Improving the Pharmacy Profession… One Wal-Beer At a Time

Walgreen’s bills itself as “The Pharmacy America Trusts.” With that trust comes the responsibility of an honest and ethical management of their patient’s health care. If America trusts them as they suggest, and honestly it’s probably hard to argue otherwise, due to their size they are the public face of pharmacy.

It’s not preferable that one, generic entity represents the varied world of pharmacy, but alas that is what we have to live with.

Imagine the shock pharmacists across the nation had when a little nugget of news appeared, even as it was clearly attempted to be brushed under the rug. That nugget? The creation of Wal-Beer.

We live in a massively evolving health care system in which pharmacists are fighting to rightfully assert themselves as a respected and educated member in modern collaborative practice. For too long we have been either dismissed or ignored, but in the last two decades have seen the profession begin to shred itself of those shackles and become an integral part in the management of a patient’s health.

And it is something to be applauded.

The bigger issue, something which I have touched on in the past, is that while those within the medical profession now readily acknowledge our presence, the public has a complete lack of understanding of our abilities. It is a fact that, at some point, will need to be addressed if we are to reach our full potential.

Now, the public will have Wal-Beer.

How morally and ethically responsible is it for the largest pharmacy chain in this country to create a beer label, with a low-ball price point, in the midst of this change? Pharmacy’s across the nation are refusing to sell cigarettes and alcohol in their pharmacy, yet Walgreen’s has decided to not only ignore this but to instead take it a step farther.

And don’t tell me that it’s okay to sell cigarettes in a pharmacy as the pharmacist can consul a patient on the negative aspects of smoking. The day that truly happens is the day the cigarettes are kept behind the pharmacy counter.

Fat chance of that.

Instead, “The Pharmacy America Trusts” is undermining everything we have fought for these past decades. In class we are preached “Patient Care, Patient Care, Patient Care,” and that our generation of pharmacists will be focused on this for our entire career in new and novel ways.

So how does Wal-Beer fit into that? How is what Walgreen’s doing an attempt to not only further the profession but increase the health of their patient population?

I realize that chain pharmacies are more profit driven than others, but this is a deplorable step even by those standards. Every day we deal with shrinking reimbursements and the lack of an ability to bill for basic services. This is what Walgreen’s should be focusing on and standing up against, not creating its own line of cheap beer.

The better question is, what will organizations like APhA say about it? Will they ignore it? Or will they stand up and denounce the creation Wal-Beer and what it means for the profession? A dare not to be overly dramatic and overstate the importance of doing so… but I’m not sure that would be overly dramatic.

Surely Walgreen’s isn’t the first pharmacy to attempt something of this nature, but as the face of the profession they should be held to a higher standard. If not by the public, then by their employees and the profession itself.

There are bigger fights on the horizon and many will dismiss this as something trivial. It is far, far from trivial however, and represents a dangerous tipping point for the profession. If we wish pharmacy to be properly understood and respected among not only our peers, but the public, we cannot condone this.

Until then, Walgreen’s shouldn’t be the pharmacy America trusts. Hell, they shouldn’t be the pharmacy pharmacists trust. Should they?

Lost My Pharmacy Mojo

First, to those who have asked, the family is doing just fine. Lil man is starting to sleep progressively longer through the nights (yay) and so far school has gone forth without a hitch.

I have run into a somewhat disturbing situation in the last two weeks. Somewhere, some place, I have lost my pharmacy mojo.

The whole excitement about the field, the profession and the learning is gone. It's not that I dislike it or am uninterested, but that little flame has flickered out.

Oddly enough it has nothing to do with spending almost a decade in retail. Nor does it have anything to do with the actually school work involved. It's not even related to the being a new father. Namely it has resulted from some behind the door situations at school.

It has left a rather bitter taste in my mouth that makes me question the viability of the next three and a half years. Don't get me wrong, I have not changed my mind by any means, but my outlook has been drastically altered. To say it has sucked the joy out of what I want to do may be the understatement of this young year.

As such, this site may grow a bit stagnant for a while until I get my groove back. No, I will not divulge the specifics of the situation for numerous reasons, it's not that I want to keep things private but I decided professionally it is not wise to air your dirty laundry. Especially as I contemplate continuing anonymity here.

Therefore, if any asks I am alive and well, if not distant at the moment. I need to find that spark again in some place, I am just unsure as to where and when that will occur.

For those looking into the field, I will continue to field any and all questions. Everyone knows how to get a hold of me.

Peace out Pharm Friends.

I'm Lazy

The overwhelming theme of this winter break? Sheer laziness.

I had a decent sized list of things I wanted to either do or complete over winter break. As spring classes now loom over my head, I have looked over that list and discovered I have accomplished little, if any, of them.

And honestly I don't really care.

The only thing that is mildly disappointing is not finishing the article I had started working on at the start of the semester. I think we can place the blame of not finishing that, and other things, on being a new father no?

I've been enjoying this funk of not wanting to think. I'm not really sure why as the fall semester wasn't overly mentally taxing, but hey I can sit on a couch and stare at a tv with the best of them now.

Of course the last two weeks has been, more or less, late night after late night staying up with the little guy which only propagates more laziness. It's impressive in the most disheartening sort of way.

Disheartening in that I hate being lazy. Channeling my inner nerd, I'm mildly excited for classes to start up again. I like being challenged on a regular basis, even though it may eventually frustrate and exhaust me.

Naturally this is a huge unknown as to how this will work with the baby and I do have an incessant fear of relying far too much on the wife. I really don't want to have to be a regular absent father during the semester, but I feel at some points it's going to be required.

In any case, in just a few days the laziness ends and the grind begins once again.

At least the wife will be able to drink with me this semester. Thank God for that.

Spooning

"How much is 5 grams on a teaspoon?"

That's not really the question was expecting when I answered the phone. Actually, I'm not sure if at any point you could expect that particular question.

The question arose from the fact that this woman had picked up a prescription for metronidazole vaginal gel the other day and had accidentally thrown out the applicators. Her logic was that, for whatever reason, a spoon would work just as well. She just didn't know how to measure out the five grams.

Now think about this for a moment. The woman has decided to shove a spoon up her yoo-hoo. With that sort of logic, I'd say it's a good bet it won't be a clean spoon either.

Needless to say the pharmacist and I were able to find extra applicators in the pharmacy, they do a lot of compounding at this store, and advised her to come in and pick them up for no charge.

Add that to yet another perplexing definition to spooning... albeit a far less fun one.

I Told You So

From two years ago - http://www.iwanttobeapharmacist.com/2008/04/autism-mmr-vaccine-debate.html

And now it's hit the mass media - http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Autism/link-vaccine-autism-link-fraud-british-medical-journal/story?id=12547823&tqkw=&tqshow=GMA

Hate to say it, but I told ya so...

My Newest Study Partner

The last few days, for obvious reasons, have been hectic. I have taken the night shift to let the wife sleep as she evicted the little guy with no drugs and, therefore, I say she reserves the right to a good night's sleep.

I'll probably still be a bit AWOL for several days as we become accustomed to our new lives. Don't worry though, I won't be too far away from the blogosphere...