Monday gripe..Pharmacies

JMF

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Is there a pharmacist in the group that can explain the process of filling a prescription to me? If I call in a refill for a script that comes prepackaged at 9:00am, why is it "not ready yet" at 12:00pm? It's like going to the gas station for a pack of smokes and having the clerk say "come back in a few hours and I will reach behind me and grab them for you". It's not like they have to formulate it or even fill a bottle, they just grab it off the shelf behind them. Anyways thats my gripe for the day. I'm finally gonna have to take my wife's advice and sign up for walgreens home delivery.

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry V, didnt realize I posted this under fishing. Can you move it to where it belongs please? Now you have a Monday gripe, idiots that post threads in the wrong spot.
 


Bed Wetter

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The handful of times I’ve been to the pharmacy, the people behind the counter are always scrambling like minnows. I don’t mind waiting if they’re busy and everyone is working. They’re doing what they can with what they’ve got.
 

Wirehair

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JMF, As a pharmacist with 40+ years invested in retail pharmacy, I never like to hear of a service related issues. Refilling an existing prescription is generally a 20 minute process if no outliers exist. In my pharmacy, expectation of staff was to have refills available in 20 minutes and process new prescriptions within 30 minutes. Time of day and Rx volume can extend wait times to 30 to 40 minutes in some instances. Reasons for delay include the need to receive a new Rx from prescriber, third party / insurance billing issues (which constitute the majority of the delays in processing prescriptions), not having the product in stock (nationwide drug shortages), etc. When a pharmacy receives a claim denial, a call to the Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) often takes 30 minutes or more to resolve one issue. This exercise is often repeated 10-15 times every day. Should a three hour delay be considered acceptable if there are no outliers, Absolutely Not! I would recommend visiting with owner, manager, or pharmacist-in-charge (PIC), to better understand. If this is a one time issue, I would try to visit and resolve. If a re-occurring problem, consider selecting a different pharmacy. While mail order is an option with some insurance plans, they have their share of service related issues as well. When a delay with a mail order pharmacy occurs, the delay is measured in days or weeks rather than hours.
 

Allen

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Wirehair,

With all due respect, I think the issue is a little different than that. In the past, I've taken a kid with an ear infection in to get a prescription. It gets called into the pharmacy, so a person shows up at the pharmacy (whether it's 10 minutes later, or an hour later) and the prescription now needs to get prepped. E.g. they have to mix the liquid antibiotic with water while you sit there with a crying child for 30 minutes.

I've raised this exact complaint at a couple of pharmacies in Bismarck and their defense has been "we don't mix it until you get here because we don't want to get burned by having you not show up to pick up the prescription". Paraphrasing a little on that second half.

I've actually done this at a pharmacy co-located with a grocery store. Physically dropped off the RX, said I'm going to pick up a few groceries. Come back 15 minutes later only to have to still wait while it gets prepped. Same thing, "we don't know that you were coming back".

Basically it appears a lot of pharmacies are concerned that if you aren't in their waiting line, you may not want it enough to actually fill the prescription. Trust me, I've had a couple "are you shitting me?" conversations with pharmacists and their techs over this one. It's really tough as a parent to be sitting there with an ill or injured child for 20-30 minutes when the prescription was called in or dropped off ahead of when I walk through the door to physically pick it up.
 

Maddog

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JMF, As a pharmacist with 40+ years invested in retail pharmacy, I never like to hear of a service related issues. Refilling an existing prescription is generally a 20 minute process if no outliers exist. In my pharmacy, expectation of staff was to have refills available in 20 minutes and process new prescriptions within 30 minutes. Time of day and Rx volume can extend wait times to 30 to 40 minutes in some instances. Reasons for delay include the need to receive a new Rx from prescriber, third party / insurance billing issues (which constitute the majority of the delays in processing prescriptions), not having the product in stock (nationwide drug shortages), etc. When a pharmacy receives a claim denial, a call to the Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) often takes 30 minutes or more to resolve one issue. This exercise is often repeated 10-15 times every day. Should a three hour delay be considered acceptable if there are no outliers, Absolutely Not! I would recommend visiting with owner, manager, or pharmacist-in-charge (PIC), to better understand. If this is a one time issue, I would try to visit and resolve. If a re-occurring problem, consider selecting a different pharmacy. While mail order is an option with some insurance plans, they have their share of service related issues as well. When a delay with a mail order pharmacy occurs, the delay is measured in days or weeks rather than hours.

So one of my experiences.
Called in refill request to my pharmacy and they said would be available by 10:00 a.m. the next day.

So I show up at 11:15 a.m. the next day.
"No, we haven't gotten to your refill yet. It will be another 15 minutes. Would you mind waiting?"

.............................................................really............................

And mind you this is a prescription that I have been getting refilled for over 10 years ......
 
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JMF

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Thank you wirehair. I have filled this prescription multiple times and have excellent insurance so that is not the issue. It's just frustrating when I'm the only one in line, there are 4 people behind the counter and it still takes 15 minutes for them to grab a package that I called in 3 hours prior.
 

WormWiggler

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One would think a pre pay option would get the pharmacy to be more prompt if walk aways are their concern?
 

frozen4sioux

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I've never had these issues.
Issues ive had has almost always due to understanding insurance and copays ...
or misunderstanding the process of that.

I dont expect a pharmacy to prep till I show up as some people dont ever show up to pick up I bet.

Have it called in... show up to have them start preping... do the grocery shopping, pick it up.

Its actually really convenient.
 

Bacon

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I’m sure happy to not be on any kind of meds. I don’t even take Advil or anything like that. I know some meds are needed, but in general this country is way over medicated.
 


johnr

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Same as when I order a papa Murphys za, best be ready to take when I get there 30 minutes later
 

Captain Ahab

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I get your frustration, but I also realize I am not the only customer. I assume you go into a que and are filled according to place on the list.
 

eyexer

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this is why we need to eliminate the pharmacy law we have in place. open it up to the big chains.
 

Retired Educator

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For the past 10+ years either my wife or I has stopped at our local pharmacy for medications. Have never had any of the issues listed above. Prescription is just about always ready unless I go 5 minutes after I called in a refill. Behind the desk they have a full rack of filled prescriptions ready for more than just me. Not arguing that it doesn't happen, just not for me at the pharmacy I use.
 


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