Jacqui
Seymour,#2Consumer Comment
Thu, October 22, 2009
I work as a pharmacy technician at a Wal-Mart pharmacy. I can assure you that the pharmacist on duty was only doing his job, if he cannot make out the directions on a prescription, he cannot safely fill it. It is his responsibility to make sure that he tells you how to take the medication properly so you don't suffer any ill effects of not taking enough or accidentally overdosing. Handwritten prescriptions are often done hastily, and they are often very hard do decipher. However, there was a failure on the pharmacies part to use the pager number to get a hold of the doctor in order to clarify the situation in a timely manner. As a technician, I would advise that if you are in this situation again, politely ask the doctor if he can have the prescription phoned in to the pharmacy of your choice (it is illegal for narcotics to be e-scripted, but they can still be phoned in from the doctor, at least in my state). They will either leave it on the pharmacies voice mail, or can give it directly to the pharmacist on duty, which eliminates most misunderstandings. Then call the pharmacy yourself, and tell them when you would like to pick it up. There is no excuse for the pain you were in, but unfortunately, if he couldn't read the prescribed instructions, he could not in good conscience (or lawfully) give you the medication.
Jacqui
Seymour,#3Consumer Comment
Thu, October 22, 2009
I work as a pharmacy technician at a Wal-Mart pharmacy. I can assure you that the pharmacist on duty was only doing his job, if he cannot make out the directions on a prescription, he cannot safely fill it. It is his responsibility to make sure that he tells you how to take the medication properly so you don't suffer any ill effects of not taking enough or accidentally overdosing. Handwritten prescriptions are often done hastily, and they are often very hard do decipher. However, there was a failure on the pharmacies part to use the pager number to get a hold of the doctor in order to clarify the situation in a timely manner. As a technician, I would advise that if you are in this situation again, politely ask the doctor if he can have the prescription phoned in to the pharmacy of your choice (it is illegal for narcotics to be e-scripted, but they can still be phoned in from the doctor, at least in my state). They will either leave it on the pharmacies voice mail, or can give it directly to the pharmacist on duty, which eliminates most misunderstandings. Then call the pharmacy yourself, and tell them when you would like to pick it up. There is no excuse for the pain you were in, but unfortunately, if he couldn't read the prescribed instructions, he could not in good conscience (or lawfully) give you the medication.