I realize that you were supposed to receive Vicodin. I realize that what we took over the phone was actually Darvocet. I realize again that the office is telling you that they called in Vicodin, not Darvocet, and you think we are the ones who messed up.
But when I look at the hardcopy and see Darvocet written, I have to believe that's what the nurse actually called into us. So you giving me the "I'm sitting here in pain" story is nice, but you have shown in the past that you are not the most pleasant, and also tend to leave out important details when it comes to filling stuff with us.
I can't do anything until your office calls us back to clarify what was written. I completely believe that it's supposed to be Vicodin, but I can't just change it because you said so.
K, thanks.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Things that cause pharmacy madness
These are just a few of the things that will cause us pharmacy staff to go a little more insane every day that we work.
Oh, and I'm aware it's been a while since I wrote. Between the two jobs and trying to get things settled at my apartment, it's been a wee bit hectic.
The first thing is calling the pharmacy with a massive complaint like the one that was left on our voicemail yesterday morning. Some lady called threatening to sue us for all we were worth if we didn't remove her profile from our computer. She was quite adament about the suing us part, but I had never heard of her.
Sure enough, when I looked in the computer, she was nowhere to be found. She later called and apologized for the threats, but still demanded we remove her from our computer. I told her she was never in our computer, she said thank you, and hung up.
The second thing is a retail thing apparently. At my retail job, we have three cash registers. Usually one person is running the front and using just one register. This part is important. See, when we run our registers, only one register is used by each person. Therefore, when there's a line, it's assumed everyone will walk up to the open register after the person is finished in front of them. However, there's always one person who messes this up.
Sure enough, last night, I had a line of people. The first two people came up to the right register. I rang them out with no issues and then walked up the third person. Instead of walking up to my counter like everyone else had, she walks over to the counter next to me, sets all her stuff down, then looks at me like I'm supposed to walk over there. After telling her I can help her at the register I'm at, she huffed, picked up her stuff, and tossed it on my counter.
Let me pause to say that I would've gladly helped her move her things if she had shown any sense of competence, but since she didn't and she huffed on top of it, forget it.
Later, I had another woman who had one medication come up at $20. It never ceases to amaze me when they ask "didn't my insurance cover this?" Well, let's see. This is an osteo med with no generic that normally runs a couple hundred dollars without insurance. I'd say they did. They always look so shocked when I tell them this detail though.
Look, I know people don't generally know much about medication costs and all that. But $20 for Boniva is pretty damn good. I'd be more upset if I was the lady picking up Singulair for $70 just for one month. But that's me.
It just goes to show how different people are.
Oh, and I'm aware it's been a while since I wrote. Between the two jobs and trying to get things settled at my apartment, it's been a wee bit hectic.
The first thing is calling the pharmacy with a massive complaint like the one that was left on our voicemail yesterday morning. Some lady called threatening to sue us for all we were worth if we didn't remove her profile from our computer. She was quite adament about the suing us part, but I had never heard of her.
Sure enough, when I looked in the computer, she was nowhere to be found. She later called and apologized for the threats, but still demanded we remove her from our computer. I told her she was never in our computer, she said thank you, and hung up.
The second thing is a retail thing apparently. At my retail job, we have three cash registers. Usually one person is running the front and using just one register. This part is important. See, when we run our registers, only one register is used by each person. Therefore, when there's a line, it's assumed everyone will walk up to the open register after the person is finished in front of them. However, there's always one person who messes this up.
Sure enough, last night, I had a line of people. The first two people came up to the right register. I rang them out with no issues and then walked up the third person. Instead of walking up to my counter like everyone else had, she walks over to the counter next to me, sets all her stuff down, then looks at me like I'm supposed to walk over there. After telling her I can help her at the register I'm at, she huffed, picked up her stuff, and tossed it on my counter.
Let me pause to say that I would've gladly helped her move her things if she had shown any sense of competence, but since she didn't and she huffed on top of it, forget it.
Later, I had another woman who had one medication come up at $20. It never ceases to amaze me when they ask "didn't my insurance cover this?" Well, let's see. This is an osteo med with no generic that normally runs a couple hundred dollars without insurance. I'd say they did. They always look so shocked when I tell them this detail though.
Look, I know people don't generally know much about medication costs and all that. But $20 for Boniva is pretty damn good. I'd be more upset if I was the lady picking up Singulair for $70 just for one month. But that's me.
It just goes to show how different people are.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Umm....
I recently had a little old lady walk up to my pharmacy door to tell me how she wasn't going to pick up her meds because she left her bank card at home. She never takes it anywhere because she never has to use it (makes me wonder about her grocery store trips) so she'll be back next week to pick up her stuff.
That wasn't what was remarkable about this conversation. I have conversations like that with people all the time. What made it interesting was her rant about how she hates when people write half in cursive, half in regular print. She went so far as to call it disgusting.
All while rolling a half-smoked cigarette in her hand.
That she promptly went outside to smoke.
Now I'm not one to say anything about people who smoke. If you want to, by all means go for it. It's your choice. I know most smokers would stop if they could. They know it's not the cleanest habit in the world. She had no problem rolling this thing around her hand for 5 minutes and that's fine.
But the writing was disgusting?
Ummmm....
That wasn't what was remarkable about this conversation. I have conversations like that with people all the time. What made it interesting was her rant about how she hates when people write half in cursive, half in regular print. She went so far as to call it disgusting.
All while rolling a half-smoked cigarette in her hand.
That she promptly went outside to smoke.
Now I'm not one to say anything about people who smoke. If you want to, by all means go for it. It's your choice. I know most smokers would stop if they could. They know it's not the cleanest habit in the world. She had no problem rolling this thing around her hand for 5 minutes and that's fine.
But the writing was disgusting?
Ummmm....
Friday, July 23, 2010
The pharmacy environment
It's admittedly a difficult job to do sometimes.
Between people demanding things that you can't do, medications being out of stock, seven different phone lines ringing while you're stuck at the drive-thru, and an unhappy pharmacist, retail pharmacy can suck the life out of you real quick.
Especially if you work at a busy store like mine.
Closed door pharmacy offers its own challenges (especially given the environment I'm working in), but the stress level pales in comparison to retail.
Part of this is because retail is just so much more business orientated. You're taught to bring in business, bring in scripts, get them in and out as quickly as possibly, and oh, if they do happen to have a question, try to wrap it up neatly. We're graded on how long they have to wait with no consideration for circumstances that are beyond our control.
They aren't patients in retail, they're customers. They have money, you want that money, and you are expected to do whatever it takes to bring them in so they can spend that money. The store I work in would do half the business without a pharmacy simply because people shop around while they wait. Quite frankly, I'm amazed at how much people can find in a store to buy in 15 minutes while we're talking about it.
There's a level of separation though. You don't get to know the customer as well because you don't have time. It's more of an assembly line than a patient care facility. In the few instances where I've seen someone take up more than 10 minutes of my pharmacist's time, someone else is pissed off because it's taking so long. God forbid it be on the phone even.
Retail has made people impatient, but worse, it caters to that impatience.
Then it was decided that we needed to be telemarketers too by having us call people five days a week to tell them they need to get their refills filled. Automatic refills, okay. Then you're giving people a choice. You want me to fill your amlodipine every month so you don't have to call in? That's fine. I mean, I know the refill line was difficult to use (putting the time in is something that some have never figured out), but don't worry about it.
Then there are the people who are mad because we didn't call the doctor 37 times after their refill ran out, nevermind that we did call every day and fax twice. Don't be proactive (god I hate that word now too) and call your own doctor after YOU notice on your label that the refills are out. No, yell at us after the doctor hasn't had time to get back to us because 7 other pharmacies are also requesting refills for customers just like you.
Yet I still like what I do and it's easy to explain why.
For every 5 pain in the ass customers we have, there's at least one who's nice, understanding, and has a sense of humor. The best customers are the ones I can joke with about how things are going, who understand they just watched 4 people demand to wait in front of them, who won't get mad when I say it might be 20 minutes to get this ready. They are the kind of customer who smiles, says don't worry about it, and will be back in a couple of hours.
They are the ones that make it worth it.
The other job, we actually have five minutes to discuss what's going on. I had a 15 minute conversation with someone the other other day and actually didn't feel rushed like I usually would.
This isn't me slamming retail and saying it's the worst thing ever. It's not. There are far worse jobs that you could have. All I'm saying is with a few minor changes, everyone's lives could be much easier, less stressful, and a little more productive. Those changes will never come, but it's nice to dream about them.
In fact, I might write about some of those things I'd like.
First on that list, no more damn gift cards. Or waiting in the drive-thru. Hell, a lot of things could go first on this list.
Hope everyone has a good weekend if I don't post again today. I will not be back online until Monday since I won't have internet set up in my apartment for a couple more weeks.
Between people demanding things that you can't do, medications being out of stock, seven different phone lines ringing while you're stuck at the drive-thru, and an unhappy pharmacist, retail pharmacy can suck the life out of you real quick.
Especially if you work at a busy store like mine.
Closed door pharmacy offers its own challenges (especially given the environment I'm working in), but the stress level pales in comparison to retail.
Part of this is because retail is just so much more business orientated. You're taught to bring in business, bring in scripts, get them in and out as quickly as possibly, and oh, if they do happen to have a question, try to wrap it up neatly. We're graded on how long they have to wait with no consideration for circumstances that are beyond our control.
They aren't patients in retail, they're customers. They have money, you want that money, and you are expected to do whatever it takes to bring them in so they can spend that money. The store I work in would do half the business without a pharmacy simply because people shop around while they wait. Quite frankly, I'm amazed at how much people can find in a store to buy in 15 minutes while we're talking about it.
There's a level of separation though. You don't get to know the customer as well because you don't have time. It's more of an assembly line than a patient care facility. In the few instances where I've seen someone take up more than 10 minutes of my pharmacist's time, someone else is pissed off because it's taking so long. God forbid it be on the phone even.
Retail has made people impatient, but worse, it caters to that impatience.
Then it was decided that we needed to be telemarketers too by having us call people five days a week to tell them they need to get their refills filled. Automatic refills, okay. Then you're giving people a choice. You want me to fill your amlodipine every month so you don't have to call in? That's fine. I mean, I know the refill line was difficult to use (putting the time in is something that some have never figured out), but don't worry about it.
Then there are the people who are mad because we didn't call the doctor 37 times after their refill ran out, nevermind that we did call every day and fax twice. Don't be proactive (god I hate that word now too) and call your own doctor after YOU notice on your label that the refills are out. No, yell at us after the doctor hasn't had time to get back to us because 7 other pharmacies are also requesting refills for customers just like you.
Yet I still like what I do and it's easy to explain why.
For every 5 pain in the ass customers we have, there's at least one who's nice, understanding, and has a sense of humor. The best customers are the ones I can joke with about how things are going, who understand they just watched 4 people demand to wait in front of them, who won't get mad when I say it might be 20 minutes to get this ready. They are the kind of customer who smiles, says don't worry about it, and will be back in a couple of hours.
They are the ones that make it worth it.
The other job, we actually have five minutes to discuss what's going on. I had a 15 minute conversation with someone the other other day and actually didn't feel rushed like I usually would.
This isn't me slamming retail and saying it's the worst thing ever. It's not. There are far worse jobs that you could have. All I'm saying is with a few minor changes, everyone's lives could be much easier, less stressful, and a little more productive. Those changes will never come, but it's nice to dream about them.
In fact, I might write about some of those things I'd like.
First on that list, no more damn gift cards. Or waiting in the drive-thru. Hell, a lot of things could go first on this list.
Hope everyone has a good weekend if I don't post again today. I will not be back online until Monday since I won't have internet set up in my apartment for a couple more weeks.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Dear Tattooed/Pierced up customer
I realize that you feel the need to cover up the fact that you had terrible acne problems as a child (and for all I know, still do). I realize that the 10 pounds of make-up just doesn't seem like it is enough to hide the craters all over your face (and it isn't).
But covering yourself in piercings (especially those on your face and the rather prominent one that is in your tongue, you know, the one you made little effort to hide; I've known girls with tongue rings and never could see it all that well until they talked; why is it different with you?) and tattoos is not the way to go. Let's be honest, it just makes you look even more trashy.
This is not to say that she was completely unattractive. She didn't look horrible at all. And it's not to say that people with histories of acne issues are ugly. I worked with a girl years ago who was stunning, despite the fact that you could see where she had the problem. But when you trash yourself up with tattoos and piercings, it tends to draw attention to you more than anything else.
Oh, and she was looking for Vicodin ES.
That may have been the kicker.
Why is it I see more people covered in tattoos and piercings getting narcotic pain medications than anyone else? Or people who ride motorcycles for that matter. They seem to love their Percocet and Vicodin.
Just a thought.
But covering yourself in piercings (especially those on your face and the rather prominent one that is in your tongue, you know, the one you made little effort to hide; I've known girls with tongue rings and never could see it all that well until they talked; why is it different with you?) and tattoos is not the way to go. Let's be honest, it just makes you look even more trashy.
This is not to say that she was completely unattractive. She didn't look horrible at all. And it's not to say that people with histories of acne issues are ugly. I worked with a girl years ago who was stunning, despite the fact that you could see where she had the problem. But when you trash yourself up with tattoos and piercings, it tends to draw attention to you more than anything else.
Oh, and she was looking for Vicodin ES.
That may have been the kicker.
Why is it I see more people covered in tattoos and piercings getting narcotic pain medications than anyone else? Or people who ride motorcycles for that matter. They seem to love their Percocet and Vicodin.
Just a thought.
A not so subtle hint to pharmacy patients...
If your medication is due to be filled today, do not show up the moment we have opened expecting it to be done, especially if it falls in the narcotic/soma/tramadol category of medications.
Seriously, we've been telling you for four days it was due to be *filled* today, not be ready first thing in the morning so you can get your fix. You seriously walked up to my door and said with a straight face you figured it would be done already. Just for that, I should add another half hour because of a claims transmission issue, but honestly, I just want to get you out of here.
I don't think there's any mistake that the doctor even went so far as to tell us himself when this medication was allowed to be filled.
And that is how the day starts.
Seriously, we've been telling you for four days it was due to be *filled* today, not be ready first thing in the morning so you can get your fix. You seriously walked up to my door and said with a straight face you figured it would be done already. Just for that, I should add another half hour because of a claims transmission issue, but honestly, I just want to get you out of here.
I don't think there's any mistake that the doctor even went so far as to tell us himself when this medication was allowed to be filled.
And that is how the day starts.
Monday, July 19, 2010
So much for frequent updates
Last time I wrote, I was on my way to the east to visit my family and relax a little. Take a break from the madness that is filling prescriptions.
Well, the trip ended up being more stressful than it should have been, although it was pretty neat to see fireworks where I was, and in the end, a lot of things have changed for me very quickly.
The reason I haven't been able to write about it all is because both jobs have been very taxing of late. The retail job has been nuts as always, although I've been getting shorted on hours because apparently I made my scheduler mad and they decided I was not worty of the hours I had requested.
The other job has been busy as well, which is good since we're a young pharmacy and growth is a good thing.
Plus the personal life was all over the place, making it very hard to find time to write about anything whatsoever.
The gist of it all is I've moved, I'm still working a lot, and I'm single now.
These all impact my writing time, the move more than anything else since my computer is still at my mom's house and will not be moving with me until I have internet set up at my new location, which may be a while. The relationship falling apart was unfortunate, but it's part of life and could've been easily avoided if the other had used a little more discretion and less profanity in dealing with a recent issue.
I understand having anger problems and a temper, but some things are just unnecessary to say. Let me put it this way: never before has anyone managed to piss off so many members of my family at once, and since family is most important to me, you might be able to tell why this didn't work out for me.
In the end, not working at the retail job as much has left me with far fewer funny things to mention, nor has it allowed me to be super angry either. The retail job provides much of my material, so maybe this week I'll have more.
For the time being, don't be surprised if I don't update very frequently until everything is settled.
Well, the trip ended up being more stressful than it should have been, although it was pretty neat to see fireworks where I was, and in the end, a lot of things have changed for me very quickly.
The reason I haven't been able to write about it all is because both jobs have been very taxing of late. The retail job has been nuts as always, although I've been getting shorted on hours because apparently I made my scheduler mad and they decided I was not worty of the hours I had requested.
The other job has been busy as well, which is good since we're a young pharmacy and growth is a good thing.
Plus the personal life was all over the place, making it very hard to find time to write about anything whatsoever.
The gist of it all is I've moved, I'm still working a lot, and I'm single now.
These all impact my writing time, the move more than anything else since my computer is still at my mom's house and will not be moving with me until I have internet set up at my new location, which may be a while. The relationship falling apart was unfortunate, but it's part of life and could've been easily avoided if the other had used a little more discretion and less profanity in dealing with a recent issue.
I understand having anger problems and a temper, but some things are just unnecessary to say. Let me put it this way: never before has anyone managed to piss off so many members of my family at once, and since family is most important to me, you might be able to tell why this didn't work out for me.
In the end, not working at the retail job as much has left me with far fewer funny things to mention, nor has it allowed me to be super angry either. The retail job provides much of my material, so maybe this week I'll have more.
For the time being, don't be surprised if I don't update very frequently until everything is settled.
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