everytime i want to pick a prescription at brooks this tech questions me?

Question

hi i just want a little information on a pharmacy technician that questions me anytime i want to get my klopopin filled or a pain killer for my arthritits. last night i went to the pharmacy and he was just leaving and of course i got stuck with him i asked for my prescription and my doctor faxed it over and he said she cannot fax over a script for a controlled substance i think he was being a dick head my self but i am a house wife and a mother and the last thing i want to be pinned as is an addict. when i take meds for certain reasons. i don't think it is anybody's business. i usually go to stop and shop pharmacy which i do but this particular doctor i am seeing for the first time. and i should of let her known. anyhow the supervisor was on vacation go figure but rest assure his *** is getting repremanded i am going to send a certified letter to the pharmacist which is the supervisor. please give me some input on this.

Answer 1

actually he's right-b/c the klonopin is an anti-anxiety med (similar to xanax or valium) and your pain killer is a narcotic (i'm assuming) the pharmacy BY LAW has to have the actual prescription handed to them by you or have it phoned in personally by the doctor himself.

narcotics are a controlled substance and along with the Klonopin, people will often attempt to obtain this illegally by forging a dr's signature on a prescription form that they have managed to steal from the dr's office, mainly for two reasons-the klonopin will give a person who doesn't need it a "high" and the narcotics people get addicted to it. and although you don't fit into this catagory of people at all-the pharmacy has to abide by the law.

he wasn't trying to pin you as an addict. i work in healthcare and have several family members who are pharmacists (3 of them actually) and this is the law no matter what state you are in.

please try to understand that i'm sure he wasn't trying to be rude to you-he just didnt want to lose his job....

Answer 2

You aren't going to like the answer I have for you in some ways. The technician is correct in telling you that a prescription for a controled drug can't be faxed. It's federal law, regarding the way controlled substances are prescribed and dispensed. The original prescription must be filed at the pharmacy where it is filled- not a fax, not a copy, but the original signed prescription complete with the physicians narcotics liscence number. This is to prevent anyone from filling the same prescription more than once.
I don't know what the technician is asking that you don't like, but chances are he isn't doing it just to piss you off. He could very well be just trying to help you. If there is a medication mistake, and he is the one who hands you the pills- he can be held at least partially responsible if something happens. The pharmacy technicians and pharmacist can easily see what all drugs you are currently prescribed and check to make sure there is no dangerous drug interaction. That happens to be what killed Anna Nichols son just recently, remember? Doctors should catch this first, but only if they know everythin being taken. Even then, keeping track of all the possible drug interactions/reactions is the specialty of the pharmacy. The pharmacy is the best place, and often the final place to prevent a dangerous drug interaction- if they have the record of prescriptions. They can see at a glance all the drugs you have been prescribed, how much, and how often. They don't question just to be nosey, or to butt into your business. They usually do it in concern for your well being. I'm fairly sure they aren't suggesting that you are an addict, at least not on purpose. I imagine it does seem like it, and I understand why you would be sensitive, now days especially. You have the right to file a complaint, of course, if you feel you were treated incorrectly. The patient advocate's office and representative can help you out with that, and can work with you to get an answer.
I was career active duty Air Force, as a matter of fact, I was an Aeromedical Technician, trained there at Brooks. That's how I know this stuff, in case you're wondering. You aren't going to get the technician reprimanded, more than likely. They will do the investigation, and will more than likely determine the technician was merely doing his job in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding dispensing drugs. But you can voice your complaints and concerns, and have them taken seriously and answered at the very least. Next duty day, go back to the clinic and ask for the patient advocate. They will help you work out all your concerns, and let you voice your objections. If action is necessary, it will be taken. I also recommend that you not use strong language to file your complaint, or in reference to the technician. It will not help your case at all.
Before you do go see the patient advocate, though, I have a few other suggestions for you. First, you need to give this whole incident a calm rethink. Is it possible, the pharmacy technician was just doing his job? Could it be that you were perhaps a bit over tired and feeling overly sensitive about it? Being a busy mom, and especially if you suffer chronic athritis pain, it would be easy to understand how that could be. Pain makes people a little less easy than they normally are, and things just seem worse than they are. I'm not saying you are wrong, or that he is entirely right, but is it possible that it was just not a good moment for you? Maybe it isn't really anyone's fault, other than being a case of misunderstandings.
Once you are feeling better and calmer, please go talk with the patient advocate. Get the full explaination, and certainly air your concerns. Just don't do it for vengence, and be open to the full explaination.

Answer 3

I would be pleased that the pharmacy tech is following procedure and law. Legally, schedule 2 drugs have to be on a physical prescription; faxes are not permissible. I would not reprimand this tech but commend him/her because he/she did not put the pharmacy's license in jeopardy.
Also, since this is a new prescription from a new doctor, some pharmacists as policy will always completely verify the prescription by calling the doctor, and the fact that it's a controlled drug, will make many just do this.

Answer 4

I work for a major retail pharmacy at the corporate level, and speaking from experience, I can say that this employee is just doing their job.
Klonopin, which is a controlled substance, as well as many pain killers are, is regulated more strictly by law. Now, I don't know which state you're writing from, but many states do not allow controlled substances to be faxed in. Depending on the classification of your pain killer, the state may require it to be hand-written only.
And as for it not being anyone's business, the pharmacy employees are healthcare providers, and it is absolutely their business! If they don't adhere to the law, they could lose their licenses or be fined.
One piece of advice- if you're hassling pharmacy staff about a controlled prescription, they're going to be suspicious. You'll catch more flies with honey- the same as in any other aspect of your life. If you're nicer to a pharmacy employee, they might be willing to go that extra mile and try to get the proper documentation for your prescription. Now, I don't work for Brooks, so I can't speak for them. But that's just been my experience.

Answer 5

speaking from past experience. go to another pharmacy immediately! this guy can cause you to lose your medicine and get you branded as an addict ,causing you to have to go to another dr.and he can do this without getting in trouble, all hes gotta do is twist it around to look like you done something suspicious. i would just go somewhere else,especially before i made a complaint of any kind, they will probably turn it around on you anyway.

Answer 6

Kick butt girl! Who is this person to judge you or pry into your personal life. You have the right to privacy. That person is there to serve you with the goods, you've been prescribed them by a doc, so what's their beef. They're there to give advice if its needed not to judge. Get that letter written woman, don't put up with it!