Pharmacy Nightmare

Last week I spent a total of four hours over three nights waiting to pick up prescriptions at a local pharmacy. Actually over four hours, but I don't really know how much more.

My Other Half had transferred his prescriptions from the national chain across the street only about three weeks ago. Since the new pharmacy, also a national chain, is on my way home from work, I stopped to pick up some re-fills for MOH Wednesday evening. The pharmacy website where he ordered the re-fills indicated they were ready for pickup. Well, an hour after I arrived at the pharmacy, I finally left. Without at least one of the prescriptions. It wasn't ready.

Thursday, because MOH had the van that day, we both stopped. I "window shopped" around the store and then sat down in their waiting area while MOH alternately waited in line or sat in the waiting area with me. After about an hour (more or less), we left with part of his order that was still incomplete from the night before.

On Friday night I again stopped at this pharmacy. I got in line and asked for the prescription. I was told it would be ready shortly. After an hour and a half, I got in line again and asked how much longer I would be waiting. The young lady behind the counter turned and asked another older lady how long and should she tell me to come back. That's when I interrupted and said I would not be coming back, I had already waited an hour an a half and that I lived in Bradenton (it would not have been a terrible hardship to come back, but a very inconvenient one). That was when the older lady decided to get some information from me. I called MOH on my cell so that I would be able to give information that he would have at hand (like just what I was picking up). He gave me a list and when I told the lady what was on the list, she said they didn't have one of the prescriptions. I still had him on the phone and asked him about it. He described the woman he handed the prescription to and guess what? It was the same lady I was talking to! She also said that he told her he didn't need the tips to syringes that were on the list (both syringes and tips). I asked, why would he say that, this is a new prescription, he doesn't have tips at home, so wouldn't he need them? I know MOH, he wouldn't have told her he didn't need something he needed.

Anyway, it was two hours after I first entered the store that I left. When the lady was bagging my order, she asked if I had one of their customer cards. You know the cards, they give cash back on your purchase. I handed her my card and when she started to hand it back, I told her to keep it, that I had no intention of ever setting foot in that store, or even that chain again. She ended up putting it the bag so I got it back anyway. Maybe she thought I'd have a change of heart?

I have the address of the corporated headquarters and will be writing to them to express my displeasure of their service.

You might notice I didn't name the pharmacy. I don't intend to, but let's say that, in my opinion, the name of the company doesn't stand for (our) customers (are) very satisfied.