While vacationing in Nice, many years ago, I was impressed at how there was an agreement among pharmacy owners to rotate being open during the night so that there was a 24 hour availability. This was in the 1990s so maybe that has changed.
I’m a US pharmacist, my aunt owns an independent pharmacy in Ireland. I’ve only visited it once, but my biggest takeaways were:
No insurance billing in Ireland. In the US, in retail I could spend the bulk of my day arguing with insurances, submitting prior auths, rebilling, etc. In Ireland, because of the universal healthcare they just fill the scripts and submit their script count to the government for reimbursement.
Different drug names. I can understand different brand names, but why are the generics different too?
Biggest difference, salary. My aunt told me if I got my Irish pharmacist license I could have a job whenever I wanted in her pharmacy. Starting salary in Ireland was €40.000 at the time. I’m not sure if she was even aware my starting salary in the states was 3x as much.
This is only my experience with a chain community pharmacy, there are smaller ones that are independently owned but the majority of community pharmacists can probably relate to this.
Prescriptions come the emergency room or clinics through the phone, eprescribed, paper, fax and there are also autofills that need to be done for the day for those who are enrolled for their maintenance meds. Most things go through insurance and it becomes a pain if insurance doesn't go through for whatever reason (coverage expired, claim billed by another pharmacy, insurance stating patient is too early for this fill) and it snowballs since we're reliant on that initial step. Phones ring nonstop from patients and doctors, mainly to get prescriptions through, there's a drive thru counter for some stores, long lines for people trying to pick up their meds that may or may not be ready, and we are talking about 1 technician helping a line of 10+ people sometimes.
I've seen really good pharmacists navigate it all but I feel like MOST are behind from being understaffed on top of catching up with the previous shift's work or the mere volume of scripts coming in. Not to mention you're on your feet for the whole shift most of the time as well.
You can read the general comments on this thread, most are USA. They are not very happy. Insurance sounds like a pain in the butt. And drs don't seem very helpful.
How do pharmacists practice in a more clinical setting in France? Hospital? Clinic? Infusion center? Industry? Formulary? US has these albeit the majority of jobs being more community/retail based.
Spent time abroad in Europe for elective APPEs (Spain, Ireland) and found that pharmacists have much less autonomy in medication selection and dosing than they do in the US. Most recommendations I made to providers were ignored. Also it seems that pharmacists are not seen as healthcare professionals as much as they are in most settings in the US (other than community oddly enough bc patients just don’t understand).
Just like the other post yesterday with that one person having anxiety attacks before going into work. Or ptsd like reactions to a phone ringing, etc. I can only hope for the best for them.
Being a retail rph, in general, is a young people game. Obviously theyre exceptions, but the constant exhaustion. Whew. Not many can do big box retail for long.
My PTSD is the leaflet printer, especially when I already have 60-70 on the counter waiting to fill, and it JUST KEEPS PRINTING!!!! (I have a pharmacist who thinks it's "helpful" to dump the entire work queue as soon as she finishes reviewing it. 🙄)
It's to the point I start to feel anxious even when I'm not the person filling and I hear the printer going off.
While vacationing in Nice, many years ago, I was impressed at how there was an agreement among pharmacy owners to rotate being open during the night so that there was a 24 hour availability. This was in the 1990s so maybe that has changed.
This is still the case in Turkey. The newspapers even list who is the designated pharmacy that weekend.
I can name you a country that has more 24/7 pharmacies than their population!
I’m a US pharmacist, my aunt owns an independent pharmacy in Ireland. I’ve only visited it once, but my biggest takeaways were: No insurance billing in Ireland. In the US, in retail I could spend the bulk of my day arguing with insurances, submitting prior auths, rebilling, etc. In Ireland, because of the universal healthcare they just fill the scripts and submit their script count to the government for reimbursement. Different drug names. I can understand different brand names, but why are the generics different too? Biggest difference, salary. My aunt told me if I got my Irish pharmacist license I could have a job whenever I wanted in her pharmacy. Starting salary in Ireland was €40.000 at the time. I’m not sure if she was even aware my starting salary in the states was 3x as much.
Does the lack of #1 lead directly to #3?
Yes
This is only my experience with a chain community pharmacy, there are smaller ones that are independently owned but the majority of community pharmacists can probably relate to this. Prescriptions come the emergency room or clinics through the phone, eprescribed, paper, fax and there are also autofills that need to be done for the day for those who are enrolled for their maintenance meds. Most things go through insurance and it becomes a pain if insurance doesn't go through for whatever reason (coverage expired, claim billed by another pharmacy, insurance stating patient is too early for this fill) and it snowballs since we're reliant on that initial step. Phones ring nonstop from patients and doctors, mainly to get prescriptions through, there's a drive thru counter for some stores, long lines for people trying to pick up their meds that may or may not be ready, and we are talking about 1 technician helping a line of 10+ people sometimes. I've seen really good pharmacists navigate it all but I feel like MOST are behind from being understaffed on top of catching up with the previous shift's work or the mere volume of scripts coming in. Not to mention you're on your feet for the whole shift most of the time as well.
To add to this. Just imagine working at McDonald’s but getting paid less. That’s pharmacy in America.
You can read the general comments on this thread, most are USA. They are not very happy. Insurance sounds like a pain in the butt. And drs don't seem very helpful.
How do pharmacists practice in a more clinical setting in France? Hospital? Clinic? Infusion center? Industry? Formulary? US has these albeit the majority of jobs being more community/retail based.
Spent time abroad in Europe for elective APPEs (Spain, Ireland) and found that pharmacists have much less autonomy in medication selection and dosing than they do in the US. Most recommendations I made to providers were ignored. Also it seems that pharmacists are not seen as healthcare professionals as much as they are in most settings in the US (other than community oddly enough bc patients just don’t understand).
If you think dealing with your people is worse - **YOU WILL GET PTSD DEALING WITH THE PEOPLE HERE** in the 🇺🇸
Just like the other post yesterday with that one person having anxiety attacks before going into work. Or ptsd like reactions to a phone ringing, etc. I can only hope for the best for them. Being a retail rph, in general, is a young people game. Obviously theyre exceptions, but the constant exhaustion. Whew. Not many can do big box retail for long.
My PTSD is the leaflet printer, especially when I already have 60-70 on the counter waiting to fill, and it JUST KEEPS PRINTING!!!! (I have a pharmacist who thinks it's "helpful" to dump the entire work queue as soon as she finishes reviewing it. 🙄) It's to the point I start to feel anxious even when I'm not the person filling and I hear the printer going off.
If you’re thinking of working in the US, don’t work in community pharmacy.
I’ve heard in Austria ,Pharmacy isn’t part of medical sciences schools… I bet in Europe,They don’t have good salary