Would you believe – this will bring Rx prices down ?

Pharmacists could oversee more techs under bill

FLriptombstone  http://www.bradenton.com/2014/04/25/5121537/pharmacists-could-oversee-more.html

From article:

Big-box pharmacies would be allowed to use as many technicians as they need under a bill approved by the Florida House.

 Proponents, including Walgreens and the Florida Retail Federation, say the law would allow the large pharmacies to bring down drug prices. Opponents contend the higher technician ratio would create a scenario for more errors.

Looks like profits out weighed patient safety.. but then.. all the BOP members in FL are corporate employees..  Just because all of the BOP’s members’ paychecks come from employers who are supporting this change in RPH/tech ratios… would not influence their position on this issue.

But then Florida.. was the “original pill mill state”.. while the BOP was doing what ?

3 Responses

  1. Currently the ratio is 3:1, technician to pharmacist. The proposal is to increase that to 6:1.
    I have absolutely no idea how this will lower drug prices, since we basically don’t determine those — the insurance companies, PBMs and manufacturers (for cash-paying customers) do.
    I personally wouldn’t mind more help BUT — currently WAGs is strictly controlling the hours of all employees, so I have no inclination that the passage of this law will result in more hiring. Just the possibility of more hiring, which would be important if the WELL store is approved and goes nation wide. Since you lose the pharmacist as a filler, you would need some more bodies behind the counter.
    Also, there have been dirty little rumors about a phase out of POWER. We would definitely need more help if that whole structure came crashing down. There are some full-POWER stores who have been required to type there prescriptions on site, something that rarely happens. I wonder…

  2. Seems plauable. As many tech as can be managed effectively. The techs of course be proven reliable and checked by RPh.

    Per Steve
    If the ratio was to be determined by the Pharmacist on duty… and hiring,firing & training of tech staff was controlled by the Pharmacists staff in the Rx dept.. that would probably work.. but since the number of techs to be on duty with one Pharmacist will be determined by non-Pharmacists MBA or non-practicing Pharmacist management of the corporate employer. The former is probably more focused on patient safety and the latter is more focused on the bottom line.

  3. Ontario and Quebec allows for 4 technicians to 1 pharmacist, but that does not include cashiers. I find that seems like a good ratio, what is it presently in florida?

    Per Steve:
    Ration is now 1:3

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