Giving Techs a Bad Name
August 25, 2008
An article by Marshall Allen, titled “For pharmacy techs, drugs easy to steal. Low-paid workers have easy access to pills and little cause to fear prosecution”
The article paints a picture of a low-paid worker with no education stuffing their pockets full of Vicodin to make a quick buck.
It makes no mention of the thousands of hard-working, dedicated, and CERTIFIED techs who care about their career and the health of their patients. Techs who do it on a nearly poverty-level income because they care about their job. I take my career very seriously. And I am angry and ashamed when I see these reports on the few bad apples, instead of spotlighting the many great ones.
I suggest Mr. Allen, as the Medical Affairs Reporter for the paper, look deeper into what the Pharmacy Technician really does. Not just the ones who steal or commit a severe dispensing error.
Technician Discovery Brings down Pharmacist
July 25, 2008
David T. Flaherty IV, a former Rite Aid pharmacist, told police he created a complex system of fake profiles for fictitious customers that allowed him to steal about 7,800 Oxycodone and amphetamine pills from the pharmacy in Connecticut.
Flaherty told police a three-year addiction to painkillers fueled the theft and, at the height of addiction, was taking 25 Oxycodone pills each day.
According to Flaherty’s arrest warrant released on Tuesday in Waterbury Superior Court, his elaborate system of defrauding Rite Aid unraveled after he left a single Oxycodone pill in a counting tray and it was discovered by a pharmacy technician.
Flaherty surrendered to police earlier this month after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He’s charged with third-degree larceny and 79 felony counts of fraudulently obtaining a prescription through the use of a false name.
Flaherty, who said he worked for Rite Aid for about 10 years, told police he fabricated the names of 20 customers and used them to fill illegal prescriptions for himself.
He told police the names he created for the fake profiles were similar to names of actual customers. He used legitimate prescriptions on file to obtain Oxycodone and amphetamine. At the same time, he would fill an antibiotic script using his own name, or that of his dog, but would put Oxycodone pills in the bottle and check out. Flaherty would then ring up a soda for $2 and place $182 in the register so the money in the till would balance the purchases made throughout the day, according to the warrant.
Police said Flaherty did this for more than a year. His system was uncovered in May when the stray pill was found. That’s when store officials became suspicious and started investigating. They found Flaherty was the last person to fill an order for Oxycodone which should have been in the store, but wasn’t found, according to his arrest warrant.
Flaherty’s addiction to pain killers started when a customer found her son with some pills and brought them to Flaherty for him to identify. Instead of throwing them away, he took them for himself.
According to Flaherty’s statements, he has practiced pharmacology in New York state and Vermont. Records filed with the state’s Department of Consumer Protection show he surrendered his pharmacist’s license in May.
Flaherty’s attorney, Audrey J. Porzio, appeared in court to have the case postponed to Aug. 6. Porzio declined to comment on any specifics until she could review court documents. She did say her client worked long shifts, often 12-14 hours each day.
“It’s an extremely stressful, demanding job as a pharmacist,” she said.
BY JON SHUGARTS REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
ASHP Offers Expertise To New NABP Medication Safety Task Forces
July 5, 2008
ASHP met recently with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to explore new opportunities for collaboration as NABP launches several task forces to improve the quality of patient care and medication safety.
An ASHP staff expert will serve on the NABP’s new Task Force on Standardized Pharmacy Technician Education. The task force will advise NABP on amending its guidelines to include standardized pharmacy technician education and training as prerequisites for registration or licensure. Pharmacy boards refer to the guidelines when developing state laws and board rules.
The goals of the task force align closely with ASHP’s recently launched Pharmacy Technician Initiative, a partnership between the Society and its state affiliates to achieve standardized requirements for pharmacy technician training, education, certification, and registration.
The Society also will be a resource for two additional NABP task forces that will make guideline recommendations on standardized prescription labels and assess guidelines for ensuring the integrity and safety of medications in medication collection programs.
Via Medical News Today
PTCB Supports Florida’s New Patient Safety Solution
June 27, 2008
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), the leading national program that has certified more than 300,000 pharmacy technicians, is pleased to support and congratulate the Florida House of Representatives and Governor Charlie Crist for passing legislation requiring new standards for pharmacy technicians. PTCB is proud to have certified 15,000 pharmacy technicians in Florida to date and looks forward to working with more pharmacy technicians and their employers.
The new Florida legislation takes a progressive step toward increasing patient safety for consumers. By passing this legislation without amendment, and signing it into law, the Florida state legislature and governor will ensure pharmacy technicians meet key requirements for training, certification, and registration.
“Florida’s new pharmacy technician standards are an important patient safety solution for consumers in the Sunshine State and Governor Crist and the state’s legislators should be applauded,” said PTCB Executive Director and CEO Melissa Murer Corrigan. “To meet these new state standards, PTCB is looking forward to continued work with pharmacy technicians and significant employers of Florida’s pharmacy technicians such as Walgreen’s, CVS, Publix, Target, the U.S. military, multiple health systems and independent pharmacists in communities across the state. Several employers presently support and endorse PTCB across the United States.”
The landmark piece of Florida legislation (SB 1360) contributes to raising the bar for states across the country by providing an example of the high standards needed for pharmacy technicians. The more than 40,000 pharmacy technicians currently working in Florida will be required to register with the Florida Board of Pharmacy by 2010. To do so, they will need to either complete a board-approved training program with 1,500 hours of work as a technician under a Florida licensed pharmacist, or be certified by a program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
PTCB was the first pharmacy technician certification program accredited by the NCCA and has been included in regulations by more than 30 state boards of pharmacy. Through its strategic partnership with Pearson VUE, PTCB is able to offer highly scalable computer-based testing through the world’s largest network of testing centers.
Studies show without a doubt that Americans support a standard of excellence for pharmacy technicians.
A recent poll commissioned by PTCB confirms that 91% of American consumers support strong regulations across the country to protect patient safety by requiring that pharmacy technicians are trained and certified. While states like Florida reflect this growing need for action, almost twenty other states still have no requirement for certification. Clearly, consumers are relying on state boards of pharmacy to protect them and enact strong requirements such as Florida’s for pharmacy technicians.
[Entire Article © 2008 Medical News Today]
Pharmacy techwithdraws guilty plea in homicide case
June 17, 2008
A Quincy, Illinois man who pleaded guilty to drug-induced homicide had his sentencing postponed Friday after filing motions to withdraw his guilty plea and hire an attorney.
Caleb Walker, 20, pleaded guilty May 7 in connection with the death last August of 17-year-old Shanae Jacobs. Authorities said Walker, who worked as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens supplied MS Contin pills to a juvenile, who then gave two 200-milligram pills to Jacobs.
The juvenile pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced last week to an indefinite term in the Juvenile Department of Corrections, where he could be held until he’s 21.
Walker faces up to 13 1/2 years in prison. He filed motions to withdraw his guilty plea and hire a private attorney. A Public Defender was appointed by the court to represent Walker.
Judge Scott Walden approved Walker’s request to continue the sentencing so he can hire an attorney. Downey said Walker has “talked to a local attorney,” but did not name him.
Walker will have a status hearing June 30. Motion hearing dates could be set at that time, Walden said.
Authorities said Jacobs’ autopsy showed she had 790 nanograms of the substance in her system, about four times the lethal dose.
[Article Excerpt By RODNEY HART, Staff Writer for the Quincy Herald Whig, Whig.com]
20 CE hours for $24.00
June 8, 2008
Joe Medina at TechLectures is running a special for his MySpace members, where you can get 20 CE credits for only $24.00. That is two years worth of credits required for recertification by the PTCB.
I am sure this is a limited time offer, advertised only for the members of his “RX Tech Talk” MySpace group. But, if you are not a member, just ask nicely… tell him I sent you. He’ll probably give you the deal anyway.
It’s a bargain if you ask me. Sure, I link to Pharmacy CE’s on powerpak. But just how usefull are most of them to today’s technician? Mr. Mendina composed these lessons with the tech in mind. So you are sure to get something out of it.
For more information, Click Here.
Emily’s Law passes Ohio Senate
May 30, 2008
The Ohio Senate has unanimously passed SB 203 known as Emily’s Law.
Senator Tim Grendell sponsored the measure that now goes to the House. The bill was prompted by the tragic death of 2-year-old Emily Jerry. (Read More on Emily Jerry and “Emily’s Act” that is currently in the house.)
The pharmacists, Eric Cropp, has since lost his pharmacist license in Ohio and is now facing criminal charges.
Senator Grendell learned that Ohio has no minimum training, licensing standards, or state oversight of pharmacy technicians. Current law requires only that a technician’s work be overseen by a pharmacist.
Grendell’s legislation establishes criminal penalties for “unauthorized pharmacy-related drug conduct” and “permitting unauthorized pharmacy-related drug conduct and specifies criteria that must be met to be considered a qualified pharmacy technician.”
The bill prohibits the performance of certain activities that are part of the practice of pharmacy unless the person is a pharmacist, pharmacy intern, or “qualified pharmacy technician. ”
Via WKYC.xom
PTCB certifies 300,000
May 20, 2008
Press Release Via PTCB.org:
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) announced today that over 300,000 pharmacy technicians have officially been designated Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT) through successfully completing the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination or transfer process since the program inception in 1995. PTCB is the pioneer in the certification of pharmacy technicians, who play a vital role in assisting pharmacists in serving patients nationwide. Pharmacy technicians work in retail pharmacies, hospitals and health-systems, nursing homes, mail-order pharmacies, and other pharmacy locations. The field is growing - pharmacy technician was named one of the 30 top jobs of 2008 by CareerBuilder.com. Read more
South Carolina Pharmacy Technician Legislation
April 21, 2008
A bill that would increase the tech-to-pharmacist ratio in South Carolina does not serve the public interest, the ASHP told members of the South Carolina Senate Medical Affairs Committee in a letter urging the committee to refer Senate Bill 1156 back to the Medical Affairs Subcommittee for further study.
Senate Bill 1156 proposes to amend Section 40-43-86 of the Pharmacy Practice Act and increase the tech-to-pharmacist ratio from 3:1 with two techs being certified up to 3:1 with only one tech being certified, and 4:1 if there are 2 certified techs on duty. Read more
CPhTLink Contest
April 2, 2008
The First CPhtLink.com contest will be underway soon. It will come in the beloved format of “Can you read this RX”. I am in the search for some of the most crazy illedgable scripts known to mankind. Then, my e-mail box will be open to your guesses.
All correct answers will be entered into the pile for a random drawing. The winner will get a $50 Amazon.com e-gift card.
Fiffty bucks ain’t much, I know. But I’m just a tech. And I just wanted to throw some fun everyones way, and get some people active!
If you have a script that you think would be good for the contest, send it to me at webmaster(at)cphtlink.com. The names and prescripber information will be photoshopped out to protect privacy, and you would be much appreciated for getting some of these contests underway.
What other prizes (within the humble limits of a tech) would appeal to you? 1 year membership in the NPTA? 20 CEU’s from TECH LECTURES?
Let me know. I’ll see what we can swing.
