I work at a midwest Walgreens, and I know for for a fact that Walgreens is very keen on costumer service and satisfaction. I also know that errors occur and as a technician my voice is not heard by management. I agree highly that technicians needs to be trained more, I certainly was trained and certified when I was hired. The problem, at least at my store is that the pharmacist can basically do as they please, and technicians have no voice and are treated poorly. I enjoy what I do, but I know that this is the case at any pharmacy.

I would just like to point out an inaccuracy in making accusations that pharmacies are selling items such as coumadin and aspirin together without warning. Most of the time a pharmacist is not the one ringing patients up and it is not possible or expected for cashiers and or technicians to know or inform patients of such drug interactions.

I work for a Rite Aid in the south and its hard to concentrate on typing prescriptions correctly when you have customers complaining on the price of vitamins in the GNC section of the store. IF you suggest that they wait a second you'll help them as soon as possible it becomes something more. Customers need to understand the importance of time that is needed to fill these prescriptions that are written by doctors or nurses that can't spell the medication correctly, or they give the wrong dosage, plainly we can't understand their writing. This takes alot of time to contact the doctor to straighten out these matters on top of the insurance companies not covering certain drugs. All of these matters have to be attended to in order for the pharmacy to be proficient in our field of expertise. Maybe complaints are coming from customers who are bitter and just mad about an experience they've had, but for the most part we are praised for a job well done by the community who appreciates the time spent to get the job done. Comments are made like: what will we do without you, I couldn't have handled the pressure from the insurance company.

I just finished a Pharmacy Technician training course at BOCES adult ed. First,ALL perscriptions MUST be checked by the Pharmacist, at least in NY. If there is an error,it is the pharmacist's responsibility to catch it. So it is unfair to put the burden on the tech. And then again, you get what you pay for....if techs were required to be certified ( yes, this would mean a higher wage) or even licensed, it would be one more step in the drive to eliminate medication errors. The use of computer technology and automation can also do much toward this end.
One last comment...To err is human...

I'm not an expert in anything to do with pharmacies, but couldn't this whole problem be addressed by having the physicians hand out pictures of the medication - including the distinguishing characteristics (color, lettering, etc.) that they have prescribed to their patients? Then when the patient receives the medication, they can just look at the picture to confirm that the pill they received is the correct one. If generics are available, then the handout would include pictures of those as well.

Just a though.

Regarding physicians handing out pictures of what the pill should look like, sometimes it is hard even for a hospital pharmacist to ID generic pills that patients bring from home because there are so many generic companies that make the same generic medication and new generics become available everyday. Also, as a consumer at a retail pharmacy sometimes the pharmacist changes my generic and I am not even sure I am receiving the correct medication, so I don't know how a physician would be able to keep up with this. The retail pharmacist is supposed to let the patient know when they are changing to another generic company for the same medication, which I always did when I worked in a retail setting. I don't know why all pharmacists don't let their customers know, but I would have to guess it is to keep up with the work load. There are certainly many changes that need to be made in this industry. the most important thing any patient can do for themselves is to ask the doctor what s/he is prescribing and why and what is the dosage and frequency. Then when the patient goes to the pharmacy to pick up the medication ask the pharmacist what this medication is for and how s/he should take it and make sure that the physician and pharmacist are both saying the same thing. An educated consumer can help in many situations.

Interesting that 'herbals'
would be mentioned. Better
watch that green tea
consumption, too!! Hey, you
should know by now that stuff's
BAD for you! If you don't,
then our Pharmatocracy hasn't
been doing an effective job
of spreading its "drugs good,
herbs bad" propaganda.

But don't worry - they will, thanks to their willing and able
accomplices in the corporate
media!
Dave Hopkins

I am an RN, thank goodness, I had an eye infection and had my prescription for eye drops filled at a local pharmacy.
When I arrived home and opened the package to take my first dose, I immediately knew something was wrong as the container didn't look right.
When I read the product label, I discovered I had been given otic (ear) solution, not the sterile drop prescribed. I doubt a lay person would have noticed the difference, and can only imagine the consequences.
The pharmacist that dispensed the drops said she thought she was providing me with the generic equivalent to the prescribed med.
I now double check all prescriptions, before leaving the counter, and advise all other pharmacy customers to do so also.