As a Counseling Pharmacist in Medco Health's Call Center Pharmacies, my career has really taken a different turn! It is quite a change to be able to practice in a pharmacy that doesn't dispense any medications. Instead, I actually get to focus on using my clinical and cognitive skills, dispensing information and knowledge.

It's 9:00a.m. and I'm ready to counsel my first patient of the day. I have my PC up and running with the Micromedex drug information system and Facts and Comparisons. I also have access to the complete drug profiles of all our 65 million members. Having all this information at my fingertips makes it a lot easier for me to counsel patients on their drug therapy and provide comprehensive health (or disease) management.

As patients have questions about a medication they may have just received from our Home Delivery Pharmacy Program or even one they picked up at a community pharmacy, they will call a toll-free number and ask me to help them. Although it is a little different way of counseling from my former job in a chain store, I don't feel so rushed or get pulled away for other things. I can take the time necessary to fully answer the questions. Patients seem to be more comfortable asking questions in this way as well, because they are calling from home and are not in a busy store with many distractions. They also like the convenience (from home) and privacy.