What's going on at work

While I've been busy running and sweating and taking classes, work has been buzzing in the background, too. This has been a pretty good year for my store. 

- I successfully pursued and added a new line of specialty business that has made up for some big losses due to contract changes
- My sales are the highest in my district fiscal year to date, which is kind of crazy since I'm only a pharmacy: no front end. So my little shoebox-sized pharmacy brings in more dollars than the huge store on the corner that sells sundresses, wine, vitamins, and school supplies.
- My pharmacy volume is up 36% year over year.
- I have been battling a competitor for a certain specific type of patient from a specific provider, and I finally got the upper hand. This competitor has locations in Mississippi, so getting licensed in Mississippi was a big part of overtaking them; the truth is, though, they hurt themselves by being dishonest with the client. Because Medicare gets to make whatever rules they want, the limited drugs covered under Medicare part B are reimbursed at the generic rate, regardless of whether you dispense brand or generic. So if the doctor requested brand, the competitor would report, "Oh, brand is not covered for that patient." Well, that's not true. Brand IS covered, but the pharmacy looses some money on it. But those are not the same thing! Once the client realized what was going on, they were understandably annoyed, and I finally started getting the bulk of the referrals.
- With my newly increased hours (this spring), I've been able to get out and do more clinical work. This week I did an inservice on PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV) for some of the doctors, which was a great way to collaborate and share ideas on the topic.

But we have had major challenges, too.

- Turnover. Gah. Nothing but. I loose pharmacists like crazy over here. I train them well, then they get promoted! And one tech had a baby and decided to leave the workforce.
- I am so over my manager. He has no idea what I do and therefore only bothers me with the most trivial and trifling of tasks, ignoring the fact that I am doing better than any of the other stores he manages. He's completely out of touch with the business. Luckily, the way our company works...no way is he going to be around forever if he doesn't change.
- Every single piece of equipment in my pharmacy has broken this month.
- Contracting is always an issue. We lose huge dollars and loyal customers over contracting changes.

Anyway, I'm surviving, busy, and still enjoying my job, so that's a plus! How's your work?