she knew me and took care of everything for me…no one else could…it was confusing and they just wanted to do the easy medications. Many times Walgreens is overstaffed and spend more time speaking with eachother rather than paying attention to the patient waiting to be taken care of. I have now been at CVS since they bought out Eckerd. They all know me and my family! If any of us has a problem, they are more than willing to help us out….even over the phone!!!! They notice allergies, side effects or interactions with other medications you take and offer suggestions on how to adjust! I love them and trust them with my family’s lives! If the pharmacy’s protocol deals with time management, it would resolve many issues. (ie; the first of the month is more busy than the middle of the month, 4:00 p.m. is more busy than 10:00 am. cold season, allergy season) These times are the pharmacy’s “bread & butter”. Learning all the functions of your computer program also benefits. Always “looking” at your patient rather than passing out medications will trigger signs of patient uncertainty. It is not always the Pharmacist or Pharmacy Tech that needs to take the blame…Pharmacies need to recognize what changes in policy need to happen, implement them, and follow up on their employees good/not so good habits and make adjustments before the not so good turns bad! Thank You for listening! A patient who is patient and cares!
I am appreciative that you took the time to provide thoughtful and provocative comments. We all know that people, stores and practices vary widely. Whenever pharmacists get input from patients we can learn. Thanks for sharing.
I just had an experience I haver NEVER had at ANY pharmacy. I called in a refill on my 90 day supply at Wal Mart in the past 1-2 weeks. This was through their automated system. I arrived today, and the line was very long–So I shopped for approximately 40 minutes, until there was no line. I was told that I had to re-request the refill because I had waited too long to pick it up. I do not have any WalMart’s on my way to and from work, so it is a trip I have to intentionally make when I will have time to wait in line. I asked about the policy and was admittedly sarcastic. The clerk (the second one I had to talk to, because once I was told that it needed to be re-ordered, I had to go to another window). I suggested to both clerks that WalMart provide this information at their counter as well as on the automated system. I was told that I was being rude and that she was just trying to help me. After the order was re-requested I was told that it would be a 40 minute wait. I had already completed my shopping at this point. I have gone on line briefly to find the protocol for holding prescriptions. I also was told by the second clerk that it is a law that the prescription has to be returned if not picked up in a week. I live in Pensacola, FL. What is common protocol (both legal and best practice to serve the customer/patient)? I will be taking my pharmacy needs, as well as other business to another store. Any insight you can provide is appreciated.