Pharmacy Rant

  After a frustrating few months at work, I believe a public service announcement is in order. There are a few things that you should keep in mind when you go to a pharmacy to have a prescription filled. Keeping these things in mind will make the experience easier and better for you and for us.
  1.Unless your insurance has not changed within the last three months, bring your current insurance card with you. If you are going to a pharmacy that you have never been to before make sure you have your insurance information with you. Contrary to popular belief, I can't just get your information "off the computer". I am also unable to figure your new insurance from your old card. I may be able to call you insurance and get what I need to bill your prescription, but I may be on hold for quite awhile. Asking me to bill your insurance without giving me the billing information is like telling me to charge your purchase without knowing your credit card number.
  2. I do not determine your copay or what is covered or what needs a prior authorization. This information comes from your insurance. I'm not making it up, I'm not kidding and I can't change it. I can call your prescriber and ask them to contact the insurance to attempt an authorization so your medication is covered or I can ask them to change the medication. You can also elect to pay for your medication without using your insurance  unless you are on Medicaid.
  I also do not decide if something is too soon to fill. That, too,comes from your insurance.  If you are going on a trip or have changed your dose I can call your doctor or your insurance to get an  override or a new prescription. I don't just make these dates up to anger you or inconvenience  you. This is an insurance industry policy.
3. I have to fill the prescription the way the doctor writes it. If you want a 90 day supply and your doctor writes for a 30 days supply, I have to call the doctor for permission. If the doctor says that a medication can be filled on or after a certain date, only the doctor can change that date. If a doctor says that your prescription can only be filled every 30 days then I have to honor that. Calling me multiple times a day and complaining to me about how you need it sooner will not help. You need to discuss this issue with your doctor.
 4. There are laws that I have to follow. You may not like some of them and I may not like some of them, never the less, I still have to follow the law. Prescriptions are good for one year from the date that the doctor writes it. Controlled medication prescriptions are good for six months with no more than five refills. I have to follow the HIPPAA laws. This means I can't leave a detailed message about any matter unless you tell me it is all right to do so. With the exception of other health care providers, your insurance company and law enforcement, I can't talk to anyone about your prescriptions unless I have your permission. Those med guides that you get with your prescription are also mandatory. Please finish your call phone call before you come to pick up your medication. I can't help you while you are on your phone as the person on the other end may hear information about you medication that you don't want them to know.
 5. There are some things I can't control, one of them is your prescriber. I can't tell you when I will hear back on a refill request or a prior authorization request. If I had to call you prescriber with a question I have no control over when she or he will get back to me.
6. If I seem to be taking a long time to fill something, It's not because I'm trying to inconvenience you or piss you off. There is more to my job than just putting pills in a bottle with a label. It is my job to make sure what you get doesn't interact with anything else you take or have the potential to aggravate other health conditions you may have. This means that sometimes I have to consult references or I may need to call the prescriber. If I call the prescriber because I have a question or concern about a prescription, it's due to a legitimate concern. I'm looking out for your health and safety. Rapping your knuckles or a pen on the counter will not speed things up. Staring me down while I'm working won't make things faster.
 Please also remember that you are not my only customer. I have many people who come to my pharmacy and I give each one of them the attention they need. Some need more attention than others at times. When your turn comes I will give you the same kind of attention that I gave to others who were ahead of you in line. If you are in  a hurry you can call your refills in ahead of time or pick up a dropped off prescription later.
  Lastly, I understand there are times when you've had a bad day and you come to the pharmacy and things aren't done. I get that this is frustrating and upsetting. We do our best. I also know that delays due to insurance issues and the need for return calls from prescribers is also frustrating. It's frustrating for us too. Yelling at us and throwing temper tantrums will not help. (Badmouthing my manager on Facebook doesn't help either.) We are human and we do the best we can.
  A trip to the pharmacy doesn't have to be a dreaded chore. Keeping in mind some of these things will help us to serve you better.