I had a horrible experience here today that could have significantly affected my rights as a patient to receive the healthcare my doctor prescribed. I can't imagine the (possible) consequences of the audacity and carelessness I encountered.
I came in to pick up a prescription my doctor sent today for ongoing shortness of breath and cough. I told the pharmacist that I had a prescription. He checked the system and couldn't find it. Instead, he focused on an old prescription from November (it is March) that had been written by a different provider for a related condition. I told him multiple times that this was not why I was there: I had seen my doctor this morning, and I was there for the new prescription.
We went back and forth, and I repeated several times that the November prescription was not the one I needed. Then I remembered that my date of birth had a typo in the clinic's system. Although my doctor said he would correct it, I thought that might be why the pharmacist couldn't locate the new prescription. I told him about the typo and suggested that could be the issue. After a few minutes, he said he had sorted it out and told me to come back after the lunch break. That was reasonable, so I waited in my car for 40 minutes.
When I returned, I waited in line again. Another staff member told me it was almost ready. Shortly after, I received a text saying my prescription was ready--but the text listed the medication from November, not the medication my doctor prescribed today. I knew this immediately because this is a chronic condition and I'm very familiar with different medications.
I went back and spoke to another pharmacist. She confirmed that what was ready was indeed the November prescription, and she still couldn't find the new one. After searching, she told me they couldn't locate it because of the typo in my date of birth. (This pharmacist was lovely and genuinely helpful.) But I had already told the first pharmacist about that typo. At his point, I had been at the pharmacy for more than an hour, with shortness of breath and I was feeling dizzy.
Bottom line: if I hadn't been careful, known my medications, and advocated for myself, I could have gone home without the medication I needed. The first pharmacist put an old prescription into processing even though I repeatedly told him it was not what I was there for. This was done to rush me out. Knowingly rushing out a patient with a wrong set of pills is unacceptable for a healthcare establishment. Shame on this pharmacist.
I will also be reporting this to Safeway headquarters and Washington Department of Health, so that this person receives the warning he needs and deserves. read more
