A few weeks ago, I sent in a prescription for an opioid medication for a longtime patient of mine. And when the pharmacist called and left a message, I immediately got angry.

Why was he questioning my authority?

As a result, I went into the conversation ready for a fight. And I’m not proud of the way I treated the pharmacist—who was simply trying to do better by my patient.

Dr. Melissa Turner, PharmD, knows what it’s like to interact with rude doctors. She spent eight years working as a Retail pharmacist at CVS Health before Burnout drove her away.

Today, Dr. Turner runs Tarheel PGx Consulting, a business that offers patients personalized medication and nutrition management based on their genetics.

On this episode of Tell Me More, Dr. Turner joins me to describe a day in the life of a retail pharmacist, discussing what they do beyond counting pills and putting them in bottles.

Dr. Turner shares some of her most challenging conversations with providers, including a traumatic experience with a doctor who threatened to report her for not filling a subscription.

Listen in to understand why Dr. Turner left retail pharmacy and find out how doctors can improve our conversations with retail pharmacists and work together for the good of our patients.

Key Takeaways 

How I got defensive when a pharmacist called me with feedback on how we might do better by a patient

Dr. Turner’s traumatic experience of being verbally attacked by a doctor who threatened to report her

Why there’s a lack of appreciation for retail pharmacists among patients and providers

A day in the life of a retail pharmacist and what they do beyond counting pills and putting them in bottles

The important role pharmacists play in alerting doctors to potential drug interactions and allergy issues

The immunization goals retail pharmacists are required to meet in addition to their many other duties

How the opportunity to help people inspired Dr. Turner to chose a career in pharmacy

Why Dr. Turner made the decision to leave retail pharmacy and turn in her 2 weeks’ notice at CVS

How the Happy PharmD program helped Dr. Turner start her own business in pharmacogenomics and nutrigenetic testing

How Dr. Turner’s life has changed for the better since she left retail pharmacy to start her own business

What doctors can do to improve our conversations with and help prevent burnout among retail pharmacists

Connect with Dr. Turner

Dr. Turner on LinkedIn

Tarheel PGx Consulting

Connect with Dr. Meyer

Dr. Meyer’s Website

Dr. Meyer on Facebook

Dr. Meyer on Twitter

Dr. Meyer on LinkedIn

Email christine@christinemeyermd.com

Resources 

The Happy PharmD Program

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Christine Meyer Internal Medicine Doctor

I am an internal medicine doctor with 20-plus years of experience. 19 years ago, I started my practice. Since then, it has grown to 20 clinicians and is the region's largest privately owned primary care practice. I am passionate about preserving the private medical practice and improving doctor-patient communication. My podcast hosts doctors and patients alike in the hopes of bridging the gap between them.