How to Ruin a Patients Vacation

So Ms. French comes in to the store today. Ms. French is one of our least favorite patients, a problem every time she arrives. See she and her hubby are from the other side of the US. Her hubby gets brand name only Vicodin. Always...ALWAYS prescribed by the same Dr. We'll call him Dr. West. Mr and Ms French have been patients at my pharmacy for over 4 years. In that time they have never once had a prescription filled by a local Dr. Dr. West prescribes everything for them. Smells awfully funny if you ask me.

Anyway, Ms. French arrives at the pick up window and says "I'm here to get my husbands medicine. I called it in yesterday. Hes out of refills. Dr. West is closed on Mondays so you can't get any. We're going on vacation. I need you to give me enough for 10 days." Ok...number 1. You knew your husband was out of refills. 2. You knew you were going on vacation. 3. You knew Dr. West was closed on Mondays. So I don't think its unreasonable to ask...WHY in the name of the Saints Cosmas and Damian did you not take care of this LAST WEEK?!?!?

I wanted badly to ask her this question but refrained and instead said "Ms. French we'll be happy to give you a 3 day emergency supply but that's all we can do without an authorization from your Dr." It was instantly apparent that she did not take this news well at all. She sucked her breath in deeply and rolled her eyes and hatefully spat out " Ask someone with authority." This immediately made tiny pinpricks of anger crawl up my arms. Normally I will bend over backward to help someone, but this particular woman has caused more problems in this store than you can ever imagine. I so wish we could fire customers, unfortunately our corporate office would rather kiss ass. With great amounts of effort I controlled myself and simply turned to the pharmacist on duty who had walked up behind me by this point and he repeated without me having to explain the situation that we could only do the 3 days and that it was a courtesy that technically we really should not even do. He then offered to get the refills and transfer the prescription to her vacation destination on Tuesday once she had chosen a pharmacy.

Ms. F didn't like that one little bit either....the next thing out of her mouth made me want to slap her and she should be on her knees thanking the Patron Saint of Idiots that I value my job. "So you are telling me that I have to interrupt MY vacation to stop and find a pharmacy?". Now I work for a very very large chain. Stores all over the place, and even should she choose not to use one of ours, shes going to a place where many people choose to retire...I don't think there is a pharmacy shortage there. He said "Yes ma'am it shouldn't be a problem to find one." She then very hatefully said "Give me the 3 days and when he runs out I guess I'll just have to sent him chasing all over hunting a pharmacy."

I hope it is a big hassle simply because of her attitude. Then maybe next time this happens and there WILL be a next time, she'll use a small portion of her gray matter to pick up a phone and call her Dr for refills at least 3 days before she leaves....I won't hold my breath though. It may be my favorite color but my face isn't very attractive when its totally blue.