UR_xProbablyR_xight

Meds & Counsel without Patience for Patients

Ever heard of Dick’s Last Resort? Never been to the restaurant myself, but I love the concept. It’s like the court jester in medieval times being able to tell the King the harsh truth since everything he said was in—you guessed it—jest. Why has no pharmacy taken up this business practice? If patients expect harsh but fair truth from the pharmacy team, they’ll accept it readily.

Welcome to UR_xProbablyR_xight. The pharmacy of the future where we provide “Meds & Counsel without Patience for Patients.”

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Prescription Needles

[Tech]: “Alright, just the testosterone today, Mr. Douglas?”
[Patient]: “That’s the one.”
[Tech]: “Great. Give me a signature on the pin pad while I go grab it. Then it’ll be a $10.00 co-pay.”
[Pt]: “$10.00 you said?”
[Tech]: “Yup. That’s what it says on that screen right there starring you in the face.”
[Pt]: “What about my needles?”
[Tech]: “Do you have a prescription?”
[Pt]: “I should, yeah.”
[Tech]: “Let’s see here . . . I don’t see a prescription for any needles on your file. Unfortunately, the needle size usually used for testosterone is prescription only.”
[Pt]: “I mean, I got a prescription for the testosterone. Obviously, I need the needles to go with it.”
[Tech]: “Makes sense to me. Give me a sec.” “Hey, Marianne, our friend here needs needles for his testosterone, but doesn’t have a prescription.”
[Rph]: “They’re prescription only.”
[Tech]: “Yeah, I know. That’s what I told him.”
[Rph]: “Grab me a box of needles, would you, please? I’ll talk to him.” “Hi there, Mr. Douglas. I hear you need some—”
[Pt]: “How am I supposed to inject the damn med if I don’t got any needles!?”
[Rph]: “And, that’s exactly what I was about to explain. I’ll give you enough to get through the next couple weeks. Give you time to contact your doctor. But then we will need a prescription.”
[Pt]: “What kind of bullshit is this?”
[Tech]: “Here you go, Marianne.”
[Rph]: “Thank you, Jaycee.” “Let me just show you, Mr. Douglas. Right down at the bottom of the box: ‘CAUTION: Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician’.”
[Pt]: “That’s ridiculous.”
[Rph]: “I don’t disagree.”
[Pt]: “How ‘bout you just let me buy that full box right now.”
[Rph]: . . .

. . . [As a pharmacist at UR_xProbablyR_xight, how do convince Mr. Douglas you’re already skirting the law to help him out?]