News bulletin had an article on price disclosure.
In a loophole:
"Why are medicines in Australia much more expensive than those medicines overseas?"
"The government's recent changes in price disclosure will help reduce prices of medicines."
"Price disclosure is a benefit to the community and its a good thing."
PRO-Government.
Now if patients were so concerned about the prices of medicines, why didn't they promote generic substitution. Overseas markets probably stock a different brand from us. Choose the generic brand if you want to help the healthcare system. But some people are selfish and don't care.
Secondly, Australia has higher standards of living and we pay a lot of tax. The manufacturer don't just simply make the medicine, they hire a lot of people to run the plant. Wages are higher in Australia. Research team, development team, manufacturing team, marketing team, sales team, accounts team....... who pays them. You lower the prices of medicines, all those ppl will be out of a job.
Thirdly, price disclosure means less profits for pharmacies. Result will be cost-cutting, bankruptcy, more pharmacies closing down, more pharmacists being out of a job.
End point, the government wants to destroy the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare system because it's costing them a lot of money.
Well then how about thinking about being a bit more strict on welfare and issuing health care cards, coz there's why too many ppl doing dodgies having health care cards when I believe they shouldn't. You have a health care card but you drive a Merc or Audi, you can't afford to buy meds? So many dodgies out there Centrelink doesn't bother to crack down. Close the loopholes!
IMO, misleading article. Not explaining the implications. Not offering other alternatives.
Sign the petition in your local pharmacy NOW
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Lipitor for free
Lady comes in with a hand-written script for Lipitor 40mg.
Asked for a Medicare and pensioner/health care card. She only produces a Medicare.
Asked her to clarify the address.
She: "Why? Isn't it on the script?"
Me: "It is but its not very clear." (its handwritten all mushed up)
She grabs the pen from my hand and writes in BIG LETTERS ON THE TOP, PRESSING DOWN THE PEN really hard onto the paper like an angry child.
So I dispense the script, give her Lipitor. $36.10 thank you.
She: "Why did you charge me $36.10? I usually get it for free from my other chemist."
Me: "Free? No its not free unless you have a Safetynet card. Do you have a Safetynet card?"
She whips out her purse and shows her pension card through the purse window.
She: "No I got this."
Me: "Yeh that's a pension card. That will make it $5.90 but definitely not free. To get it for free you need this Safetynet card." (which I show her and wave in her face)
She: "Yeh well i don't understand. Anyway, you are overcharging me and I don't want it anymore. You never asked me for those cards before and I don't like it."
Me: "Fair enough. (i delete the script). Here you go, you don't have the cards you can't get it for free. You know when you go to other pharmacies, you need to show them your cards, otherwise noone's gonna know what price to give you. Have a nice day." Give the script and I walk away.
I think she wanted to say something as a comeback but I was already serving another customer. If she's not happy, she can leave.
Comes back later with Lipitor from another pharmacy: "I want to speak to your boss."
Complains to my boss about me overcharging her. Told my boss she wanted it for free but does not have a SN card. She says the other pharmacy charged her $5.90. I said that's because of the pension card, you never gave me a pension card at the beginning and you were expecting it to be for free. You wanted it for free, I can't give it to you for free. So transaction was cancelled. What are you complaining for?
She says I was mistreating her coz I have something against you.
Boss laughed and said "well if you say so then there's nothing more i can say. Because they don't even know you, there's no reason for them to. but you're entitled to your opinions, you are entitled to go to other pharmacies so be it. (she was threatening not to come here again).We can't offer the medicine for free. If the other pharmacy is, and you don't have a safetynet card then what they are doing is illegal."
She wanted to complain to vent out. My boss ain't gonna give it her for free and my boss ain't gonna tell me off either. So her complaint wasn't successful. Threatened not to shop around here. Don't care because you're not a regular and you don't live in the area.
She has attitude problems anyway. Yeh I do have something against you. Your stuck-up face.
Calling Department of Health to complain about GPs prescribing unauthorised medicines
A man comes in with a private script for Roaccutane 10mg.
Noticed it was the same doctor that we called last time regarding the same problem we had with another patient.
The doctor didn't care when we told him the legislation. He didn't believe us. His argument was 'if i wasn't allowed, then why does my prescribing software allow me to do that. You don't know what you're talking about and they've changed the legislation."
We refused to dispense it.
One week later, the doctor writes Roaccutane script for another patient. Didn't even bother calling the doctor again. Just told the patient the dr is not authorized and they need to go see a specialist. They go why? "My explanation was simply: Your doctor is a GP. There are some medicines that they can't prescribe. There are some rules that GPs need to follow." In other words, stop thinking your doctor is GOD and prescribe anything.
After that, I decide to call Department of Health to complain and confirm the legislation. Legislation still remains the same - no changes. Told the Duty Pharmaceutical Officer there's been an increased influx of those scripts written by GPs in the area. DPO said just refer them to the legislation. I said I have but the doctors haven't heard of it. I told DPO they should print out a letter or something to clarify this with the doctors in our area coz they don't believe us. Some even prescribe Concerta and Ritalin which is a health issue to the public. She asked me if there are specific doctors that do it, I go there's a lot of them so there's no one particular one.
Hopefully they will do something about it.
If that Roaccutane doctor does it again, I'll be reporting him. I told him once, if he doesn't get it, let the Department of Health deal with it.
Noticed it was the same doctor that we called last time regarding the same problem we had with another patient.
The doctor didn't care when we told him the legislation. He didn't believe us. His argument was 'if i wasn't allowed, then why does my prescribing software allow me to do that. You don't know what you're talking about and they've changed the legislation."
We refused to dispense it.
One week later, the doctor writes Roaccutane script for another patient. Didn't even bother calling the doctor again. Just told the patient the dr is not authorized and they need to go see a specialist. They go why? "My explanation was simply: Your doctor is a GP. There are some medicines that they can't prescribe. There are some rules that GPs need to follow." In other words, stop thinking your doctor is GOD and prescribe anything.
After that, I decide to call Department of Health to complain and confirm the legislation. Legislation still remains the same - no changes. Told the Duty Pharmaceutical Officer there's been an increased influx of those scripts written by GPs in the area. DPO said just refer them to the legislation. I said I have but the doctors haven't heard of it. I told DPO they should print out a letter or something to clarify this with the doctors in our area coz they don't believe us. Some even prescribe Concerta and Ritalin which is a health issue to the public. She asked me if there are specific doctors that do it, I go there's a lot of them so there's no one particular one.
Hopefully they will do something about it.
If that Roaccutane doctor does it again, I'll be reporting him. I told him once, if he doesn't get it, let the Department of Health deal with it.
Takes them one year after they bought medicine to complain
It never ceases to amaze me how people complain about unreasonable things.
A couple comes into the pharmacy the other day to complain that the box of medicine they bought was EMPTY.
It was Nurofen 400mg which we stopped stocking about a year ago. Nurofen 400mg was S3 so its kept behind the shelf. It also had our dispensing label on it. The couple had bought it one year ago and only now they came back to say its empty.
One year ago - seriously. You leave a packet of pain killers in the back of your cabinet and don't open it. Was the seal broken when you bought it? No. Was it tampered with? Can't be coz its S3 and its behind the shelf.
How do customers expect us to investigate and believe them? You must prove it. You got no proof. How do you prove that you didn't take it and finish all the tablets within that one year frame?
In the end they're complaining, manager said just give them a few tablets of Brufen to shut them up. Cheap anyway. But geez, they complain and wasn't happy when the manager said its not our fault. You're just stupid enough to come one year later to complain......
A couple comes into the pharmacy the other day to complain that the box of medicine they bought was EMPTY.
It was Nurofen 400mg which we stopped stocking about a year ago. Nurofen 400mg was S3 so its kept behind the shelf. It also had our dispensing label on it. The couple had bought it one year ago and only now they came back to say its empty.
One year ago - seriously. You leave a packet of pain killers in the back of your cabinet and don't open it. Was the seal broken when you bought it? No. Was it tampered with? Can't be coz its S3 and its behind the shelf.
How do customers expect us to investigate and believe them? You must prove it. You got no proof. How do you prove that you didn't take it and finish all the tablets within that one year frame?
In the end they're complaining, manager said just give them a few tablets of Brufen to shut them up. Cheap anyway. But geez, they complain and wasn't happy when the manager said its not our fault. You're just stupid enough to come one year later to complain......
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Medicare must subsidise Waxsol
A pensioner walks into the pharmacy and asked me to get him Waxsol.
I grab it off the shelf and give it to him.
Him: How much is this?
Me: About $11. Its not covered on Medicare or pension card.
Him: I'm a pensioner!
Me: Yes I know. Unfortunately that's not covered.
Him: Well let me ask you something. This is a medicine. Why is it not covered?
Me: A lot of things are not covered on Medicare. A lot of products, non-prescription items are not subsidised.
Him: Well I got a lot of wax in my ears, and I find it ridiculous why its not covered on my pension card. It SHOULD be covered.
Me: Yeh I know but I don't make the rules.
Him: I'm going to complain coz I think all medicines should be covered.
I could go on for ages and explain to him why that's not a good idea but I couldn't be bothered.
Me: Yeh just call Medicare and put in a suggestion. I can't change anything.
--------------
Honestly, its only $11. Ear wax is not something you have all the time. You will not be using it everyday. Pensioners price is $5.90. so are you saying that paying that extra $5 is TOO MUCH for you? $5 for something you can use for the whole year. I think that's a bargain.
And why should Medicare change the whole system just because you got WAX in your ears?
And there's no use telling me what you think should be or shouldn't be on the system coz I'm just the pharmacist, I'm not the health minister.
And you think ALL medications should be covered? Our health care system and economy will collapse. Wouldn't even afford to give you a pensioners allowance.
I grab it off the shelf and give it to him.
Him: How much is this?
Me: About $11. Its not covered on Medicare or pension card.
Him: I'm a pensioner!
Me: Yes I know. Unfortunately that's not covered.
Him: Well let me ask you something. This is a medicine. Why is it not covered?
Me: A lot of things are not covered on Medicare. A lot of products, non-prescription items are not subsidised.
Him: Well I got a lot of wax in my ears, and I find it ridiculous why its not covered on my pension card. It SHOULD be covered.
Me: Yeh I know but I don't make the rules.
Him: I'm going to complain coz I think all medicines should be covered.
I could go on for ages and explain to him why that's not a good idea but I couldn't be bothered.
Me: Yeh just call Medicare and put in a suggestion. I can't change anything.
--------------
Honestly, its only $11. Ear wax is not something you have all the time. You will not be using it everyday. Pensioners price is $5.90. so are you saying that paying that extra $5 is TOO MUCH for you? $5 for something you can use for the whole year. I think that's a bargain.
And why should Medicare change the whole system just because you got WAX in your ears?
And there's no use telling me what you think should be or shouldn't be on the system coz I'm just the pharmacist, I'm not the health minister.
And you think ALL medications should be covered? Our health care system and economy will collapse. Wouldn't even afford to give you a pensioners allowance.
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
Viagra man
A man comes into the pharmacy today to buy Viagra..... The script was for 12 tablets, which is quite expensive.
I asked him how many tablets he wanted to buy today. Called his name, and this drunk dude walks to the counter.
Him: "Yeh I want ALL of them."
Me: "All 12 tablets is about $200."
Him: "Oh I've only got here $50, $100, $150. $150 - give me $150 worth because I'm gonna need heaps of it. I'm gonna be a busy man."
Me: "Ok you can get 8 tablets. That will be just under $150."
Him: "Yeh 8 tablets is ok. You know I need to get my thing up." (points to male body part and flicks his fingers).
So I dispense the script and give him his tablets, then suddenly he sticks out his hand wanting to thank me for helping him.
Me: "Oh that's ok. Thank you. Please pay at the front counter."
And I quickly walk away before he gets a chance to grab my hand......
Didn't want to shake his hand. Not sure what it's been touching!!!!
I asked him how many tablets he wanted to buy today. Called his name, and this drunk dude walks to the counter.
Him: "Yeh I want ALL of them."
Me: "All 12 tablets is about $200."
Him: "Oh I've only got here $50, $100, $150. $150 - give me $150 worth because I'm gonna need heaps of it. I'm gonna be a busy man."
Me: "Ok you can get 8 tablets. That will be just under $150."
Him: "Yeh 8 tablets is ok. You know I need to get my thing up." (points to male body part and flicks his fingers).
So I dispense the script and give him his tablets, then suddenly he sticks out his hand wanting to thank me for helping him.
Me: "Oh that's ok. Thank you. Please pay at the front counter."
And I quickly walk away before he gets a chance to grab my hand......
Didn't want to shake his hand. Not sure what it's been touching!!!!
Saturday, 27 July 2013
Dr Clueless thinks Lipex is Atorvastatin. Its actually Simvastatin!
A customer walks into the pharmacy with a few scripts.
She gives me a list of her medications which she's been taking. Basically she's a tourist from New Zealand. And she saw this doctor for a script.
On the list she has
"atorvastatin 10mg"
But on the scripts she didn't have any atorvastatin 10mg. Instead she had "lipex 10mg". Active ingredient of Lipex is simvastatin.
Doesn't make sense coz Atorvastatin is better than Simvastatin in terms of efficacy and side effects profile so why would a dr switch a patient stabilised on atorvastatin to simvastatin?
Called the doctor did she mean Lipitor (atorvastatin)?
Pharmacist: Patient has a list that says atorvastatin 10mg, but you've written lipex 10mg.
Dr: Yeh i just wrote whatever she had on that list.
Pharmacist. Lipex is simvastatin. If you want atorvastatin then that's Lipitor. Did you mean Lipitor?
Dr: Yeh just whatever's on that list. Just change it to Lipitor then.
Pharmacist: ok thanks.
Dr tries to brush it off. But all the pharmacists at the pharmacy spent the next 15min laughing about this clueless doctor coz we know she thinks the active ingredient of Lipex is atorvastatin LOL ..... LMAO
Go back to med school man!!!!
She gives me a list of her medications which she's been taking. Basically she's a tourist from New Zealand. And she saw this doctor for a script.
On the list she has
"atorvastatin 10mg"
But on the scripts she didn't have any atorvastatin 10mg. Instead she had "lipex 10mg". Active ingredient of Lipex is simvastatin.
Doesn't make sense coz Atorvastatin is better than Simvastatin in terms of efficacy and side effects profile so why would a dr switch a patient stabilised on atorvastatin to simvastatin?
Called the doctor did she mean Lipitor (atorvastatin)?
Pharmacist: Patient has a list that says atorvastatin 10mg, but you've written lipex 10mg.
Dr: Yeh i just wrote whatever she had on that list.
Pharmacist. Lipex is simvastatin. If you want atorvastatin then that's Lipitor. Did you mean Lipitor?
Dr: Yeh just whatever's on that list. Just change it to Lipitor then.
Pharmacist: ok thanks.
Dr tries to brush it off. But all the pharmacists at the pharmacy spent the next 15min laughing about this clueless doctor coz we know she thinks the active ingredient of Lipex is atorvastatin LOL ..... LMAO
Go back to med school man!!!!
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