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Doing other people’s jobs

·3195 words·15 mins

Now I don’t mind explaining to people how their medication works, how to take it, and what it does.  Its part of the job, and to be honest /most/ pharmacists really enjoy doing things like that (if they arent swamped to all hell).  We go to school to learn stuff to share with the general population and a more educated patient is a happier (and more dangerous) patient to both themselves, the doctor, and us.

However when you bring fucking filled Rx’s in from ANOTHER pharmacy or mail order place (fuck you Liberty Medical) and expect me to take time out of MY day to explain Rx’s that someone else made some cash off of, I start to get upset.

Mail order joints (fuck you Liberty Medical) are the absolute worst of them all.  I don’t get paid by Liberty Medical (fuck you)  to sit there and explain to you how to work your nebulizer or some proprietary piece of shit blood glucose monitor that only YOU can get the strips for.  You got it from Liberty Medical (die) so YOU can call them up and have them explain to you over the phone how to use this piece of shit.  I don’t care if you saw a TV commercial and called the fucking number, YOU deal with it, not ME.

Where in the fuck do mail order places get off thinking that I’m their bitch.  What pisses me off absolutely the most is when they TELL the patient to bring their drugs/devices/etc into their local pharmacy and receive instruction on how to use it.  You know what, FUCK YOU AND DIE.  You dispensed it, so YOU TELL THEM HOW TO FUCKING USE IT.  Oh? You’re in another state? Wait, let me bring a fucking 2L of ‘I dont give a fuck’ to your pity party.

The best is when the patient comes in with a blood glucose monitor and has no idea how to use it.  The patient gets maybe 1 Rx, 2 at the very most from you (and even then it was filled 3 months ago).  They come up with a Nation-Wide-Chain Rx label on the box the monitor came in and tell you “the pharmacist was too busy at Nation-Wide-Chain to explain to me how to use it, can you show me?”

At first glance I want to say “No, go back there and MAKE the son of a bitch cock-sucker show you how to use it.  What do I look like? His fucking lackey bitch who does the grunt work while he makes the money?”  Alas common sense and ethics kick in and I end up being a big pussy and showing him/her how to use the machine.  ALTHOUGH I do stick in the rib-jab of “You know, if you get your stuff filled here you won’t have to deal with someone who obviously doesn’t care about your well being to show you how to use it.”  TAP – 1 / Dildo Chain – 0

Really, this post makes me sound like a grade-A asshole that shouldn’t of gone into pharmacy.  However take a second and think of all the time we spend on the phone answering questions FOR FREE, how must OTC advice we give out FOR FREE, and the only concrete way to earn money that will pay for food on our table is by filling Rx’s.  Its bad enough that we’re one of the only professions that gives out tons of information FOR FREE that we went to college to exclusively learn (why cant Lawyers or Doctors be the same way?), but do we also have to deal with the lazyness factor of our own profession?  Do I have to take up the slack because someone ‘didn’t have enough time’ to explain something (and made the dispensing fee off of it) or is in some warehouse in another state?  Its not that I nor the people who agree with me don’t wish to help people, but we have our hands full with OUR patients who come to US and ONLY US  without having to deal with the overflow of shit from mail order places that dont give 2 flying fucks to Sunday about patient care.  Patients are just an ID and an Rx number to these mail order places.  There is no patient contact, no patient care.  They make pharmacy look like a fucking industry rather than a profession.  Fuck mail order joints, and fuck Liberty Medical with their fancy commercials that trick old retarded folk into getting their shit from them.

PS: Fuck Liberty Medical, the horse they rode in on, and their fucking commercials.  I’m tired of cleaning up their shit and doing their job.

Comments #

Comment by sixft7in on 2008-03-20 09:16:32 -0700 #

I hate when you post all flowers and sunny days and innocence… Post some stuff about what you hate, not what you like.
/sarcasm

Comment by drugmanrx on 2008-03-20 09:25:07 -0700 #

Diabeetus!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hNu1I9r_1A
I’m a type 1, a pharmacy major, and think this is some hilarious shit!

Comment by Richard on 2008-03-20 09:51:35 -0700 #

Hahaa! Nice that you pussy up and counsel pts for free.
When people call my (independent) pharmacy with a question re: meds from another pharmacy, i always instruct them to call that pharmacy. if they ask why, i simply state that I don’t feel comfortable commenting on prescriptions when I don’t have all of the pt’s information in front of me.
you know what? if the caller doesn’t like it, who cares? they aren’t your pt. and its NOT your ethical or legal obligation to give them information. i would argue the opposite. counseling meds from another pharmacy is a made-in-the-USA lawsuit waiting to happen (I am a Canadian pharmacist and i thank the maple leaf every damn day that I work here and not in the USA. pharmacy in the States is completely for shits). How can one feel comfortable without knowing everything regarding the pt, their med history, etc. and then to comment on the pt’s Rx?
If someone comes in with the med from another pharmacy, i will also direct them to go there. if they ask i question, i will ask them “didn’t that pharmacist go over that with you?” if they say “no, they were really busy…” i always answer “well, we always take the time to answer any pt questions. its part of the service we provide. But it would really be best if you called them and asked them that question.”
I’ve also had to talk to our clinic drs to explain to them how pharmacies get paid for the services they provide – i.e. don’t ask me med-related questions unless you are telling the pt to come get their Rx filled at my pharmacy.

Comment by angry doc on 2008-03-20 12:17:06 -0700 #

And Libety (F- them indeed) seems to want to send people -ahem- “generous” quantities of testing supplies and bills medicare for it like Wilfrid Brimley (why didn’t you curse him, too?) is going to their house 3 times a day (or 20 times a day as you said a few days ago) to help them check their sugar. Hell they bill medicare for batteries for the damn machine. How hard would it be for them to actually provide a 1-800 number to provide the education these people need?
Thanks for the information.

Comment by KYLE on 2008-03-20 12:53:22 -0700 #

Yeah we are all whores prostituting our services like never before. I feel cheap and dirty after a 12 hour day of $20.00 coupons combined with $30.00 gift cards for one rx transfer. Hey Kyle, how much does #30 mylan lorazepam 2 mg cost on my humana medicare part D card? What do you mean it is not covered? Forget the fact that it has not been covered since January of 2006. Well put it on my Medco card. I don’t have the card but if you stop everything you are doing now and call 1-800-922-1557 you can get the information you need. “blah blah blah in espanol press 1…is there anything else I can assist you with today?…do I sound as if I have a marble in my mouth?…the authorization number to be noted on the hard copy original rx for auditing purposes is A as in apple P as in pole the number 4 o as in orange d as in dog and c as in claudia….too soon to fill?..fix it bitch!

Comment by retail whippin’ boy on 2008-03-20 13:25:59 -0700 #

Tap, if you don’t mind, I’d love to step up and curse Wilfrid Brimley for Angry Doc. AD, you’re right, this over-rated, under-talented, obese, octogenarian, self-inflicted case of diabetes deserves it!
****\*FUCK WILFRID BRIMLEY******
Damn, that felt good! I didn’t realize I had been holding that in since I first saw a Liberty Med commercial.
Now on to the topic at hand. I won’t counsel regarding any prescription that was filled anyplace but in my pharmacy (alright, filled in my chain). I just won’t. The ONLY exception is if I think there’s something poisonous in the vial, then I’ll speak up. Once I enter the legal liability loop, there’s no way out. If I comment on the medication at all I’m party to the potential lawsuit that accompanies every prescription
Plaintiff: The guy that filled this didn’t tell me that it could make me break out in bleeding warts. And the second pharmacist I asked didn’t mention it either. He just told me to take it after a meal.
Judge: OK, assholes, you’re both incompetent fucks and you owe the lady your retirement funds, real estate, and her lawyers’ fees.
I know you’re not likely to get sued for demonstrating a glucose monitor, but why the hell should you? Sweetly tell the customer (of some other pharmacy) to buy one from you or go shit in his/her hat. You don’t owe them anything and you expose yourself to a significant downside legally. If you are pleasant to the patient and your refusal to counsel (along with the reasons why) cause enough inconvenience, they might even resent their mail order plan enough to give you the business next time.
If not, you haven’t lost the customer, they weren’t yours to begin with….and they can STILL go shit in their hat!

Comment by Pharmacy Hell on 2008-03-21 00:03:14 -0700 #

Yeah, I got really cheesed off whenever someone called to ask about drug interactions between something I had filled for them with some “supplement” that customer got from a chiropractor. I had no idea what the hell the ingredients of the supplement were, let alone the interactions. I told each one of them to ask their chiropractor, not me.

Comment by Hinsley Ford on 2008-03-21 04:40:01 -0700 #

Hmm, reminds me a lot of when I taught 7th, 9th, and 12th grade, except I made 24K a year.
Had a horrible medical procedure done on Monday, so I hate doctors right now. Had to come here to get my angry fix. Thanks for reminding me to get angry 🙂
Hinsley

Comment by Cathy Lane RPh on 2008-03-21 19:50:33 -0700 #

It’s upsetting when a patient’s mail order drug supply gets held up over a holiday weekend and there is need for extra doses to get through, but the last script in local pharmacy database is for a different dose–maybe, having them bring in the latest vial for an emergency supply i.e. good faith. (Patient had no choice in getting prescription costs covered due to recent work situation changes.) Guess whoever doesn’t have the ‘power’ to stand firm in desire for better treatment is the ‘victim’?

Comment by Nasty on 2008-03-23 06:37:06 -0700 #

This is right on the money. I tell people who want me to counsel on someone else’s rx no b/c 1. You don’t pay someone to put on a new roof then ask another roofer to fix it for free when he didn’t complete the job.
2. Me with wide eyes “OMG you mean they didn’t counsel you? WHAT? You paid them for that, but I just woudn’t feel comfortable as there may have been information on the prescrition I don’t have access to that might be important. If I were you I would go back there and insist on that information for your own safety.”
Don;t get angry, act all shocked and concerned for their stupid asses. Sends them off ready to rip off the face of the other pharmacist!!

Comment by http://openid.aol.com/rgregg78 on 2008-03-23 16:27:15 -0700 #

This IS some good shit and I totally agree 150%!!! My favorite is on children doses…I refuse to take the liability on that one and explain they’ll have to call their pedi. If they whine, I tell them sorry that in this day and age of “I want to sue any and everyone” I cannot and will not give them a dose for their child under 6 or under 2…Call me lazy but I worked too hard in pharmacy school for John or Jane Smith to own my ass.

Comment by terri on 2008-03-23 18:17:13 -0700 #

I agree with those who will not counsel on other’s prescriptions. Liability etc. But most importantly our knowledge is worth something.I would simply state “our counseling fee is $____ per hour. Counseling is complimentary on prescriptions filled at our pharmacy. I would be more than happy to help you but I will have to charge you the counseling fee.” and then… “no it is not covered by your insurance. We accept cash, checks and credit cards.” Same with OTC’s never give advice on the phone- tell them ” by what you describe I definitely have a product I think will help. When you arrive at our store ask for “Bob” and I will get it for you.” Why listen to their gripes (I mean symptoms) and tell them what to purchase and have them spend their money at the quick mart.

Comment by karrirx on 2008-03-23 19:01:24 -0700 #

I now work for an independent after working 8 years at a grocery store chain. I don’t get as many questions at the independent as I did in the grocery stores…but I HATE it when someone calls and asks questions about their medication. When I ask them if they filled it at my store so that I can look up their profile, of course, they say, “Well, i didn’t get it filled here..I got if filled at XYZ pharmacy (ususally one that starts with “W”..$4 generics..too busy to apparently counsel anyone (SO IT SEEMS..not completely bashing all pharmacists who work for this chain!) but apparently they trust our pharmacy more..but I guess not enough to come fill their scrips here???
On another note, Liberty Mutual, I finally got to experience one of their “meters”. It was the dumbest and confusing meter I have seen thus far.
I think I”m going to play the “call the dispensing pharmacy” card.
TAP – love your site. Been in retail since 1992..pharmacist since 2004. You hit the nail on the head with every post! I look forward to reading new posts every day! : )

Comment by dame on 2008-03-25 08:50:06 -0700 #

Found my way here by following a couple of links on another site and, after reading the posts and comments from the past few days, I’d like to make the following observations:

  1. TAP should consider a different line of work, perhaps one in which s/he doesn’t have to deal with the ultimate unpredictable variable: People. I spent 20 years in a profession dealing with people in more stressful situations than TAP can imagine, and I got out, so it can be done and, in TAP’s case, it should be done.
  2. TAP should take a moment to be grateful that s/he never does not have any medical conditions that are difficult for him/her to manage. OTOH, if s/he did, perhaps that would make it easier to understand that one size doesn’t fit all and “following the right lifestyle” is a platitude that’s easy to dispense but difficult for some people to do. Apparently TAP has never had to make lifestyle changes that were hard to do (ever try to quit smoking?) or that affected others (ever had to cook two separate meals, one for one person and one for everyone else, three times a day?), or tried to exercise with a concurrent debilitating condition (go jogging? with two arthritic knees since childhood?). Things aren’t always as cut and dried in the real world as they are on the planet where TAP lives.
  3. I’ve been going to the same pharmacist for about 10 years now, including changing my pharmacy when he moved. I can ask him anything about drug interactions, side effects, what to expect with a new med, etc., but I don’t ask him questions I should ask my doctor and he doesn’t try to give me medical advice that should come from my doctor. I’m keeping my business at his shop because of him, instead of going to any of the several $4 places (and because I’m lucky enough to be able to afford to). He’s a pro, and I think he comes a lot closer than TAP to representing the profession.

Comment by Kelly on 2008-03-26 09:51:31 -0700 #

Dame,
You lazy twat, every single “point” you made has not only been made before by other idiots but has been soundly rebutted, rejected and filed under “Only a fucking retard would ask this.”

Comment by MidwestPharmr on 2008-03-27 21:41:12 -0700 #

Dame… Your mother’s a whore. And why do people seem to forget the page is titles “The Angry Pharmacist??” I’m sure her pharmacist has vented once or twice about her.

Comment by TAP GROUPIE on 2008-03-28 11:02:51 -0700 #

Dame, quit talking out your ass. I’ve been following TAP since the beginning, and after about the 72nd nood picture I emailed him he now allows me to call him at home or work 24/7 for medication advice. No farmassist or doctor has ever been nicer or explained things better than TAP. And I’m sure that has nothing to do with the n00dz.

Comment by BoMeister on 2008-04-03 10:58:56 -0700 #

Seems none of the petulant angry commenters, as well as the blog author, seem to know Medco bought Liberty Medical late last year….nothing need be said further.
You may wish to also quit throwing so many f-bombs….shows what I knew was true in pharmacy school: pharmacists can be real ignoramuses in endeavors outside their profession, despite all their education.

Comment by doclori on 2009-08-20 15:26:35 -0700 #

Well, I’m a doctor, and it bugs me to no end the amount of information we have to provide for free — on call, in the middle of the night, and usually the conversation goes something like this: “Hi, my seventeen year old has had vomiting and diarrhea for four days now, what should I do?” and I have to wonder after FOUR days, why are you choosing to call me NOW, at 3 am??? And of course, there’s no way to charge for these nighttime intrusions, it’s free medical care, and I have no way to even verify that they belong to our practice.

The Angry Pharmacist
Author
The Angry Pharmacist
Started this site in 2005 out of frustration that pharmacy school does not prepare you for dealing with the ungrateful unwashed public. Was hugely popular until life called and I had to take a break. Now I try to provide low brow potty humor that applies to the pharmacy population at large. Except you clinical fucks, go play doctor with your white coats and snobby attitude.