Re: Drugstore chains rely on pharmacy technicians

[Guest guest]

Thank you Ginger for the post. When I spoke the other night regarding hot topics

of 2008 for the pharmacy technician the number one hot topic that I discussed

and predicted for 2008 is/will be technician errors and it s relationship to

changes in regulations and state laws for tech qualifications. This just proves

my point.

I am glad to see this in USA Today! Why? because maybe we will get some change

now. I know it will still be slow but when America speaks....

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

ginger_ducharme <gingerducharme@...> wrote:

Drugstore chains rely on pharmacy technicians

By Brady and McCoy, USA TODAY

When Americans bring prescriptions to their neighborhood pharmacies,

odds are the person in the white lab coat who greets them and enters

the prescription in the computer is not a pharmacist. Neither, most

likely, is the person who puts the pills in the medicine vial.

They're probably pharmacy technicians, in some cases teenagers with no

more than high school diplomas. The nation's largest drugstore chains

say technicians don't replace pharmacists. But the companies have come

to rely on technicians because of regional shortages of pharmacists

and steady increases in prescriptions.

MORE ON OUR EXCLUSIVE SERIES: Inside a pharmacy where a fatal error

occurred

Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain by sales and profits,

employs about 39,000 technicians, compared with more than 24,000

pharmacists. CVS, (CVS) the largest retail chain in terms of store

count, employs about 41,000 pharmacy technicians, more than double the

20,000 pharmacists who work for the firm.

Technicians do much of the administrative work pharmacists used to

perform, such as prescription data entry, counting pills, filling

vials and ringing registers. Depending on your point of view, that's

good news, because it frees pharmacists to do more important clinical

functions — or bad, because technicians sometimes make mistakes that

pharmacists don't catch, and because pharmacists often have little

time to help teach the technicians.

The hiring practice does make good business sense: Technicians earn an

average of $11 an hour. That translates to about $23,000 a year for

those who work full time. Many pharmacists make more than $100,000 a year.

Techs aren't required to be certified

Unlike pharmacists, who are regulated by pharmacy boards in each

state, technicians are inconsistently monitored from state to state.

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board guarantees that those who

pass its examination meet a national standard. But technicians don't

need that certification to work in many states. Just 30 states even

mention certification in their rules, and most of those don't mandate it.

That comes as a surprise to many Americans, according to the

certification board, which administers the two-hour, 100-question exam

that tests technicians' knowledge of pharmacy practices. In December,

the board released the results of a survey that found 73% of

respondents believed technicians " are required by law to be trained

and certified before they can help prepare prescriptions. " Just 9%

recognized that as false.

The nation's state legislatures should raise standards by requiring

technicians to pass a standardized certification exam, says

Doering, a University of Florida pharmacy professor. He notes that

some nations, such as Germany, mandate two years of formal training.

Walgreens (WAG) says nearly 26,000 of its technicians are certified;

the chain subsidizes test fees and gives raises to technicians who

pass. CVS says about 12,000 of its technicians are certified; the

chain pays for study guides and registration fees.

Both chains also have companywide training systems. Walgreens says it

is the only chain whose training has been approved by the American

Society of Health-System Pharmacists. CVS requires technicians to pass

internal training at three levels as they move up to more difficult

duties, says Papatya Tankut, vice president of pharmacy professional

services.

Technicians " focus on the technical functions and (allow) the

pharmacist time to do the professional functions that a technician

cannot, " such as counseling patients, Tankut says. " That allows a

pharmacist time to really feel not overworked. "

The technician-to-pharmacist ratio

Within the industry, there is no consensus on how many technicians a

single pharmacist is capable of supervising while still ensuring

prescription safety. At least 16 states have no limits, according to a

survey by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Six others

allow a 4-to-1 ratio of technicians to pharmacists. The remaining

states have ratios of 2-to-1, or 3-to-1.

Pharmacy chains and many industry experts say such ratios are safe.

Still, a USA TODAY review of pharmacy board records in 10 states found

numerous cases in which pharmacists did not catch technician errors.

In a typical example, Massachusetts pharmacy board records show an

unidentified technician " entered the information incorrectly into the

computer " in the prescription a CVS pharmacy dispensed to Shaun

. The Kingston man suffered breathing difficulties that required

hospital treatment in 2005 after he was given a Fentanyl painkiller

skin patch three times stronger than prescribed, the records show.

An investigation report by the Massachusetts Division of Health

Professions Licensure found the prescribing doctor wrote other

information in the space where information about drug strength

normally goes, which CVS said was a contributing factor.

But the pharmacist didn't verify the hard copy of the prescription,

" and by skipping this step, she missed the opportunity of detecting

the technician error, " the report said.

CVS and agreed to a confidential settlement.

Philip Burgess, Walgreens' national director of pharmacy affairs, said

in a 2006 deposition that the chain had to rely on technicians and new

technology to cope with rising prescription volume.

The number of prescriptions " is going to continue to rise as the baby

boomers move into the pill-taking age, " Burgess said. " And the numbers

of pharmacists to fill them is not going to be able to keep pace. "

Find this article at:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2008-02-12-pharmacy-technicians_\

N.htm

[Guest guest]

I missed that you were speaking. I opened the hospital email and saw it too

late to attend. I am no longer working there so the notices haven't changed

emails as of yet. I hate that. Maybe we'll see you speaking in August!!! :-)

I have assigned my class several of the USA Today articles to read and respond

to for next week. It's a eye opening series of articles they are presenting.

Ginger

Jeanetta Mastron <rxjm2002@...> wrote: Thank

you Ginger for the post. When I spoke the other night regarding hot topics of

2008 for the pharmacy technician the number one hot topic that I discussed and

predicted for 2008 is/will be technician errors and it s relationship to changes

in regulations and state laws for tech qualifications. This just proves my

point.

I am glad to see this in USA Today! Why? because maybe we will get some

change now. I know it will still be slow but when America speaks....

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

ginger_ducharme <gingerducharme@...> wrote:

Drugstore chains rely on pharmacy technicians

By Brady and McCoy, USA TODAY

When Americans bring prescriptions to their neighborhood pharmacies,

odds are the person in the white lab coat who greets them and enters

the prescription in the computer is not a pharmacist. Neither, most

likely, is the person who puts the pills in the medicine vial.

They're probably pharmacy technicians, in some cases teenagers with no

more than high school diplomas. The nation's largest drugstore chains

say technicians don't replace pharmacists. But the companies have come

to rely on technicians because of regional shortages of pharmacists

and steady increases in prescriptions.

MORE ON OUR EXCLUSIVE SERIES: Inside a pharmacy where a fatal error

occurred

Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain by sales and profits,

employs about 39,000 technicians, compared with more than 24,000

pharmacists. CVS, (CVS) the largest retail chain in terms of store

count, employs about 41,000 pharmacy technicians, more than double the

20,000 pharmacists who work for the firm.

Technicians do much of the administrative work pharmacists used to

perform, such as prescription data entry, counting pills, filling

vials and ringing registers. Depending on your point of view, that's

good news, because it frees pharmacists to do more important clinical

functions — or bad, because technicians sometimes make mistakes that

pharmacists don't catch, and because pharmacists often have little

time to help teach the technicians.

The hiring practice does make good business sense: Technicians earn an

average of $11 an hour. That translates to about $23,000 a year for

those who work full time. Many pharmacists make more than $100,000 a year.

Techs aren't required to be certified

Unlike pharmacists, who are regulated by pharmacy boards in each

state, technicians are inconsistently monitored from state to state.

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board guarantees that those who

pass its examination meet a national standard. But technicians don't

need that certification to work in many states. Just 30 states even

mention certification in their rules, and most of those don't mandate it.

That comes as a surprise to many Americans, according to the

certification board, which administers the two-hour, 100-question exam

that tests technicians' knowledge of pharmacy practices. In December,

the board released the results of a survey that found 73% of

respondents believed technicians " are required by law to be trained

and certified before they can help prepare prescriptions. " Just 9%

recognized that as false.

The nation's state legislatures should raise standards by requiring

technicians to pass a standardized certification exam, says

Doering, a University of Florida pharmacy professor. He notes that

some nations, such as Germany, mandate two years of formal training.

Walgreens (WAG) says nearly 26,000 of its technicians are certified;

the chain subsidizes test fees and gives raises to technicians who

pass. CVS says about 12,000 of its technicians are certified; the

chain pays for study guides and registration fees.

Both chains also have companywide training systems. Walgreens says it

is the only chain whose training has been approved by the American

Society of Health-System Pharmacists. CVS requires technicians to pass

internal training at three levels as they move up to more difficult

duties, says Papatya Tankut, vice president of pharmacy professional

services.

Technicians " focus on the technical functions and (allow) the

pharmacist time to do the professional functions that a technician

cannot, " such as counseling patients, Tankut says. " That allows a

pharmacist time to really feel not overworked. "

The technician-to-pharmacist ratio

Within the industry, there is no consensus on how many technicians a

single pharmacist is capable of supervising while still ensuring

prescription safety. At least 16 states have no limits, according to a

survey by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Six others

allow a 4-to-1 ratio of technicians to pharmacists. The remaining

states have ratios of 2-to-1, or 3-to-1.

Pharmacy chains and many industry experts say such ratios are safe.

Still, a USA TODAY review of pharmacy board records in 10 states found

numerous cases in which pharmacists did not catch technician errors.

In a typical example, Massachusetts pharmacy board records show an

unidentified technician " entered the information incorrectly into the

computer " in the prescription a CVS pharmacy dispensed to Shaun

. The Kingston man suffered breathing difficulties that required

hospital treatment in 2005 after he was given a Fentanyl painkiller

skin patch three times stronger than prescribed, the records show.

An investigation report by the Massachusetts Division of Health

Professions Licensure found the prescribing doctor wrote other

information in the space where information about drug strength

normally goes, which CVS said was a contributing factor.

But the pharmacist didn't verify the hard copy of the prescription,

" and by skipping this step, she missed the opportunity of detecting

the technician error, " the report said.

CVS and agreed to a confidential settlement.

Philip Burgess, Walgreens' national director of pharmacy affairs, said

in a 2006 deposition that the chain had to rely on technicians and new

technology to cope with rising prescription volume.

The number of prescriptions " is going to continue to rise as the baby

boomers move into the pill-taking age, " Burgess said. " And the numbers

of pharmacists to fill them is not going to be able to keep pace. "

Find this article at:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2008-02-12-pharmacy-technicians_\

N.htm

[Guest guest]

Dear Ginger,

I will send you an email on my next speaking event.

Look for it in April.

I would love to come out to AAPT Convention in NC in August 2008! I

am trying to get work coverage. Speaking on a Sat would be great

because that would best fit my schedule! However, as you know, as I

have told you in my email in response to your private and formal

invitation to speak that promising to come out when my mom's health

is so 'iffy' is not proper or very considerate of me! So if I can

make it/fly out at the last minute, I will bring some back up CE

presentations with me, as per usual, in case someone is unable to

speak. Your formal invitaion two months ago was very kind and

flattering. I am very honored to be asked.

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

Pharm Tech Educator

Founder/Owner

> Drugstore chains rely on pharmacy technicians

> By Brady and McCoy, USA TODAY

> When Americans bring prescriptions to their neighborhood

pharmacies,

> odds are the person in the white lab coat who greets them and

enters

> the prescription in the computer is not a pharmacist. Neither, most

> likely, is the person who puts the pills in the medicine vial.

>

> They're probably pharmacy technicians, in some cases teenagers

with no

> more than high school diplomas. The nation's largest drugstore

chains

> say technicians don't replace pharmacists. But the companies have

come

> to rely on technicians because of regional shortages of pharmacists

> and steady increases in prescriptions.

>

> MORE ON OUR EXCLUSIVE SERIES: Inside a pharmacy where a fatal error

> occurred

>

> Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain by sales and

profits,

> employs about 39,000 technicians, compared with more than 24,000

> pharmacists. CVS, (CVS) the largest retail chain in terms of store

> count, employs about 41,000 pharmacy technicians, more than double

the

> 20,000 pharmacists who work for the firm.

>

> Technicians do much of the administrative work pharmacists used to

> perform, such as prescription data entry, counting pills, filling

> vials and ringing registers. Depending on your point of view,

that's

> good news, because it frees pharmacists to do more important

clinical

> functions — or bad, because technicians sometimes make mistakes

that

> pharmacists don't catch, and because pharmacists often have little

> time to help teach the technicians.

>

> The hiring practice does make good business sense: Technicians

earn an

> average of $11 an hour. That translates to about $23,000 a year for

> those who work full time. Many pharmacists make more than $100,000

a year.

>

> Techs aren't required to be certified

>

> Unlike pharmacists, who are regulated by pharmacy boards in each

> state, technicians are inconsistently monitored from state to

state.

> The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board guarantees that those

who

> pass its examination meet a national standard. But technicians

don't

> need that certification to work in many states. Just 30 states even

> mention certification in their rules, and most of those don't

mandate it.

>

> That comes as a surprise to many Americans, according to the

> certification board, which administers the two-hour, 100-question

exam

> that tests technicians' knowledge of pharmacy practices. In

December,

> the board released the results of a survey that found 73% of

> respondents believed technicians " are required by law to be trained

> and certified before they can help prepare prescriptions. " Just 9%

> recognized that as false.

>

> The nation's state legislatures should raise standards by requiring

> technicians to pass a standardized certification exam, says

> Doering, a University of Florida pharmacy professor. He notes that

> some nations, such as Germany, mandate two years of formal

training.

>

> Walgreens (WAG) says nearly 26,000 of its technicians are

certified;

> the chain subsidizes test fees and gives raises to technicians who

> pass. CVS says about 12,000 of its technicians are certified; the

> chain pays for study guides and registration fees.

>

> Both chains also have companywide training systems. Walgreens says

it

> is the only chain whose training has been approved by the American

> Society of Health-System Pharmacists. CVS requires technicians to

pass

> internal training at three levels as they move up to more difficult

> duties, says Papatya Tankut, vice president of pharmacy

professional

> services.

>

> Technicians " focus on the technical functions and (allow) the

> pharmacist time to do the professional functions that a technician

> cannot, " such as counseling patients, Tankut says. " That allows a

> pharmacist time to really feel not overworked. "

>

> The technician-to-pharmacist ratio

>

> Within the industry, there is no consensus on how many technicians

a

> single pharmacist is capable of supervising while still ensuring

> prescription safety. At least 16 states have no limits, according

to a

> survey by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Six

others

> allow a 4-to-1 ratio of technicians to pharmacists. The remaining

> states have ratios of 2-to-1, or 3-to-1.

>

> Pharmacy chains and many industry experts say such ratios are safe.

> Still, a USA TODAY review of pharmacy board records in 10 states

found

> numerous cases in which pharmacists did not catch technician

errors.

>

> In a typical example, Massachusetts pharmacy board records show an

> unidentified technician " entered the information incorrectly into

the

> computer " in the prescription a CVS pharmacy dispensed to Shaun

> . The Kingston man suffered breathing difficulties that

required

> hospital treatment in 2005 after he was given a Fentanyl painkiller

> skin patch three times stronger than prescribed, the records show.

>

> An investigation report by the Massachusetts Division of Health

> Professions Licensure found the prescribing doctor wrote other

> information in the space where information about drug strength

> normally goes, which CVS said was a contributing factor.

>

> But the pharmacist didn't verify the hard copy of the prescription,

> " and by skipping this step, she missed the opportunity of detecting

> the technician error, " the report said.

>

> CVS and agreed to a confidential settlement.

>

> Philip Burgess, Walgreens' national director of pharmacy affairs,

said

> in a 2006 deposition that the chain had to rely on technicians and

new

> technology to cope with rising prescription volume.

>

> The number of prescriptions " is going to continue to rise as the

baby

> boomers move into the pill-taking age, " Burgess said. " And the

numbers

> of pharmacists to fill them is not going to be able to keep pace. "

>

> Find this article at:

> http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2008-02-12-

pharmacy-technicians_N.htm

>

>