If one more person tells me this week how long they’re willing to wait for their prescription to be filled, I’m think I’m going to explode. Some examples:
Me: Okay, that will be about 20 minutes. (no joke, that’s our usual wait time)
Pt.: Well, do you think it will really take 20 minutes?
Me: Yes, I do. (thinking) No, I’m just going to make you wait that long for the heck of it. It really only takes about 30 seconds.
and:
Me: About 15 or 20 minutes. (this was the day before the 4th of July)
Pt.: (in a thick New Yoa(r)k accent): I’d really appreciate it if it was 15 minutes. I have a plane to catch at National in 90 minutes.
Me: I’ll do my best. (thinking): Good luck. I hope you get put on standby. Now your script will take 21 minutes, just out of spite.
Pt.: Well, you’d better.
and finally, when we were really busy:
Me: Just to let you know, it’ll be about 30 minutes.
Pt.: What?! Can’t you get it done any faster?
Me: Not with five people ahead of you sir.
Pt.: Well fine! I’ll just take it down the street to XYZ Pharmacy.
Me: Fine. Here’s your script back. (thinking) Great! One more annoying patient I don’t have to fill a z-pack for, especially since happen to know XYZ’s wait time right now is 45 minutes.
A word to the wise: Making your pharmacy tech (or pharmacist) angry is just as stupid as doing the same to your waiter. Just be glad I have too high a standard of ethics to switch your antibiotic for an erectile dysfunction pill. Goodbye bronchitis, hello four-hour erection!
Is there any other person in business who is victimized by this “time auction?” I’d like to know. The most absurd deal is with the person who brings the prescription to the pharmacy, doesn’t want to wait the stated time, and ACTUALLY TAKES THE Rx BACK so he/she can get in the car and drive to where he/she supposes the prescription can be filled faster. Hey, Sir or Madam, your prescription would have been ready HERE in the time it takes you to get THERE. Duh. Ain’t it awful? How do they feel if they snag a fender bender or a moving violation on this particular spite-the-first-pharmacist journey?
My concern is from both the inside and outside. I was trying to fill a rx for my daughter. The pharmacy said they don’t stock it and it would take 10-14 days to get it in. Now, my mom is a bookkeeper for the same pharmacy chain, and said that they can get it w/i 2 days at the most. I went to the indepentant down the street. They ordered from the same vendor and got it the next day. Why would they send business away for a monthly rx?
I don’t know which pharmacy told you it would be 1-2 weeks (the longest it should take any pharmacy is a week, since some pharmacies order weekly). I have “exaggerated” order times on narcotics, but only when I think the prescription is either fake or might be too much of a problem (dosing, calling the doctor, mean patient, etc.).
That is hysterical. I have those days too. I just want to pull my hair out if one more person tries to bargain their wait time down. Oh did I say 20 minutes? I meant 45. We’re super busy today.