PRESCRIPTION WARNING!!!!!!!!!!

PRESCRIPTION WARNING!!!!

WARNING: WHEN YOU PICK UP A PRESCRIPTION FROM THE PHARMACY, PLEASE BE SURE TO DO THE FOLLOWING:

CHECK THE LABEL: Is it YOUR prescription? Is it the correct medicine? Is it the correct strength? AND – did you get the correct number of pills or correct amount of any other form prescribed?
DID THE PHARMACY CLERK VERIFY YOUR IDENTITY?
If an error was made, how did the pharmacist react? Did he/she personally offer you an apology and assurance that it would NEVER happen again? Did he/she thank you for checking the prescription BEFORE you left the pick-up window?

Yesterday, I picked up a prescription from RITE-AID. The doctor had written it for SIXTY (60) pills because I take two a day. The clerk did not verify that I was indeed the patient for whom the medication was written. She did not even want me to see it! RED FLAG! I made her show it to me and found that the pharmacist had given me a pre-packaged bottle of only THIRTY (30) pills, but the prescription label said SIXTY (60)! When I called this to the clerk’s attention, she said nothing. She showed it to the pharmacist, who said nothing, but quickly printed out another label, placed it on a second bottle of 30 pills, and then DISAPPEARED INTO THE BACK! When I asked the clerk how this could have happened, her explanation was, “We’re so busy, with everyone rushing around. THERE’S NO TIME TO CHECK.”

NO TIME TO CHECK A PRESCRIPTION?

Well, Rite-Aid in Philadelphia, you have been reported to the State Agency that regulates pharmacy licensing. You are being reported to my insurance company for attempted fraud. And I hope that a lot of people read this blog.

Rite-Aid is taking over Eckerd Pharmacy. Instead of getting better, they’re simply getting bigger. There will be more errors.

This is a plea from someone who has worked in medicine for more than 30 years.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS BEFORE LEAVING THE PHARMACY!!!!! INSIST THAT THEY CORRECT THEIR MISTAKE BEFORE YOU LEAVE. AND THEN GO HOME AND REPORT THEM! PRESCRIPTION ERRORS CAN BE AN INCONVENIENCE AT LEAST – AND FATAL AT WORST.