Jim Plagakis, RPh, Contributing Editor

Contributing Editor Jim Plagakis, RPh, is a community pharmacist. He lives in Galveston, Tx. Please e-mail him at jpgakis@hotmail.com and send a copy to drugtopics@advanstar.com.

Unkempt appearance is often the pharmacist's first clue that a drug-chaser has entered the store.

The one condition that is probably shared by most pharmacists can harm marriages, health, and jobs. But it comes with the job, so what do we do about that?

Before the concept of "networking" became necessary, professional colleagues were often friends as well as peers, gathering regularly to compare notes, have fun, and support each other through difficult times. The loss of that connection has impoverished today's practice of pharmacy.

As many a pharmacist can testify, sometimes a momentary encounter makes an impression that will last a lifetime.

What dancing was to Travolta, pharmacy practice is to Plagakis. But when he rates himself as a husband, the Plagakis jig turns into cringe.

Once his trip through the reimbursement meat grinder softened up the young MD, the pharmacist delivered some home truths — and a prescription for faster relief.

"A pharmacist on the line is a priority; I won't make a pharmacist wait unnecessarily. When a colleague calls me, I'll drop everything to take that call."

A middle-aged pharmacist contemplates intimations of mortality.

Homelessness and mental illness often go hand-in-hand.