Thursday, January 29, 2009

Just Random Thoughts

I really expected a lot more bitching about the Albuterol HFA inhalers (I mean how they work, not the price -- that, they do complain about). There have been a couple of hard-core customers who snarl that they 'don't work' but for the most part people seem to have taken them in stride (so far, anyway).

I wish doctors wouldn't write scripts for things like Zyprexa and Cymbalta and Abilify without having some idea of what they cost, and whether the patient's insurance is likely to cover it. Lately I've dealt with some pretty scary customers who really need the stuff but are in no position to pay for it. I'm the bearer of that bad news.

I wish doctors & nurses wouldn't tell patients that I will 'waive' the copay. No. I might get the patient started on the med and have them come back and pay tomorrow, or I might figure out some other way to deal with it. Don't make business decisions for me and promise patients something just to get yourself off the hook.

Another Dear Doctor: When discharging some elderly, non-English speaking person from the hospital, don't give them a script for an exotic wound-dressing product without giving them ANY idea of where to get it.
Even I never heard of it, so think of the trouble THEY'RE going to have!

And lastly, please deliver me from the hordes of customers that suddenly materialize 10 minutes before closing with stacks of prescriptions and insurance cards that are TERMINATED. What IS it about closing time that brings that on???

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

there exists a core group of people for whom closing time is the best time to go business. They walk into restaurants 10 minutes before closing and keep the staff there for an extra hour. They are trying on shirts and pants for a half-hour after the mall closes while the clerks patiently ( or not so patiently wait). They walk into grocery stores at 4:50 pm on Christmas eve and MUST buy THE christmas dinner, when the store closes at 5:00. They call the pharmacy at 2 minutes before closing begging for somebody to stay open so they can pick up a drug that has been on the shelf for 4 days. They are the last to board the plane because they were at the coffee shop and didnt' hear the boarding call. AND, they are completely clueless about it.

EC said...

The scopolamine patch is my lifesaver. I started using it a few years ago and don't think I could fly without it.