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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

A Prescription for High Blood Pressure (Getting that is)

Hokay so today I went to the Doctor for a follow up appointment to get the results from my yearly lab tests. The numbers were okay, but needed some work. Doc gave me new prescriptions for my old meds and some new meds to try to help with the numbers. Nice quick visit with me going in at 4pm and coming out at 4:25pm. So I skip (No not literally) over to Krogers to pick up the prescriptions that the Doc emailed in. Planned on picking up meds, getting a coffee from Starbucks (Don't yell, wife has a gift card!) then coming home. Half hour to 45 minutes tops.
Sooo, when I get there I walk over to the Pharmacy to inquire about how long my fills would take. I immediately sensed imminent doom because none of the Pharmacists I actually like working today. I ask the girl behind the counter how long on my meds. She looks at my file and says, “Oh well, we haven't even started yet. They are marked for 7:30.”
Now at that moment I was mildly annoyed since the prescriptions had been sent in 20 minutes before, but still not angry. I politely ask how long it will take them to fill them now. She informs me that they are very busy, but should be able to get them for me in half an hour. I smile and go off to wander around the store. Fast forward 30 minutes. I come back to get my meds. The girl I talked to earlier is gone so I ask the female type person behind the counter if my meds are finished. She checks my file and says, “I'm sorry Sir, but we haven't even started since they were marked for 7:30.
I not so politely tell her that the other girl had told me that they would be ready for me at that time and ask how long it is going to take. She tells me another 20 minutes. I nod and move off just to stand around because I have absolutely nothing else to do waiting for the meds that should have been ready by now.
Now I bet you guys are thinking you know why I am ranting. After all, having them mess up the time twice must have really gotten my goat. Well, you are incorrect. Yes I was mildly annoyed, but no where near rant material. After all, mistakes can be made. No what followed during my next 20 minute wait is what pissed me off.
So there I am standing around, goofing off. I weighed myself (223 in case you're interested) and took my blood pressure (120 over 69 also in case you are interested) and generally just be bored. During that 20 minutes I see at least four people come up to the drop off window and drop off their prescriptions. Those same four people came back within that 20 minutes and picked said prescriptions up. Keep in mind that I, who actually already prescriptions in the system, have been waiting for nearly an hour.
So I ask same girl as before, “Excuse me Miss. How come those people can get their prescriptions done in 10 minutes, but I have had to wait nearly an hour?”
She looks me in the eye and replies, “Well Sir, your prescriptions were set for 7:30 and theirs weren't.”
Now folks, I understand mistakes happen. Misunderstandings abound. My doctor may have sent in the wrong pick up time. The person recording in the system may have entered the wrong time. Mistakes happen, that is just the way of life. However, I communicated to the Pharmacists twice that I was already waiting for my meds despite the 7:30 boondoggle. I was told TWICE that the prescriptions would be ready well before 7:30 and I was forced TWICE to stand and wait while other people who came after me got their orders filled before me.
I wasted over an hour because people could not or would not do their job right. IF they had informed me that there was no way to have my meds ready before 7:30 I would have gone off to do other errands and come back at 7:30. Instead, because two separate people gave me incorrect information, I wasted my time.
I don't ask for much, people. I do expect people to do their job at least passingly well. If you can't get something done in time, say so. If you say you are going to do something, then do it. Don't say one thing and then do another. In other words, DO YOUR FREAKING JOB!
End of Rant

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