Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Give Me the Damn Pills, I'll Count 'Em!


Yesterday I had to pop by my friendly neighborhood pharmacy to get a couple of prescriptions filled. I figured that I had to go to the post office so I would drop off the prescriptions first, then head to the post office, and by the time I was done there, my medications would be done and I could go home. Mind you, I was going back home to work on my many and incomplete outlines, so I really didn't have a world of time here.


I get to the pharmacy, and there is no one milling about. "Great," I think to myself as I head over to the "Drop Off" counter. I observe three individuals milling about behind the counter. It appears that one is the pharmacist and the other two are techs. While all three seem to be doing something, it's perfectly quiet in there and doesn't look like it's terribly busy. It still takes several minutes for someone to approach me to take my prescriptions. The girl claims that I am "third in line" for prescriptions to be done, and I inform her that I'm going to the post office and I'll be right back. She said that would be fine. Time: 3:30pm.


I head off to the post office, get stuck in a little bit of traffic, and then there was a line in the post office. I go back to the pharmacy. Time: 4:15pm.


I go up to the counter and ask if my stuff is ready yet. I get some confused and panicked looks from the technicians. The pharmacist looks like he could care less. Then I get the dreaded question, "Did your insurance change?" Of course it didn't, you asshat! I've gotten prescriptions here with the same damn insurance for the last six months!!! WHY is there a PROBLEM???!!?! And just the fact that you're asking me this indicates that my medication is STILL not ready. So I fork over the insurance card, and the technician tells me it will just be a few minutes while she "puts it through." Fine. I sit down. Time: 4:30.


TIME: 4:45pm - WHY AM I STILL SITTING HERE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!

I go up again to ask the status. Really, people, I don't have all day. I'm again told it will just be a few more minutes. I tell the girl I'm leaving and that Hubby will be by after work to pick up the medication.


Time: 6:30pm. I'm home and the phone rings - it's Hubby. He asks, "What time did you drop off these prescriptions?" I tell him 3:30pm. Why is he asking? BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT READY YET. That's right, THREE HOURS LATER, and they're still not ready??!!


Ok pharmacy staff, let me let you in on a little something here - you count pills, ok? You punch in a couple of numbers in that little computer and then you count some pills out of a little bottle, put the shit in a bag, and haul it out. It's really not that hard. I know, because I used to do your job. So when there is no one in the pharmacy milling around the counter, there really is no excuse to have it take THREE HOURS to get one little order out, mmkay?? WAKE THE FUG UP!!