Thursday, August 20, 2009

All I want to hear from the pharmacy tech/clerk...

...are things like "Good morning, how are you today?", "Is there anything else I can do for you today?", "Would you like to speak to the pharmacist about your prescription(s) today?" and "I wish you well" or "Have a nice day". I do NOT want to hear "go to this website to learn the truth about cancer" or "I hope you're using alternative therapies because that's the only way you can beat it" or "I've cared for three cancer patients and the only ones that made it were the ones that pursued alternative therapies." I especially don't want to hear this from 1) someone I do not know, 2) someone that has no medical, holistic, or pharmaceutical degree, or 3) someone that is saying this to me over the pharmacy counter while others can hear it and when all I said was "I'm here to pick up my prescription." SERIOUSLY, why is it that some people have to ruin a person's day with this kind of unsolicited, unwanted, and unprofessional "advice" during the most stressful time of a person's life - as they are fighting for their life?! Dear Laura (pharmacy hag that said these things to me yesterday), While you may truly believe you are being kind and helpful to those in my situation, please reconsider saying such things to me and others like me that come to your counter. Assuming that we haven't already considered any and all available options to fight the battle against this deadly disease is quite insulting and hurtful. You nearly ruined my afternoon yesterday with your inconsiderate and inappropriate comments about my cancer treatments. I did not ask you for medical or holistic treatment options or advice. I simply asked you to ring up my prescription and yet you chose to violate my privacy by reviewing the nature of my prescription, looking at my bald head, and then making statements about my treatment plan in front of other customers (isn't that a violation of federal law anyway?!). I am quite confident in my physicians, surgeons, and holistic practitioners and the plan they have me on but there's always that occasional fear and doubt a person with cancer will have and comments like yours only stoke the flames of fear and doubt at a time when we need to be positive and confident. I have just made a call to your manager to inform her of your unprofessional interactions with me since yesterday was the THIRD time you have done this to me. I asked her to instruct you to discontinue such inappropriate interactions since you are indeed violating patients' privacy. I told her I'd keep my prescriptions there as long as that never happens again but if it happens one more time I'm transferring out to another pharmacy because I don't need that nonsense right now. I hope you will begin to think about how your comments make the customers feel and if you feel you need to disseminate information about alternative treatments you should do so in a more appropriate setting where people are actually soliciting such information. Thank you, Julie Olsen

11 comments:

Steve and Amy Beth said...

Ugh! Can't even believe it! What the heck?! I'd like to say something to this woman also, but I wouldn't be nearly as professional as you! HIPA Laws prohibit this legally and one would hope that common courtesy, respect, and integrity would come into play. I'm glad you called the manager, Julie.

Nancy said...

Unbelievable! I am so glad you spoke up . I hate to think of her negativity ruining your day. I am sure she has devastated others with her lovley tact, too. Very unprofessional.

Gina said...

WTF!!!!! That is awful! Srcew her! Let me know if she does it again...... I have a cousin who could take care of her for you! LOL! You are so nice not to smack her right there!

JEN said...

That is crazy!!! Good for you for writing a letter so it doesn't happen to someone else. I'm surprised you didn't tell her off yourself, but sometimes when people do this sort of stuff to me, I'm so shocked and surprised, that doesn't cross my mind at the time, you know?

Anonymous said...

Dear Ms. KnowItAllPharmacyClerkWhoDoesn'tHaveAClueHowYourWordsAffectOthers: Please learn to keep your big mouth shut while you're at work.

Julie, I sure hope she didn't hit you up for an additional copay for her "medical" recommendations. If she did, could you sue her for malpractice?

As long as you're fully entrenched in the ass kicking mode on cancer, feel free to kick her ass a few times. If you don't feel you have the energy to do that, I'm sure you've got loads of wonderful, caring, and understanding friends who would be willing to assist if you simply ask. Let me see a show of hands of those willing to help with this ....

Gail

Anonymous said...

OMG! That is outrageous! She straight up should have been fired! Good on you, Julie, for showing so much restraint. I'm on board to kick her ass, too. That is so MF'ing ridiculous! Oh - and what a comprehensive study this scholar completed - 3 patients! She can f*** off! I'm sorry, but that really pisses me off! GRRRR!

`Carrie from iV (Drake's not allowed to cuss;)

Daria said...

How awful! Yes it makes me very angry when friends and family or strangers offer cancer advice (when they've not had it) ... makes the hair on my neck stand up.

The Brown 4 said...

Here's a good one. After I lost my hair some knuckel-head came up to me and said "Did you loose a bet, or are you sick or somethin'!
I should have kicked him in the nuts.
I know how you feel.
By the way, the first thing I said to you this morning while you were out on your wonderful healthy walk was "how are you feeling?" That's all anyone needs to say to show their love and support. Sorry that clerk still has a job. Love Greg.

Unknown said...

Take comfort in the fact that you are a better person and have a career while the best that clerk can hope for is a life of minimum wage, dead end jobs. And you already know why!

Kathie said...

I took care of Laura for you ... I gave her "crotch rot" on the voddoo doll!

Tanna said...

God, that makes me crazy! As if you don't already have enough things to consider and decisions to make. Don't get me started on the "flax seed and cottage cheese" cure!

Along with Gina, I too have some relatives (all named Joe, curiously) who could help drive your point home, LOL.