Pharmacy suck

[infinitemonkies]

Couple of quick stories from my friend K, who just recently became a pharm tech after being a paramedic for about 8 years:

This constant EW harpy always calls in on the line reserved for doctors to call in perscriptions, and when she's in store always demands immediate and preferential treatment. She insists she's entitled to it, because she's a doctor herself.
Her doctorate is in English literature.

A well dressed woman starts freaking out and screaming when informed her co-pay is $14.00. "You can't charge me for those! My baby needs that medicine! I can't afford that!"
This is right after she had spent the 15 minute wait for the script to be filled by playing $60 of losing scratch tickets. She then threw her Starbucks coffee at the pharmacist when he tried to calm her down.

[KellyHabersham]

I for one wouldn't be complaining about a $14 co-pay ...........one of the asthma meds my doctor had me try would've been $400 at the pharmacy, and I'd have had to cover all of that because of no access to health insurance.

[LillFilly]

$14 isn't bad at all! I hope she was arrested for assaulting the pharmasist!

[Pagan]

This constant EW harpy always calls in on the line reserved for doctors to call in perscriptions, and when she's in store always demands immediate and preferential treatment.

Heh, heh. A couple of weeks ago, we finally got rid of one of ours. This woman is not only an EW, she's a nutjob. She was on the phone one night complaining to me about....me.

[Sightings Reporter]

A well dressed woman starts freaking out and screaming when informed her co-pay is $14.00. "You can't charge me for those! My baby needs that medicine! I can't afford that!"
This is right after she had spent the 15 minute wait for the script to be filled by playing $60 of losing scratch tickets. She then threw her Starbucks coffee at the pharmacist when he tried to calm her down.

The joys of the medical field. I used to work at a counseling clinic that happened to be next door to a famous ice cream place. ($5 for a shake, keep that in mind).

Patients would come in, say they couldn't afford the copay for the rx written by the MD, may I get free samples. (Always a pain in the butt to get the Doctor to get them out of the locked cabinet). I also had people who "couldn't afford" their $10 copay. Most of these people, telling these tales would have a shake in their hands.

[Pagan]

The joys of the medical field. I used to work at a counseling clinic that happened to be next door to a famous ice cream place. ($5 for a shake, keep that in mind).

Patients would come in, say they couldn't afford the copay for the rx written by the MD, may I get free samples. (Always a pain in the butt to get the Doctor to get them out of the locked cabinet). I also had people who "couldn't afford" their $10 copay. Most of these people, telling these tales would have a shake in their hands.

We had a guy that didn't get all of his wife's scripts because he didn't "have enough money". Yet he had enough to buy 2 bags of candy for $5....which was the co-pay on one script that he had us put back. Priorities people!

[Midorikawa]

...crying out loud. I don't exactly make a lot, considering I'm supporting my wife and I, paying mortgage, a car payment, plus maintenance on 3 cars, and my heart meds cost more than that. $14 copay is *NOTHING*. I've been on meds in the past that cost about $200 a month. :-/

[chainedbarista]

doctorate =/= doctor, period, unless she's seeing patients on the side. anyhoo, for the coffee antics, i'd have pressed charges against this beeyotch and banned her sorry ass from the store, had i but the power.

[Pairou]

Oh noooo a whole $14?! My medication comes out to $445 (I get free samples from my doctor).

[godaistudios]

doctorate =/= doctor, period, unless she's seeing patients on the side. anyhoo, for the coffee antics, i'd have pressed charges against this beeyotch and banned her sorry ass from the store, had i but the power.

What gets me is those people with doctorates who insist on being called with the title "Doctor" in all aspects of their life, other than just ones dealing with their own profession.

I'm sorry, you are calling me for tech support regarding your ISP (old job) or because you are having problems with your blackberry service...

so tell me, how does your degree have anything to do with the service I'm providing to you?

[Magpie]

What gets me is those people with doctorates who insist on being called with the title "Doctor" in all aspects of their life, other than just ones dealing with their own profession.

You'd hate me. I'd complain if I was called "Miss [last name]" or "Mrs [maiden name]".

Being at a university I find people who make a big deal out of having a PhD amusing. Around universities (and I hear this is true in Europe too), it's being "Professor" so-and-so that's a big deal, not being "Doctor" so-and-so.

[Estil]

A well dressed woman starts freaking out and screaming when informed her co-pay is $14.00. "You can't charge me for those! My baby needs that medicine! I can't afford that!"
This is right after she had spent the 15 minute wait for the script to be filled by playing $60 of losing scratch tickets. She then threw her Starbucks coffee at the pharmacist when he tried to calm her down.

I don't know about your state but my local state lottery says to "Play Responsibly". Does that not mean anything to Ms. big-bad PhD? :P

[EricKei]

This constant EW harpy always calls in on the line reserved for doctors to call in perscriptions

Perhaps a solution could be to ask for what hospital/clinic she works when she calls -- the only honest answer would be that she does not -- at which point you cast Summon Fake SmileInYourVoice IV, explain to her that you need to keep the line open for the real thing, and hang up.

For the practical side of this -- She could very well be delaying a call-in for someone who really DOES need expedited service, en route from the Doc's office straight to the pharmacy.

[BeeMused]

Being at a university I find people who make a big deal out of having a PhD amusing. Around universities (and I hear this is true in Europe too), it's being "Professor" so-and-so that's a big deal, not being "Doctor" so-and-so.

It depends a lot on the personality, one professor of mine got suspicious when someone called him Prof. XYZ. He was a such darling: "Now disagree with me already, I'm not always right!" And he really wasn't annoyed, when you disagreed. He expected you to think for yourself Quite a lot students avoided him, just because of that. I loved it!

[EricKei]

When I was in school, I would have killed to have a prof who actually WANTED us to call him out on mistakes and/or actively debate things he said...

The closest I ever got was a BritLit teacher who was open-minded -- her philosophy was "If you can back up what you're saying [with evidence from the text], you're right, even if I disagree with you completely"