[Umbral_Seraph]

I went in today to pick up the rest of my prescription (which had only been partly filled). Apparently a bunch of the people who work there, especially on the register, know my face/name. Not sure what to think about that...

[darkrunner]

That can be kind of disconcerting. There's something secure about being just another nameless face in the crowd.

[wing]

I agree...my paranoia makes me think they expect me to decompensate right in front of their eyes. However, it could be they remember me because of the fortune I spend there every month...

[splitimage]

Aw heck - I'm on a first name basis with the all the pharmacy team members at my pharmacy, to the point when they just know I'm due for a refill. I took an antibiotic prescription in about 10 days ago, and the pharmacy assistant, asked me when I was going to place the order for my refills as I was due! I told her I had 4 days worth left and so had planned on calling it in tomorrow. Now that's what I call knowing a bit too much about your customers. On the other hand it actually makes me feel better, as it means they'll also be super aware of any drug interactions should I get a new script that's not from my pdoc.

--splitimage

[saywhat?]

Not sure why I feel this way, but I like that my pharmacy knows me and my family. Think about what they see everyday.....It's almost like an emergency room in a hospital, they see it all! I've seen more than a couple decompensations (not me!) at the pharmacy counter and the staff don't even blink an eye.

I've gone to the same pharmacy for at least 17 years now. I do have moments of weirdness when I drop off a new script, b/c my cocktail is pretty extensive already, but that passes quickly. I have a handicapped son, who takes a decent number of meds on his own every month, then the hubby has a couple of routine scripts of his own too. So when I go to pick up I have at least two big pharmacy bags full of stuff.

The benefits as I see them are:
Since they know my name and face I have a shorter wait time when I pick up, they'll get my order and have it waiting at the counter when I get there. They greet me and my son every time they see us in the store, which my son just LOVES the attention. Since I've been with them so long, it seems I've graduated past the "suspicion" level, meaning they aren't surprised if I bring them a script for one of *those* meds that often get abused. If I have a question, I get a quick and friendly, detailed response. They contact me immediately if there's any problem with ANYTHING, and seem to go farther to help with problems. Plus, I feel more comfortable asking any one of them very personal questions. Alot of this sounds like stuff they should do for everyone all the time anyway, but it just feels NICER, I don't know another way to say it. BTW, our pharmacy is in the local Kroger- go figure! They put in one of those drive thru windows and have even broken their stiff rule of not getting OTC items for customers in the drive thru for us when we've been on the way home from hospital.
Be friendly and outgoing with your pharmacy folks and they'll take care of you!

[racee]

it can be frustrating when you just feel like you want to be invisible...but i don't know how invisible you can be...for me cause i go in every two weeks to get a script refilled. But i have kaiser and the pharmacists don't really make a deal about seeing you...theres too many people. i did hate going to rite aid though they always look at you like what are you taking this for!!! and i just didn't feel comfortable.

More than once, I was given prescriptions meant for someone else.

[Liberada]

The pharmacy I used to go to knew my name. At first I was embarrassed and paranoid. Then I found out it was kind of their company policy to get to know their customers on a more personal level. By then I had come to enjoy them knowing who I was and when I found this out I didn't feel any more special than anyone else, kinda bummed.

I changed pharmacies due to too many screw ups. One cost me an extra visit to my pdoc $$ because he doesn't call in scripts and only writes them for 3 mos at the time. They lost one and on the next new one they put zero refills. So I changed. I'd rather have a correct script than them know my name. I can make the new pharm know me if I want to. I just have to make an effort. God knows I get plenty of scripts filled there!

Byz, they gave me a ladies heart pills in place of birth control once. I have a laundry list of things they've done wrong. I can't believe that I am just that unlucky.

[anna342]

I used to have to go every week to get a big bag of meds, I took a lot, and they were suspicious of them too. But they also in the same light were very friendly, knew my name, asked how I was each time I went and were pretty friendly.

It is akward people knowing and wondering if they are speculating about your meds, but really, it's just their job, they see a lot of people on a lot of different meds. They probably don't think any different of you to any other person that comes in for meds. I dealt with it by just smiling and saying hi, lying with 'I'm fine thanks', because lets face it, they didn't really want the truth, they were being polite.

You could always go to another pharmacy if it's a problem to you.

[Yoda]

There are some up sides to the pharmacy knowing you. I was getting rx filled several days after I had killed my BF and they took me aside and let me sit by myself in the room where pharmacists counsel clients so that other waiting clients wouldn't be staring at me.

[kikki27]

Originally Posted by Umbral_Seraph

I went in today to pick up the rest of my prescription (which had only been partly filled). Apparently a bunch of the people who work there, especially on the register, know my face/name. Not sure what to think about that...

I would say thats a good thing nobody can get away with your prescription acting like you

[buttrfli42481]

I personally like it when the pharmacy staff know who I am. The pharmacy I go to now is in my pdoc's office building. They call before I am out of a script to make sure I need the refill. They know my daughter too. They are just a friendly bunch of people. The same company has a location at my work, and I might see if I can get my scripts filled there, so I don't have to drive as far every month.

[lonegael]

They know me here in the village, but then again, there aren't very many mano depresive americans hanging out in this end of Sweden, so that's a given Then I go into the town to get the stuff they don't stock in the boondocks. The pharmacy people are very discrete, but the med clinic folks have a bad reputation for gossip, and that's not just my paranoia talking. Ah, the joys of small town life. At least we don't have to live right in the middle of it.

[racee]

went to the pharmacy yesterday... i have been going there off and on for nearly 26 years and they still can't say my name right and they always look at me and say is that right how do you say it??? like they care! if they really cared they would have gotten it by now! lol makes me laugh i like it when they don't even try i don't like my name being announced to everyone anyways lol it's so funny how picky we all can be

[jbug]

My pharmacy sends me a birthday card and every one that works there signs it. I suppose with as many drugs I get there I should get a birthday and maybe even a Christmas card LOL.

One of the main drawing points to my pharmacy is they deliver so if I am feeling icky I can just call in the script and they bring it to me. The other part is if you go inside to get it filled they have a basket that has candy in it and if I need a chocolate fix I'll go inside instead of driving through.

As for part of your medical team knowing you by name when I call my GP's office to leave a message for my doctor the operator knows my voice so I don't even really have to say my name. I say it anyway but if she is the one answering the phones that particular day she knows my voice.

Jan