I always wanted a career where I could help other people. Being a pharmacy buyer is rewarding because I know that I not only help to provide the medications that make patients feel better and improve their quality of life, but I also am in a position to assist other Pharmacists and Technicians by having the supplies and medications readily available to help them do their best. If I can relieve one person's stress/work load, I find it a very gratifying day.

Name of Facility: McKesson Medication Management

City, State: Pharmacy Management

Years as a Buyer: 5

I took two & half weeks off.. They knew in about 4 days, what a asset I was, by the time I came back, they were so grateful to see me clock in, I could have committed murder, and they would not have cared. The tech " responsible " for buying during my absence, was overwhelmed, and in tears ( from what I heard ) with my director was in a panic, nearing " stroke level ". Job security....a wonderful thing.

Name of Facility: edward white hospital

City, State: hospital

Years as a Buyer: 10

What I give to my hospital (Northeast Ga. Medical Center) as Pharmacy Buyer is being a behind the scene employee that assists with patient health care by procuring medications and supplies needed in the most safe, timely and cost-efficient means possible.

Name of Facility: Northeast Ga. Medical Center

City, State: Acute Care

If you don't have attention deficit disorder when you start as a buyer, you will develop it over time. How many times can you be interrupted in one day before you lose your mind? We get pulled so many ways every day, but we still manage to get the medications stocked on our shelves to serve our patients. It's not magic as much as your staff may think it is, it's a dedicated professional using every trick they have learned to deal with shortages from manufacturer back orders to temporary wholesaler outages. I've been in this challenging profession a long time and I still learn something new every day. Most days I really love my job although if you ask me next week......??

Name of Facility: Eisenhower Medical Center

City, State: Hospital-Private not for profit

Years as a Buyer: 29

I had a new manager start 2 weeks ago and she wanted to spend about 30 minutes with me to get a feel for who am I and what I am about. Well 2 hours later we really hadent got to talk much because being interupted. She said that she started to time our interuptions and she said that they happened about every 7 minutes and stated that she was amazed how I got anything done and how nice I was about being interupted so many times. I guess what I am saying..in the mist of chaos..comes clarity!

Name of Facility: Mount Carmel Medical Center

City, State: Teaching Hospital

Years as a Buyer: 8

Just meeting other Buyers and listening to the speakers for the past two years confirmed what I have been doing for the past several years. I was not sure if I was on the right path..the position was placed with no instruction to how..but, so far so good...it seemed everyone at the conference on the same path..some ahead and some a little behind..with the help of PPO everyone should be in line

Name of Facility: San Joaquin Community Hospital

City, State: Hospital

Years as a Buyer: ????

Being a Pharmacy Inventory Control Coordinator has allowed me to Make A Difference. There are countless ways that each of us make that difference everyday. Some of the significant contributions I make are buying right (reduction of costs year after year), verification (finding the $$ where we have been overcharged per our contract), financials (I do a financial analysis each month to show where we spent the money that goes to our CEO), keeping track of the money ( I have spread sheets that keep track of such things as rebates, reverse distribution $$ we receive, various financial analysis opportunties to save $$, opportunity savings for other departments where they could buy the item from the wholesaler cheaper than thru the normal Central Supply channels), writing policies & procedures including a Pharmacy requisition policy and paperwork for all medications procured by other department & clinics through out our organization, corresponding with our other system hospitals about issues I discover and in general being organizated and paying attention to details. I have really enjoyed the last 2 year's PPO conferences to learn more from all of you and getting to network with others that have similar issues. I am very fortunate to have a supportive Director and other Clinical Management.

Name of Facility: St. Francis Health Center

City, State: Acute

Years as a Buyer: 25+ in hard goods & 4 in Hospital Pharmacy

My first job as a technician I was awed by our pharmacy buyer. In the beginning I wasn't sure what she did, but she did it so well! I knew instantly that I wanted to eventually have this wonderful lady's job. This woman managed our inventory and did it with such a professional attitude! It took me 20 years to attain my goal of becoming a pharmacy buyer. These 20 years were well spent as I gained knowledge and experiences I use everyday to make key decisions to select the correct product for our inventory. I look back on these many years and am amazed at how much technology has changed. Do any of you remember looking up pricing information on a microfich? My advice to other buyers is to always move forward in technology...don't keep all of your purchasing information to yourself, have it written down in a book. Keeping the information tucked away is not a good form of job security!...If you are afraid of a new computer skill, get to know the new program and master it. You will feel an enormous sense of accomplishment!

Happy Buyer's Day to all of my collegues!

Name of Facility: McKesson Medication Management

City, State: Manage Hospital Pharmacys across the US & Puerto Rico

Years as a Buyer: 10