Tales From the Trenches: Overcoming Pharmacy Challenges

Let’s be honest. As you go about the average day at your specialty pharmacy, how many times do you think, “There’s got to be a better way to do this.” Or, “Why do so many patients do that?” Everyone has stories.

Inovalon gathered some of the best tales about pharmacy challenges from our own internal experts to celebrate American Pharmacists Month. Be ready to nod along with these light-hearted misery-loves-company stories.

“I feel fine now” … famous last words

Ah yes, the classic disappearing act: patient starts a new medication, feels better … and poof! Stops taking it.

Despite our best counseling – explaining how meds for chronic conditions aren’t one-and-done magic tricks – some patients still treat them like antibiotics for a sore throat. “I feel fine now,” they say. And we sigh. Because feeling better doesn’t mean they are better.

Especially with biologics, we’re not just chasing symptoms, we’re targeting the root cause. So yes, your rash, pain, or swelling might be gone, but the underlying issue? Still hanging out.

We don’t want to nag, but we do want to help patients understand that these medications are more like long-term bodyguards than quick fixes. Just because the villain’s hiding doesn’t mean the danger’s gone. If only there was a script that made that message stick the first time.

— Christen Roy, Pharm.D.

Welcome to the pressure cooker

My training ground? A pharmacy cranking out 300 to 400 scripts a day with one pharmacist and a couple of overworked techs (🙋🏽‍♂️me). It was chaos, plain and simple – but it’s where I learned to thrive.

Every shift felt like a survival challenge. Ten patients deep at the counter, each expecting their meds to magically be in stock, filled instantly, with no copay – and definitely no questions. Meanwhile, we had 20 bins waiting to be filled, another 10 queued up for final check, and a separate stack needing urgent calls to prescribers. Oh, and don’t forget the reports printing nonstop, the cycle counts, the shipments still boxed up, and the phones that never, ever stopped ringing.

I remember being asked once why our phone stats showed a six-second response time. Six seconds. In the middle of an actual avalanche.

But here’s the thing: I loved it. That pressure cooker taught me patience, hustle, and how to think fast while juggling 12 tasks at once. It also showed me everything that doesn’t work in pharmacy – and gave me a deep appreciation for the systems and technology that actually do.

Looking back, those days shaped me. They gave me grit. And perspective. And a permanent twitch when I hear three phones ring at once.

— Faruq Abdullah, Pharm.D.

Hot seat compounding: When pharmacy went full MacGyver

It was a chilly Monday morning in the infusion pharmacy, and the team was already bracing for a full schedule of custom compound mixing. Spirits were high – until the warming machine let out a sad beep and died. Just like that, the one reliable device for thawing frozen meds was officially out of commission.

Cue the panic.

“Do we have a backup?”
“Nope.”
“Can we microwave it?”
“Absolutely not unless you want a call from Regulatory.”

And so began the great thaw improvisation of the century.

Plan A: One tech tried holding the frozen bag in her hands like a baby bird.
Plan B: Another tucked it into her scrub pocket like a secret snack.
Plan C: The pharmacist, ever the innovator, sat on it.

Yes, sat on it.

“Body heat is a resource,” she declared, perched on a towel-covered bag like it was a heated seat at Lambeau Field. “We’re compounding with dignity and determination.”

Soon, the whole team joined in. Bags were tucked under armpits, nestled in hoodie pockets, and one brave soul even wore a lab coat like a trench coat to hide the fact that he had three bags warming in his waistband.

It was weird. It was wonderful. It worked.

By noon, the meds were thawed, the compounds were flowing, and the warming machine was still very much broken – but morale was sky-high. The team had turned a frustrating situation into a pharmacy version of survival mode, complete with laughter, teamwork, and a new appreciation for body heat.

— Holly Wieneke, Pharm.D.

“But I have great insurance…”

The call starts out fine.

Pharmacy: Hi! We got your prescription and we’re working on it.
Patient: Awesome! Can you send it tomorrow?
Pharmacy: Well … it needs a prior authorization.
Patient: My doctor said I need it. I want it tomorrow.
Pharmacy: Totally understand. We just need a little more info from your doctor before your insurance will approve it.
Patient: But I pay a lot for my insurance. Everything should be covered.

And … cue the loop. We’ve all been there.

No one’s wrong, everyone’s frustrated. The patient needs their medication. The pharmacy’s stuck in limbo. The insurer wants more documentation. And somehow, everyone’s looking at us like we’re the ones dragging our feet. It’s a mess. A predictable, preventable, data-based mess.

The reality? This would go a lot smoother if only the systems could talk to each other. If coverage details, clinical info, and PA requirements were accessible in real time. Every person in this conversation – patient, provider, pharmacist – is a walking data point. And when that data connects, care moves faster.

Because at the end of the day, data has a story to tell. We just need to make sure the right people can hear it.

— Christen Roy, Pharm.D.

Paging Dr. Distracted: Lessons from a lunch-and-learn

One of the more unexpected highlights of my pharmacy residency? Presenting drug info recaps to internal medicine providers who had submitted questions via a simple app.

The idea was smart: meet providers where they are – on their phones – and deliver answers in a mobile-friendly, easy-to-reference format. The reality? I was presenting to a rotating cast of interns running on fumes, halfway through 80-hour hospital weeks in downtown Atlanta.

Let’s just say attention spans weren’t at their peak.

Attendance ranged anywhere from five to 25 people, depending on how good the food was (shoutout to my residency director’s catering instincts). But for me, it wasn’t about the headcount; it was about figuring out how to hold the room.

Because even though we were all part of the same hospital ecosystem, our day-to-day realities were worlds apart. I had to learn fast that delivering value wasn’t just about nailing the clinical details, it was about cutting through the noise. Over time, I adapted. Tighter intros, punchier takeaways, fewer slides, more eye contact – even if that eye contact was often aimed at someone half-asleep behind a sandwich.

Building strong provider relationships can be challenging, especially when you’re not working side-by-side. But if you can find the right message – and the right delivery format – you can earn their attention. And once that door cracks open? You’ve got a shot at real collaboration.

— David Book, Pharm.D.

Solving pharmacy challenges with single system simplicity

The pharmacists in these stories share common skills: Tenacity, patience, and the ability to ask the right questions. When things don’t work as they should, specialty pharmacists don’t panic – they pivot.

Inovalon’s ScriptMed^® is purpose-built to address the daily frustrations of heavy administrative burdens and inefficient workflows. With just one solution to use for all your tasks, you’ll have one less thing to worry about throughout the day.

To discover smart ways to overcome your next pharmacy challenge (and plan your pivot), check out this resource page.

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