Your Pharmacist Is a Whore

Book excerpt: If you think the big retail pharmacy chains and hospital corporations are concerned about your safety, think again. Today's pharmacists are struggling to keep patients safe while meeting the ever escalating demands of their employers. In her book "Your Pharmacist is a Whore, How pharmacists lost control of their profession and why you should care," Kim Ankenbruck, a 34 year pharmacy veteran, points out the danger you face every time you get a prescription or medication order filled. While pharmacists are incredibly detail oriented and excellent multitaskers by nature, the current workplace is chaotic and stressful due to the increased demands of upper management, coupled with staff cuts and the promotion of non pharmacist personnel over the pharmacists. At the end of the book, Kim provides contact information and sample letters you can send to both government agencies and the CEO's of the various chain pharmacies. The letters bring up many of the issues experienced by patients, as well as holding the powers that be accountable for their part in these shortcomings and demanding that they clean up their act. This book is a call to action for pharmacists and patients to stand up and push for positive change in the healthcare system, as well as an informative behind the scenes look at the profession and business of pharmacy.