Sunday, May 25, 2008

The substandard colleague...

Okay...I had a BF (bitch fit) on Friday. I can't remember the last time I was so disgusted...and not by a patient, mind you...but a fellow Pharmacist. I'd like a voice of reason from anyone out there as to whether or not I'm just being a psycho "yatch"...here goes....

So, anyone who's worked retail knows that transfers are a total pain in the pa-tootie. Half the time you wait on hold only to find there are no refills to transfer. On Friday night I tried to transfer 2 prescriptions from a competitor - no refills...one of the drugs was carvedilol. Patient has had no dose on Friday and has no drug left...and no old bottle (he's on the phone). I explain that he should not go without meds and to go to competitor and get emergency supply and we will get new prescription on Tuesday. Competitor refuses to give emergency supply because he is transferring his prescriptions and she says she won't get paid for the medication (What the @#$%^!!!! It's carvedilol! It's probably $1!!! You cheap-ass "yatch" I'll bring you the $1!!). I'm a little disturbed and remind her about abrupt discontinuation...just in case she had trouble with her pharmacology like she does her english...she doesn't care. She refuses. So I tell her how disturbing I find her total disregard for the care of her patient and that I find it professionally embarassing...I'm sure that is why she refused to "remember" who her District Manager is when I asked. Fortunate for me the Manager of the store could remember who the District Manager is. I ended up finding a way to take care of the patient and found that this level of care was the reason he was leaving my competitor.

Would you follow through and contact the DM?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yup - I've done it before....

Anonymous said...

I would at the very least have the patient file a complaint with the DM and state the reasons why they are leaving that pharmacy and having their meds transfered to your pharmacy. Personally I would file a complaint as well with the DM that this pharmacist isn't looking out for patient well being.

OHpharmer said...

No, I think that when you called the competitor, you should have asked for directions and given the patient an emergency supply since you are the one that will be asking for the refills and filling it from then on. It's not the competitors responsibility to give them an emergency supply in this case b/c the patient wants to switch pharmacies. Just my opinion but I think you should be the one to give the supply.
I work for a national chain and if you are a customer of an independent pharmacy that is closed when you come in to transfer an rx, depending on the medication, we will not supply any at all until we get ahold of the competitor. The patient chose that pharmacy and unfortunately their inconvenient hours. In absolute emergencies, we will give them some and call for the transfer on monday if it's a weekend, but sorry about your luck.

Ashley. Unscripted... said...

Ew OhPharmer. I don't like that way of thinking. Just because the patient chose another pharmacy with "inconvenient" hours shouldn't mean that they should have to go without meds.

I would totally contact the DM. Oh yeah, but I'm bitchy like that.