This week

Last week before the GST hike kicks in.

A lot of patients trying to get the long supply ( approx 6 months +) items before the extra 2% comes in and to get their more expensive drugs such as Forsamax, Actonel and Evista.

Some patients came in with their expired prescriptions (normal scripts - 1 yr from date; CD scripts expire in 30 days). Some of them really bugged me at triage while I'm clearing the nong nong queue - and I tot I could have it easy since the chewren hols are soooo over. But noooo the ladies are now free-er since their chewren or grandchewren are in skool.

Met a patient who came in without script and insisted we dispense - it is as if not many knew that a original complete script (date, signature of doc, name of doc, place of practice of doc, drug, dose, duration, patient's name and address) is required. Depending on the severity of the matter or whether we can entertain such cases, we had to call the doc and ask for authorisation and a prescription to dispense.

Got another bring a photocopied script and left the original for safekeeping.... Luckily that patient not so hard-up one.

Got another no show at clinic for so nong and so many times then come in to ask for emergency supply to tie over until next appointment.

Then there's one who came down from the wards to ask whether nutritional supplements are claimable by medisave or not then about this supplement that supplement. What's worse was the patient came down during the peak hours. The patient was a bit unhappy that we could not entertain her enough.

Then we had drugs with short expiry and the patient complained why the expiry is so short and the patient demanded a discount for the product in lieu of the short expiry. Shouting at the pharmacist some more. The script calls for a short supply and what we issue is within the expiry date (= manufacturer's warranty). As long as it works, please take it or forego a period of therapy. So do you want to withhold therapy for some time while waiting for "better expiry date" or would you want to take the medication which is still under the manufacturer's warranty? Choice is yours. The price is fixed by the hospital's board, so please quit yelling - I assume you don't yell at your doctor or nurse right?


After knocking off, I had to stay back a while to check through some papers since my uni's e-library membership is expired. Then the EP people ask me to pop by to do some translation for a Chinese patient. My Chinese sux, need to revise. Apparently the hyperative son had a severe attack of asthma but themother didn't want him to be warded. Turns out that she had gotten an aerochamber and was using it wrongly.

The dose of the salbutamol was very high although tapering and the turbuhaler worked better than the MDI. The son had been using a spacer the following manner:
- Spray
- Breathe
- Hold for 10 seconds....=,=
- Spray

Should be be
- Spray
- Breathe in and out 10 times.
- Spray again

I would like to reiterate the role of the pharmacist.
- We are not there as shopkeepers
- We are there to help you make sense and make the best of your drug therapy
- We are there as authorities in drug therapy and there to ensure rational use of drugs to reach therapeutic endpoints.
- We would appreciate a level of respect given to all the other medical professionals. Work with us, and we'll work with you to ensure optimum health.
- We need time to prepare your medications and do the necessary intervention lest a mistake happens and there's dire consequences.
- We hope that you give us a listening ear, so as to understand the reason behind why you are taking such steps in your health management.