Where is the prescription regarding patient safety ?

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

5 Prescriptions for $1 Billion in Cost Cuts at Walgreen

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/12/29/5-prescriptions-for-1-billion-in-cost-cuts-at-walg.aspx

Here are five ways Walgreen executives are looking to reduce expenses over the next few years:

1. A reduction in jobs and related overhead is coming at headquarters in the northern Chicago suburb of Deerfield. “We are starting at the corporate level and working our way down to the supply chain, and we’re making best efforts to mitigate any impact it may have on delivering service to our customers,” CFO Timothy McLevish said on the company’s fiscal 2015 first-quarter earnings call last week.

2. Store relocations are potentially in the offering as executives ponder ways to boost operational performance. McLevish said Walgreen’s strategy in the past was to “have the best corner or location in any geography” to generate more traffic and higher sales. “In some cases that worked; in some cases it didn’t,” McLevish said.

3. Redesigns of stores and smaller formats and layouts are possible. “In some locations we would benefit by a smaller format store,” McLevish said. And Alex Gourlay, president of customer experience and daily living, said the company wants to make better use of stores by “having the right offer in that locality for the customers who are actually based around that store.”

4. Even though Walgreen decided against an “inversion” that would have relocated its headquarters from the northern Chicago suburbs to overseas, new leadership could still have the company looking outside the U.S. for a lower tax rate. It’s been reported that Pessina and Wasson clashed over the company’s decision against an inversion, which would have reduced Walgreen’s corporate taxes by several billion dollars. Walgreen’s tax rate of 37.5% in 2013 was almost twice what Switzerland-based Alliance Boots paid that year.

5. There will be store closures, and there could be changes to location leases. While Walgreen doesn’t expect large numbers of store closures, executives have stated that they are looking “to renegotiate leases,” McLevish said.

Filed under: General Problems | 2 Comments »

If you don’t speak up about your lack of care you may…

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

invisibleptriptomb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMO, these two graphics represents the typical chronic pain pt… as quite as a “church mouse” and as invisible as a “ghost”

This showed  up on a Face Book post …

My friend hung herself Christmas morning. She could no longer take the pain. She tried for a year and a half. She lost her job and had to move in with her son. She spent her last months home bound. She was very scared and alone. The pain was bad enough where she needed help getting into the bath…
Everyone please think of her today. This could be any one of us….
How much can you take? It’s not like she could put the pain away in a drawer for a while. She couldn’t just take a vacation from it. It caused her daily severe panic and fear of leaving the house…Or thinking of the future. She left no note …

According to the CDC nearly 40 K people will commit suicide this year… but apparently they don’t keep stats on the means of suicide.. although they keep separate stats on legal drugs overdose and all drugs overdoses… and they don’t explain if legal drug deaths are included in all drug overdoses… which – if so – would make the deaths by overdose look worse that it really is.  We don’t know how many of these 40 K suicides are contributed to by failure or denial of care by our medical system.. out of fear from the DEA …

Was the genesis of this poor woman’s action based on a prescriber insisting that her opiate doses had to be reduced or a Pharmacist “not being comfortable” filling her prescriptions for opiates ?

Here is a definition of involuntary manslaughter:

involuntary manslaughter often is defined as the unlawful killing of a human without malice aforethought, which is just another way of saying “without criminal intent.” – See more at: http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/involuntary-manslaughter-overview.html#sthash.LmzdHHMf.dpuf
you come to a conclusion …

Filed under: General Problems | 2 Comments »

CVS is “da bomb” ?

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

Bomb Threat Aimed at CVS Stores, Multiple Locations Evacuated

http://lostcoastoutpost.com/2014/dec/28/bomb-threat-threatens-cvs-stores-multiple-location/

According to Captain Steve Watson of the Eureka Police Department, Both CVS stores in Eureka have received bomb threats. Evacuations of the Eureka Mall where Winco and CVS are located occurred as well as at the other CVS location on Myrtle.

Watson said that the Eureka Police Department does not normally request evacuations in these situations unless a device is found. “Normally, that is going to be the call of the managers of the stores,” he said. “Officers are investigating but I’m not aware of any devices.”

CVS stores around the country have been the target of repeated bomb threats for the last several months. Watson said that bomb threats can be used as attempted distractions for criminals planning crimes or they can be hoaxes. Making one is a felony with “substantial civil liabilities and a prison term,” Watson pointed out. 

At the time of this writing, the evacuations have been rescinded and the stores are reopening.

Filed under: General Problems | 1 Comment »

You can keep your doctor – if you can find one to accept your insurance

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

Doctors Will Get Less Money for Treating Medicaid Patients Starting in January

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-12-18/more-medicaid-patients-less-money-for-doctors

Sandhills Pediatrics, a group practice near Fayetteville, N.C., recently hired a child psychiatrist and a psychiatric nurse practitioner. It also expanded a satellite office in Hoke County, where almost a third of children live in poverty. About half of Sandhills’ 20,000 patients are covered by Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program for the poor, and the practice was able to add the services thanks to a boost in the reimbursement rates Medicaid pays primary-care doctors under the Affordable Care Act.

The 2010 law guaranteed federal funding to cover the higher rates only in 2013 and 2014. President Obama’s proposed 2015 budget would have continued the higher payments, but that provision never made it into the $1.1 trillion spending bill Congress passed on Dec. 13. As a result, federal reimbursements will drop to 2012 levels starting in January. Sandhills expects its Medicaid revenue to fall 26 percent next year. “It means a tremendous loss,” says Sandhills managing partner Christoph Diasio.

Treating Medicaid patients is usually a money loser for doctors, which is why many physicians refuse to do so. The Affordable Care Act, which extended coverage to poor Americans by widening eligibility for Medicaid, added 9 million people to the program rolls. To encourage doctors to see them, Congress offered a carrot: Medicaid would pay the same rates as Medicare, the federal health insurance program for Americans older than 65. Medicare fees are generally higher than Medicaid fees.

Filed under: General Problems | 2 Comments »

Creating laws to cause other laws to be broken ?

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

Opiate scourge linked to rise in Vermont bank robberies

http://vtdigger.org/2014/12/26/opiate-scourge-linked-rise-vermont-bank-robberies/

Page introduced a program last January called “Rapid Intervention for Community Change,” which focuses on using public health strategies, quick access to treatment and more science-based risk assessments, while making sure offenders repair the harm they caused victims. Page said the program also saves taxpayers money. It is designed for repeat offenders who commit nonviolent misdemeanors, a lesser form of crime.

But robberies are by law violent felonies, so the opiate and heroin-addled people who are caught for those crimes won’t simply get the drug-treatment and social services they need. They’ll be sentenced for their crimes first.

Sheriff Marcoux tends to see hard, extremely addictive drugs in practically every case that involves robbing or stealing.

“I think drugs are the things to build a criminal career on,” Marcoux said.

Silverman also speculates that the bank robberies of late are “really fueled by illegal drug use.”

“These are acts of desperation,” he said.

Filed under: General Problems | 2 Comments »

ONE DEAD in WALGREEN’S Robbery !

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve


Police arrest suspect in Walgreens deadly shooting

http://www.onenewspage.com/video/20141227/2394721/Police-arrest-suspect-in-Walgreens-deadly-shooting.htm

A man has been arrested in relation to the shooting death of a pharmacy clerk Friday morning, according to a Metro news release.

A man has been arrested in relation to the shooting death of a pharmacy clerk Friday morning, according to a Metro news release evening. jessica has the night off. we start with breaking news. an arrest in the early-morning robbery at a local walgreens. police believe 25-year-old jin ackerman is the man who held two employees hostage before shooting and killing one of them in a back room. nathan o’neal is live at the walgreens near cheyenne and rampart. this was a quick turnarod for detectives on this case. >> pice caught us with the suspects six miles away from t scene from the murder, but here at this local walgreens, you can see the vigil has grown out of respect for the man, the worker who was slain and that early-morning robbery. it is worth noting that this is days. this is 25-year-old jin ackerman . he faces several charges, including fit-degree murder, four counts of kidnapping, four counts of robbery, and two counts of burglary. ackerman robbed the walgreens at 5:00 a.m. he remained inside for an hour. two employees were forced into a back room where one man was shot multiple times and killed. the other employee, woman, called 911. the lone vitality was antonio isint. originally from the philippines, he gave up everything to take care of his mother. his cousin spoke of exclusively to news 3. >> he was a very good person, he takes care of his mom. i was just amazed. we were thin visit their family this new year. a lot of years — he’s a very good person. >> ackerman is remaing behind bars of the clark county jail tonight.

Filed under: General Problems | 8 Comments »

Does the DEA believe that the 4th Amendment should not apply to them ?

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

Another example of the DEA moving their focus from cartels to pts and prescribers… They are losing oversight of MJ.. so now they are trying to circumvent the law to go on a “fishing expedition ” or “witch hunt”… never mind whose personal life they destroy.. as long as they ensure their job/existence ?

Court case places patient-physician relationship in the balance

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/ama-wire/ama-wire/post/court-case-places-patient-physician-relationship-balance?&utm_source=BHClistID&utm_medium=BulletinHealthCare&utm_term=122214&utm_content=MorningRounds&utm_campaign=BHCMessageID

Two essential elements of medical practice—patient privacy and the patient-physician relationship—are at stake in a case before a federal appeals court that involves a state prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) and surveillance by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The issue in question is whether the DEA as a law enforcement agency has the right to access sensitive patient data without probable cause. PDMPs collect patient prescription data to be used by doctors and pharmacists for responsible treatment and prescription practices. Allowing unfettered access to such information could dramatically affect physicians’ ability to prescribe the medications their patients need and limit the role of the PDMP to allow physicians to identify other prescriptions the patient has had which can enable more informed decisions about the patient’s medical needs.

In this case, a federal magistrate judge ruled the DEA could enforce a subpoena against the Oregon PDMP that allowed disclosure of protected health information without patients’ informed consent. The Litigation Center of the AMA and State Medical Societies and the Oregon Medical Association earlier this month filed an amicus brief in support of the Oregon PDMP and the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, which intervened in the case.

“PDMPs were enacted by states nationwide principally to focus on the efficacious provision of health care and public health, not enhancement of federal law enforcement,” the brief said.

By asserting a right to PDMP data without probable cause or judicial oversight, the DEA is taking improper advantage of the health care data system and undermining the purpose of the PDMP, the brief said.

Allowing the DEA access to the PDMP undermines the integrity and confidentiality of the patient-physician relationship, the brief said. In addition, physicians’ privacy is placed in the balance.

“Physicians who treat individuals or populations with pronounced need for pain medications, for example, may feel compromised in their ability to prescribe for fear of unsupervised law enforcement access to those patient prescription records,” the brief said.

Visit the AMA Litigation Center’s Web page to learn more about this case and others related to patient privacy.

Filed under: General Problems | 3 Comments »

I’m here to feed the pigs

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve


http://local21news.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/woman-throws-bacon-at-police-feed-pigs-14337.shtml

The 24-year-old is charged with disorderly conduct and malicious destruction of property for the mess she allegedly made Friday morning on Farmington police property.

“It’s clear she may need help,” Lt. Wareham said.   YOU THINK ?

Filed under: General Problems | Leave a Comment »

Federal Trade Commission deals with consumer fraud

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

paperboy4
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/media/video-0054-how-file-complaint

It seems like there are way too many scam artists trying to try and part you from your money.

Not many people realize that your health insurance policy is actually a CONTRACT… you agree to pay them so much every month and they agree to pay some per-cent of covered products/services in the contract.

Did you sign up for a particular Medicare Advantage Program or Part D program or some other health insurance company/policy because their promotional material/policy stated..

Was your decision influenced by the fact that the pharmacy that you normally patronized was in their “pharmacy network” ?

What if you can’t find a pharmacy in “their pharmacy network” that will fill your Rx.. or only find one.. supposedly in their network but won’t fill your Rx unless you pay a high price in CASH ?

If you see a healthcare professional outside of their approved network.. the contract/policy states that you will pay more… if you don’t pay your monthly premiums… they will stop providing you with covered products/services and cancel your policy/contract.

Pharmacy declines to fill your – legal/on time/medically necessary Rxs – for whatever reason.. they are being advertised in your policy as participating

You file a complaint with the insurance company and they decline/refuse to take action against the pharmacy for not adhering with the contract the pharmacy has with the insurance company.

Is this fraud/misleading/unfair business practices … which is the charge of the FTC to rectify such illegal acts ?

Filed under: General Problems | 3 Comments »

Herbalife goes under the investigative reporter’s scrutiny

Posted on December 25, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

Investigative Unit 2014: Going undercover in Herbalife

More ABC News Videos | ABC World News

More ABC News Videos | ABC World News

http://www.whas11.com/story/money/business/2014/12/24/investigation-undercover-into-herbalife/20868735/

Filed under: General Problems | Leave a Comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »