The local pharmacy (rant)

lorie d. · Mar 18, 2010

First I need to give some background information. I have a chronic medical condition which means I need to refill my prescriptions for several expensive drugs once a month, none of these are available in generic form. I also have a high deductible insurance plan through work which includes a health savings account. I also want to say I live in a very small town that only has two pharmacies.

Yesterday I needed to refill my prescriptions for this month, and as usual, the people at this pharmacy were just lounging around and started making negative comments about the high cost of my medications. The least expensive medication isn't included in the insuranace companies formulary, and I have chosen to pay for this drug on my own, the pharmacy staff don't like this either. This includes the joke of a person who is the "store manager". Then when I payed for majority of my medications in cash and put the balance on my credit card, I was told I was making everything too complicated.

The store is owned by a small local coorporation, and I am sick of putting up with all this stuff, so when I got home I called the main office and made a complaint. I was told the situation would be handled, the company president would be told about it, and people would be disaplined. I am thinking about never going back to this store again.

My question is if I change pharmacies, can I tell the other pharmacist what happened, or do these people stick up for each other the way doctors do? Sorry it got so long.

icklemiss21 · Mar 18, 2010

The people will be individuals, so its hard to tell if they will be friends and stick up for each other - as far as I am concerned, they shouldn't care how you pay for your meds .

As far as the other pharmacy, if its a small enough town, people will notice and talk, so it may be best to mention something to the pharmacist and let him/her know in advance the number of medications you take and that not all of it will be covered by insurance and you pay for different meds in different ways so that it isn't an issue (not that it should be anyway, people pay at the grocery store with gift cards, cash and credit card)

strange_wings · Mar 18, 2010

I'm sorry they treated you like that.

Honestly, they're there to do their job and make sure you have the right medications/ no interactions, etc. They're not there to run commentary on your life. Personally I would have said something directly to them, and probably not been polite about it since it sounds like they were going beyond rude.

I hope they get in trouble, but I can understand you wanting to switch.

You don't have to tell the other pharmacy anything personal if you do not wish to. But if you do, I'd keep it simple and not talk bad about them - it would only make you look bad.

They get their money, as long as all the meds are paid for and legal no one has any right to hassle you.

gloriajh · Mar 18, 2010

I agree about not talking bad about the other pharmacy - the new pharmacy might see YOU as a problem customer instead of the other way around.

I guess you can't get your drugs mailed to you? I understand mail-order is a little better priced.

natalie_ca · Mar 18, 2010

I'm not really seeing the problem.

Are you upset that they seem to be "lounging around"? A small town pharmacy isn't busy 24/7, so there are lull times when there are no prescriptions to be filled. I know from having worked in a drug store that when the pharmacist and their techs were caught up, they sat around behind the pharmacy counter "taking a break" and didn't come out onto the the rest of the floor to stock shelves and stuff. Their job is behind the pharmacy counter.

You mentioned that you pay for your meds with cash and credit card. That's acceptable, but it really does complicate things. I don't see a problem with them having said that to you. I think you're being a little sensitive about that.

If the fact that the clerk told you it was a complicated transaction bothers you, just go to the pharmacist and tell them that the statement bothered you and that for your own reasons you have to pay for them the way that you are.

Open communication is the best thing.

My experience is "don't burn bridges", especially when you live in a small town and have limited access to things. You don't want to find yourself in a position of not being able to go to either pharmacy because you feel they are talking about you or something.

nurseangel · Mar 18, 2010

The pharmacy you have a problem with will get the message if you switch. The only thing I can think of is that if the new pharmacy happens to be out of one of your meds, you may have to return to the old pharmacy to fill your Rx. I agree completely that the staff members shouldn't complain to a customer about the way they pay. Even if they were saying it in a joking manner, I really don't think it's appropriate.

pushylady · Mar 19, 2010

I see it as all appropriate for them to complain about the way you're paying. What, it takes them an extra couple of minutes to make the transaction? It's not like they're run off their feet by the sounds of it, and what's it to them how much your meds cost? It's not coming out of their pay!
I don't think you're being at all over sensitive. From what you've written this is an on-going thing with their rude, unprofessional attitudes and bad service.

spudsmom · Mar 19, 2010

Originally Posted by pushylady

I see it as all appropriate for them to complain about the way you're paying. What, it takes them an extra couple of minutes to make the transaction? It's not like they're run off their feet by the sounds of it, and what's it to them how much your meds cost? It's not coming out of their pay!
I don't think you're being at all over sensitive. From what you've written this is an on-going thing with their rude, unprofessional attitudes and bad service.

I don't think you are being over-sensitive either. They have NO PLACE complaining about the manner in which you pay. That should NEVER be something that comes out of their mouth. If the OWNER has a problem with it, then HE needs to say something about it, on the side and where there is no one else in hearing range.
I worked in a pharmacy for many years and we were very discreet with our customers. My boss even had lots of people with in-house charge accounts. If they fell behind, it was never up to one of the employees to say something to the customer. He would put a flag on their account and then we would refer them to the Pharmacist or manager. Customer service just isn't the same anymore!
Gosh...I sound like a dinosaur, but some things are just common sense.

strange_wings · Mar 19, 2010

Originally Posted by spudsmom

Customer service just isn't the same anymore!

And that's basically it. I don't care if they're pharmacists (or techs) they still need to provide good customer service. It's actually even more important in their job because they need to be able to communicate well and politely to keep their customers healthy.

laureen227 · Mar 19, 2010

Originally Posted by GloriaJH

I agree about not talking bad about the other pharmacy - the new pharmacy might see YOU as a problem customer instead of the other way around.

just say, if asked, that you weren't happy w/the other pharm's customer service.

they probably won't even ask... altho i wouldn't be surprised if the old pharm person blithely informed them that YOU were the problem, not them. people have no tact.

i'd think HIPPA laws should prevent talking like that - but that means you'd have to have proof.

c1atsite · Mar 20, 2010

I blame the corporation. I can only imagine the pharmacy folks chose pharmacy as a profession because they like chemistry and biology, not insurance. (Let's not mention high pay, that's beside the point) (And yes, I do realize clerical work is part of pharmacy but no job should be two full-time jobs rolled into one) Insurance/clerical ho-hum stuff is probably taking up more of their time these days since times are a-changin' in the USA

, BUT this is why I think it's the corporation's fault for not providing employee training workshops - For example one workshop could be named "Accurately Coping With All Types of Insurance Challenges" or something like that. I think the comment you received was insensitive and you did the right thing by contacting the main office. Please understand I'm not defending the manager or whomever it was that said you're making things complicated. He/she was definitely in the wrong although I think I can "kind of" see where they're coming from.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

And that's basically it. I don't care if they're pharmacists (or techs) they still need to provide good customer service. It's actually even more important in their job because they need to be able to communicate well and politely to keep their customers healthy.

icklemiss21 · Mar 20, 2010

Originally Posted by c1atsite

I blame the corporation. I can only imagine the pharmacy folks chose pharmacy as a profession because they like chemistry and biology, not insurance. (Let's not mention high pay, that's beside the point) (And yes, I do realize clerical work is part of pharmacy but no job should be two full-time jobs rolled into one) Insurance/clerical ho-hum stuff is probably taking up more of their time these days since times are a-changin' in the USA

, BUT this is why I think it's the corporation's fault for not providing employee training workshops - For example one workshop could be named "Accurately Coping With All Types of Insurance Challenges" or something like that. I think the comment you received was insensitive and you did the right thing by contacting the main office. Please understand I'm not defending the manager or whomever it was that said you're making things complicated. He/she was definitely in the wrong although I think I can "kind of" see where they're coming from.

In that case, they should be happy that she was paying for her own Rx on one med, not complaining.

My job, I do tech work, design, administration, government relations, accounting, organise travel all rolled into one, its rare that anyone has a job where they do just one thing

yosemite · Mar 20, 2010

You are the customer and they have no business speaking to you that way. They are there to administer a service and not to judge people. I would complain to the owner/manager. These people need to learn some manners.

lorie d. · Mar 23, 2010

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I'm not really seeing the problem.

Are you upset that they seem to be "lounging around"? A small town pharmacy isn't busy 24/7, so there are lull times when there are no prescriptions to be filled. I know from having worked in a drug store that when the pharmacist and their techs were caught up, they sat around behind the pharmacy counter "taking a break" and didn't come out onto the the rest of the floor to stock shelves and stuff. Their job is behind the pharmacy counter.

You mentioned that you pay for your meds with cash and credit card. That's acceptable, but it really does complicate things. I don't see a problem with them having said that to you. I think you're being a little sensitive about that.

If the fact that the clerk told you it was a complicated transaction bothers you, just go to the pharmacist and tell them that the statement bothered you and that for your own reasons you have to pay for them the way that you are.

Open communication is the best thing.

My experience is "don't burn bridges", especially when you live in a small town and have limited access to things. You don't want to find yourself in a position of not being able to go to either pharmacy because you feel they are talking about you or something.

No I'm not being too sensitive. Actually, a lot of people have had issues with this pharmacy and have switched to the other store, so maybe there won't be any questions. And as far as being upset about people lounging around, I work at a nursing home where I work very very hard. People shouldn't imply they're working hard when they're not. If I ever told one of the residents they were making my job difficult, I would be immediately fired. I think every business should have an absolute zero tolerance policy regarding employees making any kind of stupid or negative comment to customers.

The local pharmacy (rant)

lorie d.

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icklemiss21

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strange_wings

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gloriajh

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natalie_ca

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nurseangel

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pushylady

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spudsmom

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strange_wings

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laureen227

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c1atsite

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icklemiss21

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yosemite

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lorie d.

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