Walgreen's Pharmacy Leaves Something More To Be Desired..
The first time I was there to have a prescription filled, the two service lines were six and seven persons deep and the drive through window processed a steady line of prescription orders. (Eat your heart out McDonalds!) From what I could see there were a half dozen or so pharmacy techs of various nationalities scurrying about keeping the drive through window supplied and placing orders in the holding rack. It was by far the most intensive activity in the entire store and undoubtedly responsible for Walgreen's 2016 billion dollar profits. It is for all practical purposes a highly successful retail network pharmacy. But what about real healthcare?
Only one pharmacist oversaw this circus of activity that I could detect with who knows how many unseen individuals behind the scene hastily filling little plastic pill bottles with various medicines. It was Obamacare's assembly line medicine in full operation, a boon to the fortunate few who hold exclusive distribution status.: "The Obama administration decided to make a deal with the PhRMA to get them to support the legislation," he told Morning Consult. "PhRMA got a number of favorable provisions in the legislation."
As you might expect, in any quasi chaotic operation born of special interest deals, things were bound to go wrong. In the multicultural- multinational drug market, the 'mission statement' is more important that the reality of care. Walgreen's president, Greg Wasson claims: "One of the most unifying forces behind Walgreens 113 years of success is our purpose: to help people get, stay and live well."
Really? But shouldn't that process commence by ensuring that patients obtain ALL their prescribed medicines and not someone else's? After arriving at Walgreen's about a month ago, I had requested my prescription records be transferred to Walgreens from CVS. You AREN'T ALLOWED to retrieve your own prescription from a pharmacy under Obamacare; it has to be requested by ANOTHER PHARMACY.
On March 27th, I went to get my 2nd prescription filled that clearly indicated there were two remaining refills on the bottle. However, I was told at the counter that they had NO prescription records for that medication. I informed them you should have the records as I had requested them to be transferred from CVS the last time I was at Walgreens. But I had to request the transfer of my 2nd prescription a second time and indicated that I would return on Wednesday of that week to pick it up.
When I arrived at the counter on Wednesday a multicultural tech informed me that my pain killing medication was ready. I didn't have a pain killing medication, I replied. "Oh, then your Prednisone prescription is ready", the tech said. I don't have a Prednisone prescription either; I wouldn't take that stuff I replied. Makes you wonder if diabetic customers are getting the correct medication and dosages, hmmm? Nothing quite like being knowledgeable about whom you're serving.
But regarding my 2nd prescription they said: "CVS didn't send that prescription to us because you have no refills remaining." But that wasn't true as the prescription vial I handed Walgreens clearly displayed TWO refills and it had not yet reached the 12-month expiration limit.
The pharmacy didn't seem to care about the administrative foul-up and refused to honor my request for a few emergency pills to hold me over until I could get the doctor to write a new prescription because as their pharmacist told me ".. it wasn't legal." KMART did this regularly. So was it legal to push off narcotic pain killers and prednisone on me because they mistook my identity? It doesn't invoke much confidence on my part in their professional capabilities. Instead they had my third prescription ready (which I didn't need) and tried to get me to take that in lieu of what I requested. Starting to get the picture, yet?
Is it just me? Well read some of the 1220 Walgreen complaints and decide for yourself. (https://www.consumeraffairs.com/rx/walgreen.html
CVS and Walgreens are battling it out to control the market for prescription drugs so customer care is way down the line. Patient care comes in number four right behind legal liabilities, HHS directives and company policy. Emphasis is on pushing the distribution sales of prescription drugs to the dehumanizing level, everything else is secondary.
The reader is well advised to seek other drug store providers if at all possible. read more
