RxMike

Pharmacy Technician WEEK? What Do You Think?

// June 22nd, 2009 // 5 Comments » // Pharmacy General

The National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA) is considering sponsoring the first-ever “Pharmacy Technician Week” in October 2009. What do you think?

In the past, pharmacy technicians have been recognized on National Pharmacy Technician Day (the 3rd Tuesday of each October), however this originated as a part of National Pharmacy Week. Since the APhA launched October as American Pharmacy Month a few years ago, we are considering making the shift to recognize technicians for an entire week. This is the approach that ASHP takes with Health-System Pharmacy Week.

Each day of the week could be designated to recognize pharmacy technicians working in various practice settings, ie Retail Pharmacy Technician Day, Health-System Pharmacy Technician Day, Pharmacy Technician Educators Day, etc.

We want your thoughts, feedback & suggestions.

Networking 101 for Pharmacy Technicians

// May 26th, 2009 // 5 Comments » // Pharmacy General, Pharmacy Technician

net·work·ing – the process or practice of building up or maitaining informal relationships, especially with people whose friendship could bring advantages such as job or business opportunities.

Sounds boring, I know, but the truth is that networking with colleagues is critical to success…and with the advent of online social media networks, it can be a lot of fun.

Here are three steps to get started. (more…)

Check it out…NPTA’s Big Picture Contest

// May 18th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Pharmacy General

Blending Two of My Passions: Publishing a Magazine + Sharks

// May 4th, 2009 // No Comments » // Pharmacy General, Scuba Diving

I am fascinated by sharks….all types of sharks…black tips, white tips, nurse sharks, tiger sharks, hammerheads and especially the Great Whites. Since obtaining my certification in diving in 2004, I have had the joy of free diving with sharks in Hawaii, Australia, Mexico and Belize.

As many of you know, I also serve as the Publisher of Today’s Technician magazine (the first magazine ever developed specifically for pharmacy technicians… (more…)

Techs Are The Best, a poem by Eileen Neumyer, CPhT

// April 15th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Pharmacy General

Today I connected with Eileen Neumyer, CPhT through Facebook, where she had posted a clever and creative poem about a day in the life of a pharmacy tech. Enjoy…
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Striving for Dignity, Self-Respect and Integrity in the Profession of Pharmacy

// April 12th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Pharmacy General

Have you heard about…The Pharmacy Alliance (TPA)…not if the chain pharmacy corporate offices have anything to do with it! TPA was established in 2008 and is focused on bringing back dignity, self-respect and integrity to pharmacy professionals, including pharmacy technicians (kudos).

The TPA website details their 13 guiding principles as being:
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New Theory on Why Many RPhs Oppose Tech Standards

// March 29th, 2009 // 4 Comments » // Pharmacy General, Pharmacy Regulations, Pharmacy Technician

Why do so many pharmacists fiercely oppose requiring increased standards for pharmacy technician education, training, certification and recognition? This is the million dollar question. 

For the past ten years, I, along with most others, have assumed that the answer was (or a variation) that pharmacists viewed the advancement of pharmacy technicians as a direct, or implied, threat to their own job security. I’ve always known that it was a weak response to the question; pharmacists, after all, are very intelligent individuals…how could they accept such an absurd notion as “if pharmacy technicians are required to complete standardized education and take on more responsibilities in the pharmacy, they eventually won’t need me….the chains will realize that they can replace my $100k+ salary with a $30K salary…”? This is as ridiculous as pharmacy technicians opposing pharmacy automation for the same reasoning.
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CVS Announces New Distribution Center

// February 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // Pharmacy General

CVS/pharmacy announced today that it is finalizing plans to build a 750,000 square foot distribution center in Chemung County, New York.

CVS/pharmacy’s proposed distribution center, which is subject to final negotiations and approvals from state and local agencies, would support the inventory and fulfillment needs of approximately 350 CVS/pharmacy stores in the northeast.

CVS/pharmacy expects to close on the 311-acre property before the end of the first quarter of 2009 and to break ground in the spring.

New Automated Dispenser Released

// February 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Pharmacy General

KL30

The KL30 is a major advancement in saving time, steps and cost in a pharmacy. For the first time, Kirby Lester utilizes drug-specific cassettes to fully automate the hands-free dispensing of a pharmacy’s top 30 oral solid medications. (All other medications can simply be poured into the funnel as is done with other Kirby Lester counters.) The KL30 is based on the recently introduced KL20 “next-generation” platform. The KL20 was heralded by pharmacists and technicians alike as an indispensable technology platform.

The KL30 automates the dispensing of 100% of all oral solids with the combination cassette & pour-through methods. The 30 cassettes alone manage 25-30% of the orders in a typical retail pharmacy. In contrast, most robotic dispensers automate only 40-45% of orders, at a cost of 7-10 times the cost of a KL30. The KL30 will be offered for less than $20,000.

In addition to managing the dispensing of all tablets, the KL30 also automates the verification of 100% of all prescriptions, not just oral solids

Long Island Illustrates Healthcare is Recession Proof

// February 2nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Allied Health Education, Pharmacy General

Health care is considered one of the recession-proof job sectors of the economy – and with good reason.

According to the state Department of Labor, 2,500 educational and health services jobs were added on Long Island in the 12-month period ended in December. That’s while the trade, transportation and utilities sector lost 6,700 jobs in the same period and the professional and business-services sector shed 4,700 positions.

What’s more, continued growth in health care is projected, said Gary Huth, the department’s principal economist. Overall job growth on Long Island for the period 2006 to 2016 is projected to be 6.7 percent for all occupations, he said. Make that 14.1 percent for health care practitioner and technician jobs.

Among the jobs for which demand is expected to grow the most for that period: home health aides, up 42 percent; medical assistants, up 30.2 percent; pharmacy technicians, up 19.8 percent; nursing aides, orderlies, up 16.3 percent; and medical records, health information technicians, up 13 percent. (www.newsday.com)