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Tropical Storm Henri is expected to gain strength and become a hurricane by Saturday. If it continues the predicted path, it could make a rare landfall in New York, Rhode Island or Massachusetts by Sunday. Risks of storm surge, wind, and rain impacts in portions of southern New England and eastern Long Island are increasing.
As with any storm, the predicted path is subject to change, so you are urged to monitor weather information as highlighted below.

Hurricane season began June 1st (May 15th in the Pacific Ocean) and will not officially end until November 30th. September is the most active month for hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean.

Pharmacists Mutual wants to remind everyone to be vigilant regarding predicted storms, their path and intensity.

Patty Elbert – In 1996, Patty joined Pharmacists Mutual as a Life/Health Account Admin. In 2001 she became a Coverage Advisor. In 2017 she was promoted to Coverage Advisor Manager where she remains today. Patty received the Quality Performance award in 1998 and 2002, the Gung Ho Award in 2010, Multi Line Producer Award in 2011, Coverage Advisor Sales Leader in 2014, Coverage Advisor of the Year in 2015 and 2016, and the Relationship RICE Award in 2017. Congratulations on 25 years with Pharmacists Mutual, Patty!

Case study: A patient presents to the pharmacy for a COVID-19 vaccine. During the intake process, the pharmacist mistakenly pulls the Moderna vaccine for a 16-year-old patient. The error is discovered during the documentation process after the injection was given. What should the pharmacist do?

Another court ruling involving pharmacists’ duties in the dispensing of opioid prescriptions has been issued. Like the Ohio case referenced in September 2020, the latest ruling involves the idea of Red Flags and pharmacists’ duty to resolve them. Shortly after the Ohio decision, Walmart filed suit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Eastern District of Texas seeking a declaratory judgment on the obligations of pharmacies and pharmacists under the Controlled Substances Act and its regulations. The basis of Walmart’s claim was that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was seeking to penalize pharmacists based upon a collective knowledge theory even when the individual pharmacist filling the prescription in question had no actual knowledge of any fraud. This idea of aggregating the knowledge of employees across the company is very similar to the ideas outlined by the judge in Ohio.

The Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a National Emphasis Program (NEP), which focuses enforcement efforts on industries that have the greatest number of workers at serious risk of contracting the coronavirus. These are temporary programs, short of issuing an emergency Covid-19 safety standard, which many thought would come after President Biden’s executive order on January 21, asking for stricter and enforceable guidelines.

Pharmacists Mutual cares very much about the well-being of our members. We support the rights of people to assemble and protest injustice peaceably. We stand opposed to any violence and destruction that is perpetrated by groups in the cities and towns that we serve. We know that you are concerned about the civil unrest that has impacted numerous areas of our nation this past year. It is essential to know that you have a trusted partner in Pharmacists Mutual during times like these. You can be confident that we stand ready to respond to any hardship faced by you or your business. As you are aware, a trial will soon begin against the police officer at the center of the George Floyd investigation. While we cannot predict the results of this matter, we can expect that tensions will be high.

As we move beyond the dark path created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we look forward to the prospect of greener pastures afforded through mass vaccinations. While the vaccination will lend itself greater control of the virus, it also presents a series of moral and ethical obligations to business owners of all sizes. There is no one size fits all approach to handling this topic in your workplace. We have created this document of frequently asked questions to help you navigate the vaccination decisions you will ultimately make for your business.

Algona, Iowa – Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, with its century-long legacy for personalized service to its members nationwide, is pleased to unveil professional liability coverage specifically for Pharmacy Technicians. The pharmacy technician profession is ever-changing and expanding. With these changes, there is an increase in professional liability exposure for the technician. Pharmacists Mutual acknowledges the need and has developed a professional liability product specifically tailored to cover a pharmacy technician’s evolving role.

Dear Pharmacists Mutual California Members,

As active COVID-19 cases climb in northern Iowa, I have made the difficult decision to close the PMIG Algona, Iowa office to most employees and the public. Effective Monday, September 21, 2020, all Algona employees, with limited exceptions, will be working remotely.  Similarly, the PMC Advantage offices will be open by appointment only.