One of the absolutely funniest things, ever, happened to us today --
Patient comes in. I don't know how old he was, but obviously old enough to go to a geriatric center to see a doctor. Let's just call him JB Dumbass, for lack of a better name.
Mr. Dumbass comes to drop-off. I was up to my ass in rejection, so Part Time RPh takes the prescription, after he told me he would not talk to me anyway.
Seems that good ol' Dumbass left his hard copy at his house, but he wanted us to call the geriatrician to get them to phone in the prescription, since he didn't feel like going home for it. He lived 5 minutes away, maximum, in traffic.
RPh calls, and gets transferred to a voice mail. He INSISTS she calls back! She does, gets a person, and they tell her they'll try to get a nurse, but if one doesn't pick up, she has to leave a message. Two minutes pass, and she's dropped into voicemail. She leaves the message. She then offers him a few pills to get through. "Well, I haven't taken any in a week! I need a few!" This is for his amlodipine.
We give him a few, and he goes to our drinking fountain by our restrooms. He comes back. He then proceeds to take a seat in our waiting area for the next THREE HOURS before finally conceding defeat in that they won't be calling back anytime soon. I'm not exaggerating when I say 3 hours. Seriously. It was the most ridiculous thing ever.
We had another crappy day, but thoughts of TPA and how hilarious a blog this could make helped us pull through.
Also, I'd like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Shithead, for taking a big dump on our company, once each, for dragging competitor coupons for gift cards to us. Five dollars total on each RX, $30 coupons for each. A $25 profit for each. Sick. I hate coupons. I'd like to see them try again, because I do mark in patient's profiles when they are allowed their next coupons, because if they're gonna use them, I'm gonna do what my supervisors said, and force upon them the limitations the originating pharmacy making the coupon forces. It's nice that most of them say ONE COUPON PER 6 MONTHS. It really makes my job a bit easier, and I take pride in forcing these people to try again somewhere else. I'm sick of my company being shat on be cause they want their free gifts for coming. I can't wait until TPA gets this practice outlawed. I'll do anything to help!
Also, lastly, I may or may not end up buying a domain name of my very own for this blog, now that I've got a renewed interest in posting. We'll see.
Edit: I forgot the moral of the story -- when the office called back, at 4:30, we explained that he had the prescription at home, and they were flabbergasted when we told them he'd sat there for 3 hours. They told us they would not encourage bad behavior on his part, and that he had to bring the script in. Vindication was never quite so sweet as this.
Monday, March 10, 2008
If last week wasn't a full moon week, then we're fucked
Honestly. Remember that post I made Thursday morning? The one right below this one? Yeahhhh. The rest of the week went just as bad, in fact, Thursday had me on the verge of tears most of the day. I'm going to forget everything and just let go, because if I don't, I may quit that job I need, even as underpaid as I am.
On that note, too, I want to add that I'll be mailing my dues check for The Pharmacy Alliance shortly. TPA has me truly stoked for my profession. If we all take a stand, we may be able to make our profession what it's supposed to be -- a PROFESSIONAL business -- and take it back from the brink of us being the glorified cashiers we are currently becoming. If I could afford it, you KNOW I'd be in Galveston at those meetings, putting my 10 cents into 'the bowl'. I'm going to spread the word -- my hope is that others do so, and continue to do so, if they already are. I haven't been this excited for something like this in a very, very long time.
On that note, too, I want to add that I'll be mailing my dues check for The Pharmacy Alliance shortly. TPA has me truly stoked for my profession. If we all take a stand, we may be able to make our profession what it's supposed to be -- a PROFESSIONAL business -- and take it back from the brink of us being the glorified cashiers we are currently becoming. If I could afford it, you KNOW I'd be in Galveston at those meetings, putting my 10 cents into 'the bowl'. I'm going to spread the word -- my hope is that others do so, and continue to do so, if they already are. I haven't been this excited for something like this in a very, very long time.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
We were so screwed yesterday
You know how every time you have your day planned, and it seems to go your way, then it blows up RIGHT before you have to leave? Yeah. That happens a lot to me.
Yesterday morning, my longtime part-time pharmacist's new buddy who came in and bugged the piss out of her about prenatals came in AGAIN, and made us show her every damn bottle so she could pick a brand she wanted to take. She says she's allergic to fish oil, and miscellaneous other things, so she was going over every single ingredient, and tying both me and New RPh up all damn morning. After that, I got a new customer via phone whose insurance card had not arrived, so he wanted to call in his insurance along with the rest of his info, but he did not have his BIN, and just said 23*. Tried the typical condor code, and no go. Tried the other regular processor, and no go. Told him I'd have to call the other processor, since he said he was pretty sure it was under that one.
He told me I had to call him when I got it through to tell him the copay. Uhhh, generic Ambien is always covered; never seen it NOT covered by any 23* plans, so I'm sure it will be, but NO! You must call me! So, I waited on hold for 10 minutes for the lady to tell me, like my previous rant, that since I did not know his social or his 10 other addresses, I could not get his correct info. I was resigned to call him for his social security number. When I got another rep, they tried to get me to verify his addresses anyway. I was starting to get angry, so I read off the social, and finally got all his information. $10 copay. Call the guy back (btw - he was born in the 40's, I believe, so the New RPh and my intern that came in a little while later teased me and told me I was being Mommy for him, and I said not only did I not want that old of a child, but he should be able to do this himself at his age and provide me with the correct insurance information! But they do lie, and that is a whole other can of worms). He told me he'd like it ready by 4, but he didn't plan to come in until later that evening, or possibly the next day. Uhhhhh, okay?? We got it ready, whatever.
After THAT, a Suboxone representative, with some asenine title, came in and handed me all this information, after I told her I don't carry it. Then, she handed me a package of pamphlets, and here's what made me so mad at her -- she tells me to just 'slip these in someone's bag if you think they need help with their problems'. Yeah, oh-fucking-kay. I'm gonna piss off one of my customers, because you want me to sell more of your drug that I DON'T CARRY! The doctors that are allowed to prescribe it DON'T send their patients to my store! Seriously, what the fuck does this woman want me to do, just say, "Well, Mr. Doe, you buy an awful lot of hydrocodone and oxycodone, and it tends to get stolen quite often; I think you should go find a doctor that can prescribe you this wonderful drug, and maybe get a little help." Seriously. The people who come to my store that have issues KNOW they have issues, but they refuse to get help for it. I'm not going to piss them off, because they do pay good cash for their legit rx's, even if I question the doctors' sanities for writing for so many damned controls. Not to mention, something like that has to be approved and distributed by CorpoPharmacy. I restrained myself, after giving her the dirtiest look, from throwing her out of my pharmacy for even suggesting something so asenine. New RPh, Floater RPh, Injured RPh, and My Oldest & Favorite Intern all agreed that this was an absolutely ridiculous request on her behalf, and applauded me throwing those damn packets right into the trash, where they belonged.
It also just made me laugh, because I spent the last 20 minutes of my shift on hold for a Welfare prescription, where the 5 day old child hadn't been added on for an OTC product, SURPRISE, SURPRISE. Then, I got stuck, because someone whose call I took that morning came in to get 5 prescriptions and wanted me to do them for her.
I was supposed to leave a little early yesterday, because I had somewhere to be. Instead, I left 20 minutes late, and cancelled my plans.
* - after reading Pharmacy Mike's site, I decided since I was complaning about The Other Processor's reps, I might as well just blank out the plans that guy had, and such, so the 23 is actually a veiled way of saying **** *****/**** ******* (a popular insurance plan, that you may now be able to figure out). Not saying anything mean about "23"; because I like 23, and had them as a child, and now have them again as a CorpoPharmacy employee. I just wish their prescriptions help desk (who is luckily not my help desk for my prescriptions) would get their shit together, and not make life difficult for me on an already shitty day.
Yesterday morning, my longtime part-time pharmacist's new buddy who came in and bugged the piss out of her about prenatals came in AGAIN, and made us show her every damn bottle so she could pick a brand she wanted to take. She says she's allergic to fish oil, and miscellaneous other things, so she was going over every single ingredient, and tying both me and New RPh up all damn morning. After that, I got a new customer via phone whose insurance card had not arrived, so he wanted to call in his insurance along with the rest of his info, but he did not have his BIN, and just said 23*. Tried the typical condor code, and no go. Tried the other regular processor, and no go. Told him I'd have to call the other processor, since he said he was pretty sure it was under that one.
He told me I had to call him when I got it through to tell him the copay. Uhhh, generic Ambien is always covered; never seen it NOT covered by any 23* plans, so I'm sure it will be, but NO! You must call me! So, I waited on hold for 10 minutes for the lady to tell me, like my previous rant, that since I did not know his social or his 10 other addresses, I could not get his correct info. I was resigned to call him for his social security number. When I got another rep, they tried to get me to verify his addresses anyway. I was starting to get angry, so I read off the social, and finally got all his information. $10 copay. Call the guy back (btw - he was born in the 40's, I believe, so the New RPh and my intern that came in a little while later teased me and told me I was being Mommy for him, and I said not only did I not want that old of a child, but he should be able to do this himself at his age and provide me with the correct insurance information! But they do lie, and that is a whole other can of worms). He told me he'd like it ready by 4, but he didn't plan to come in until later that evening, or possibly the next day. Uhhhhh, okay?? We got it ready, whatever.
After THAT, a Suboxone representative, with some asenine title, came in and handed me all this information, after I told her I don't carry it. Then, she handed me a package of pamphlets, and here's what made me so mad at her -- she tells me to just 'slip these in someone's bag if you think they need help with their problems'. Yeah, oh-fucking-kay. I'm gonna piss off one of my customers, because you want me to sell more of your drug that I DON'T CARRY! The doctors that are allowed to prescribe it DON'T send their patients to my store! Seriously, what the fuck does this woman want me to do, just say, "Well, Mr. Doe, you buy an awful lot of hydrocodone and oxycodone, and it tends to get stolen quite often; I think you should go find a doctor that can prescribe you this wonderful drug, and maybe get a little help." Seriously. The people who come to my store that have issues KNOW they have issues, but they refuse to get help for it. I'm not going to piss them off, because they do pay good cash for their legit rx's, even if I question the doctors' sanities for writing for so many damned controls. Not to mention, something like that has to be approved and distributed by CorpoPharmacy. I restrained myself, after giving her the dirtiest look, from throwing her out of my pharmacy for even suggesting something so asenine. New RPh, Floater RPh, Injured RPh, and My Oldest & Favorite Intern all agreed that this was an absolutely ridiculous request on her behalf, and applauded me throwing those damn packets right into the trash, where they belonged.
It also just made me laugh, because I spent the last 20 minutes of my shift on hold for a Welfare prescription, where the 5 day old child hadn't been added on for an OTC product, SURPRISE, SURPRISE. Then, I got stuck, because someone whose call I took that morning came in to get 5 prescriptions and wanted me to do them for her.
I was supposed to leave a little early yesterday, because I had somewhere to be. Instead, I left 20 minutes late, and cancelled my plans.
* - after reading Pharmacy Mike's site, I decided since I was complaning about The Other Processor's reps, I might as well just blank out the plans that guy had, and such, so the 23 is actually a veiled way of saying **** *****/**** ******* (a popular insurance plan, that you may now be able to figure out). Not saying anything mean about "23"; because I like 23, and had them as a child, and now have them again as a CorpoPharmacy employee. I just wish their prescriptions help desk (who is luckily not my help desk for my prescriptions) would get their shit together, and not make life difficult for me on an already shitty day.
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