Most times I have a prescription filled it take much longer that I would guess. A recent example, at a simplistic level, all that was needed was for 10 pills to be put into a bottle, however, it took nearly an hour. There did not appear to be other customers waiting. Is the delay because there is a complex process with controlled drugs, or they are under-staffed, or are other things going on?
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Pharmacist here. Starting from the beginning of the process;
I receive the electronic prescription from your doctor. At some point the data entry will happen where we will select the drug to dispense, type the directions, tell your insurance how much we are giving you and how long it will last. A busy pharmacy will have about 100+ other prescriptions ahead of yours in this step. A slow pharmacy probably still has a dozen or more other ones that came in before yours that still need to be processed.
I do my best to get things processed and typed out. I’m on a roll and I get 4 or 5 scripts in a row typed out. Someone butts up to my window to ask why we no longer carry the mucinex and what else I recommend for their chronic cough. A few minutes later and after shooting down my recommendations, they tell me they’re just going to use the aspirin they already have at home.
There are 3 phone lines on hold and another one ringing in. The first call I answer is someone wondering whether their prescription is ready. I haven’t even received it. They insist their doctor sent it 2 days ago and they got a text saying it was ready and tell me they have nothing but issues with our pharmacy.
The next call asks if we carry beet root powder and can I tell them how much it is.
Finally down to the last phone line. It’s someone checking to see if their script is ready. It is. Easy enough. Time to finally get something done!
A mom and her 2 children walk up and would like to receive flu and covid shots for her and both kids. I get them started on filling out the forms.
Your prescription is tied up with an insurance rejection. Your insurance changed group numbers and never sent you an updated card. No worries, I’ve seen enough of these rejections where I can figure out what the right numbers are. It goes through insurance.
I start checking your prescription for accuracy. I’m making sure we are about to give you what the doctor prescribed and that the dose is safe. 3 seconds into me focusing on this part of your prescription, another person butts up to the window next to me and asks if we carry catheter bags. We don’t but the medical supply store down the road might. That person doesn’t have a computer or smart phone so I have to look up the phone number for the medical supply store.
There are 2 more lines on hold and another line ringing in. This time it’s someone wanting to fill their controlled substance over 2 weeks early.
The next line is a vet’s office calling in a prescription for a dog since most vet’s offices do not have electronic prescribing capabilities.
The mom is done filling out the paperwork for the 6 vaccines. I realize I need an insurance card for the kids since we don’t have them in our system. I also inform them that there is a Shingles vaccine appointment scheduled ahead of them but we would do our best to get them taken care of as soon as we can.
Anyways, back to your script. The dose looks good and it was typed accurately.
The person at the pickup counter is just starting a new medication and has concerns about the side effects, so I take a few minutes to go over it with them. The old man right behind them rudely interrupts to ask if we carry pill cutters.
The car at drive thru has an allergy on file that we need to document before selling out their script, so I step over and ask them a couple questions and type that into the system.
Time to physically fill your prescription. I scan the barcode on the stock bottle to verify it’s the right drug and count the 10 tablets out. This part of the process takes 8 seconds.
Your prescription is ready for the final check where I will make sure we physically put the right drug in the bottle. There are only a few more scripts in front of it.
4 more lines on hold and the shingles shot appointment is here. I get them checked in and call them in for their shot. They wore a button up long sleeve shirt to their appointment so it takes 2-3 minutes for them to get their shirt on and off.
The mom with the children asks how much longer it’s going to be and I can sense they are getting impatient. I’m already in the vaccine room anyway, so I get them finalized so I can get them out of there. One of the kids is deathly afraid of needles so it takes 5 minutes for the mom to console the child before finally bear hugging the kid so I can safely get 2 needles in and out of their arm.
I get back in the pharmacy and am told line 3 is on hold with a question for the pharmacist. I decide to finish up a few more scripts before doing anything else. Yours is finally completely done and the paperwork starts to print. The printer jams.
Not mentioned is the fact that 50-60 other prescriptions went through the whole process in this time.
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