Why?

I really do wonder why people act the way they do when they come to the Pharmacy. The demanding, give it to me now, disrespect we sometimes tolerate is really baffling. Sometimes I wonder why we keep enduring it and why they keep doing it! Can you imagine the reception these patients would get if they acted that way in their Physician's office...?

How about the patient I fired due to profane language:
Me - "Sir, you can't use that kind of language in my Pharmacy...you'll have to have this filled somewhere else."
Patient - "You can't do that! Get back here and fill this prescription! (yelling) Get back here!!"
Imagine this same scenario in the Physician's office....
Patient - "You can't do that! Get back here and check my rash! (yelling) Get back here!!"
...how do you think that would go over at the office? hmmmmm....

How about the patient that wants us to ring out their shopping cart:
Patient - "...and ring these items too..." (cart full of items)
Me - "I'm sorry Ma'am, I can ring out 5 items or less for you...we simply have to many patients who need their prescriptions filled. You can take your prescription to a register and pay for it there with your other items though..."
Imagine this same scenario in the Physician's office...
Patient - (after examination) "Oh, Dr...these are my friends Marge, Barbara, Ann and Thelma...they'd all like an exam real quick too...we're in a hurry."

Do patients haggle over prices at the Physician's office? "I can get that colonoscopy at Dr Smith's office for $12.00 less...will you match them?"
Do patients show up at the Physician's office expecting to get something for nothing? "Dr, I'm a little short on cash. Could you do half the examination now and then finish it up next week on payday for me?"
Do patients badger the Physician to hurry up?....."Could you hurry that Pap up a bit Dr? I'm in a hurry."

Then, just when you think you can't take any more a sweet little old lady tells you how wonderful you are....or a previous patient who had been very ill comes back to tell you how much they appreciated your help...or (rare but does happen) one of those rude people you corrected but ended up helping comes back and apologizes and thanks you...

I guess that's why...