I was a customer at CVS - how do you do it??

[Dred Pirate]

So for the first time in a long time I had to be a customer at CVS (I got the flu)- and I have no idea how you guys can do that every day. As I waited to drop of my script I heard the tech tell someone on the phone 5 times they don't carry tylenol #4 (and they were also asking about tussiones - drug seeker anyone?).

Then I got in line and there were 14, yes 14 people waiting in line to check out. One guy was at the register for over 10 minutes and I still have no idea what was taking so long. Then the pharmacist was trying to figure out a lady's insurance and all she could say was "I have blue cross blue shield", because we all know there is only one BCBS.

As I stand in line hacking up my lungs, half the people are on their cell phones as the techs are ringing out the patients. (I hate that)

And when I checked out, I was not offered counseling (they didn't know I was a pharmacist) - and they put non-child proof caps on my rx's - again, not that it matters to me, but I am pretty sure it is illegal.

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[OmiPharmD]

I don't know how they do it. My significant other is also a pharmacist and has worked retail 25 years. I would shoot myself if I had to figure out insurance all day. I don't think I could handle that job.

 

[Estrace]

I don't work for CVS but I'm not in the business of calling to get your insurance information for you. You get me your information and I bill your insurance. I also don't call to get override for you because you haven't received your medication from your mail order pharmacy. You call them and get the override, then I bill your insurance. People are just so spoiled when it comes to insurance. They picked out the insurance (or someone in their family did), are paying for it but don't want to call them for information.

 

[M0df]

Clearly it is a rhetorical question but the answer appears to be - by having multiple legal and professional violations per customer, knowingly or unknowingly?

Very hard to function within CVS in any other way.

 

[Leper Messiah]

It's the satisfaction of knowing that we're helping people on their path to better health that gets us through the day.

 

[BenJammin]

When I was going to school in Oklahoma I NEVER had a pharmacist offer to counsel me. Never. This is why I get all of my prescriptions from an independent pharmacy and tell my family to do the same.

 

[Dred Pirate]

When I was going to school in Oklahoma I NEVER had a pharmacist offer to counsel me. Never. This is why I get all of my prescriptions from an independent pharmacy and tell my family to do the same.

I normally use the pharmacy at the hospital where I work, but they were closed, and I wasn't going to wait until they next day because I felt like I was going to die :-(.

 

[BMBiology]

Whenever I am at CVS and hear that robotic, man voice, "one calling waiting"....It just sends chills up my spine!

 

[SELDANE]

So for the first time in a long time I had to be a customer at CVS (I got the flu)- and I have no idea how you guys can do that every day. As I waited to drop of my script I heard the tech tell someone on the phone 5 times they don't carry tylenol #4 (and they were also asking about tussiones - drug seeker anyone?).

Then I got in line and there were 14, yes 14 people waiting in line to check out. One guy was at the register for over 10 minutes and I still have no idea what was taking so long. Then the pharmacist was trying to figure out a lady's insurance and all she could say was "I have blue cross blue shield", because we all know there is only one BCBS.

As I stand in line hacking up my lungs, half the people are on their cell phones as the techs are ringing out the patients. (I hate that)

And when I checked out, I was not offered counseling (they didn't know I was a pharmacist) - and they put non-child proof caps on my rx's - again, not that it matters to me, but I am pretty sure it is illegal.

This is why retail pharmacists generally make more than those in hospital, LTC or academia.

 

[njac]

This is why I go to my friendly neighborhood Target pharmacy. Their hours aren't great, but after 3+ years I've actually gotten to be friends with my pharmacist, because she has 5 minutes to chat when I pick stuff up. The techs made Christmas cards for my dog (who was on multiple meds) last year.

 

[MountainPharmD]

So for the first time in a long time I had to be a customer at CVS (I got the flu)- and I have no idea how you guys can do that every day. As I waited to drop of my script I heard the tech tell someone on the phone 5 times they don't carry tylenol #4 (and they were also asking about tussiones - drug seeker anyone?).

Then I got in line and there were 14, yes 14 people waiting in line to check out. One guy was at the register for over 10 minutes and I still have no idea what was taking so long. Then the pharmacist was trying to figure out a lady's insurance and all she could say was "I have blue cross blue shield", because we all know there is only one BCBS.

As I stand in line hacking up my lungs, half the people are on their cell phones as the techs are ringing out the patients. (I hate that)

And when I checked out, I was not offered counseling (they didn't know I was a pharmacist) - and they put non-child proof caps on my rx's - again, not that it matters to me, but I am pretty sure it is illegal.

When I worked for Caremark I had the misfortune of filling at CVS. After several bad experiences I started paying cash and going to Wal-Mart.

I went in to get a med filled for my son one night at 7:30 pm. The pharmacist yelled from the stool he was sitting on that he was too busy and wasn't filling any more new prescriptions. I would have to come back tomorrow.

 

[MountainPharmD]

This is why I go to my friendly neighborhood Target pharmacy. Their hours aren't great, but after 3+ years I've actually gotten to be friends with my pharmacist, because she has 5 minutes to chat when I pick stuff up. The techs made Christmas cards for my dog (who was on multiple meds) last year.

Or you could go to a local independent...

 

[njac]

Or you could go to a local independent...

Good point.
I don't have a good excuse not to.

 

[farmadiazepine]

This is why retail pharmacists generally make more than those in hospital, LTC or academia.

This is why all these day time retail pharmacists are on Nexium for stomach ulcers, anxiety pills, depression pills, and migraine medications.

 

[pharmasaur]

how is CVS still the #1 company? patients hate it and all the pharmacists hate it too. who actually LIKES CVS? it boggles my mind how they're still in business. why do people go there if they know it's ****?

 

[MountainPharmD]

how is CVS still the #1 company? patients hate it and all the pharmacists hate it too. who actually LIKES CVS? it boggles my mind how they're still in business. why do people go there if they know it's ****?

Defies all logic and reason. They're kind of like Wal-Mart. Everyone hates Wal-Mart yet the store is always full of people.

Larry Merlo, the Anti-Christ of Pharmacy and current CEO of CVS, was invited to the State of the Union Address. We're all in a world of chit if the power players in Washington think the CVS model of pharmacy is an example to be followed.

 

[pharmasaur]

i think Walmart customers actually like Walmart though because of the prices.....it's the "outsiders" looking at Walmart who don't like it. but seriously, all the customers hate CVS! I worked there for a few months and quit and seriously all the customers would always be complaining about how the line is always too long, meds are never ready, the problems they have etc etc.....I wanted to ask every time, "so why don't you go someplace else?" if a patient doesn't like their doctor they find another ASAP but if they hate their pharmacy it seems like they think they're stuck and just have to deal with it. weird, isn't it? like they literally don't think they have a choice.

 

[maria1oh]

I worked tonight at cvs and it was dead from 7pm-10pm. Checked only about 10 scripts in those 3 hours and had cleared queues. Had a tech til 8pm and another till 10pm. It's understandable why they will be closing at 9pm now.
The 24/7 stores tend to be the crazy ones...

 

[Leper Messiah]

I worked tonight at cvs and it was dead from 7pm-10pm. Checked only about 10 scripts in those 3 hours and had cleared queues. Had a tech til 8pm and another till 10pm. It's understandable why they will be closing at 9pm now.
The 24/7 stores tend to be the crazy ones...

My 24/7 store at school is better than my 8-10 store back home. Roughly the same volume (3500 vs 3200) means the 14 hour store is always slammed, but there's no overnight Rph to do the RTS, temp logs, waiting bin report, cycle counts, readyfill, etc. We just have to "find time" to do it.

 

[Sparda29]

The only reason I feel people go to CVS around here is because we have a Starbucks and a Chase bank in the same shopping plaza. The independent is on the same street but that's the only store in the plaza, so perhaps it's the convenience factor.

When it comes to Rx items for me/family, I just fill it myself at the independent. I only go to CVS to buy candy/junk food.

 

[BidingMyTime]

i but seriously, all the customers hate CVS! I worked there for a few months and quit and seriously all the customers would always be complaining about how the line is always too long, meds are never ready, the problems they have etc etc.....I wanted to ask every time, "so why don't you go someplace else?" .

Which tells me, that in spite of people complaining (and people do enjoy complaining), CVS customers are quite happy at CVS. If you did ask them why they go there, even though they are complaining, I bet they would give you an answer like "other pharmacies are too out of the way" (even if the next pharmacy is just a block over), "other pharmacies don't have a drive-thru", "I get such great deals on my CVS store card"....other answers which might be true, but which people wouldn't actually tell you "I've been banned from every other pharmacy in town because I'm such a jerk" or "I come here because of the pharmacist that will fill my CII earlier than any other pharmacist in town." People aren't that stupid, they are quite aware of other pharmacies in town, and when they come to CVS (or whatever other pharmacy they go to at the same time they are ceaselessly complaining about it), they are doing so because they feel that pharmacy will best meet their needs.

 

[josh6718]

So for the first time in a long time I had to be a customer at CVS (I got the flu)- and I have no idea how you guys can do that every day.

Two Words- Stockholm Syndrome.

 

[Sparda29]

Can someone explain to me how cash prices work on prescriptions at CVS/WAGs?

At the independents, the owner just has me do this "cost + $5-25 depending on what the drug is".

 

[zelman]

Can someone explain to me how cash prices work on prescriptions at CVS/WAGs?

At the independents, the owner just has me do this "cost + $5-25 depending on what the drug is".

Nope. Nobody can. We can't find out our cost and cash prices vary between locations.

 

[maria1oh]

No idea how the cash price works. I think 11.99 is the minimum cash price unless it's an otc then it goes lower.
at most cvs stores there are discount cards so the employees like to sign up cash paying patients for these. Less likely to get yelled at by the customer over price. In fact I have one memorized if I ever need it. Also kind of handy because If you cash out an rx the cvs system prompts an action note and you are suppose to call on it to see if patient has new insurance or your action note follow through metric looks bad and they track that individually and you get yelled at about it. At least if you cash out through discount card there is no action note bs. They don't seem to care that it hurts the profits lol

 

[zelman]

No idea how the cash price works. I think 11.99 is the minimum cash price unless it's an otc then it goes lower.
at most cvs stores there are discount cards so the employees like to sign up cash paying patients for these. Less likely to get yelled at by the customer over price. In fact I have one memorized if I ever need it. Also kind of handy because If you cash out an rx the cvs system prompts an action note and you are suppose to call on it to see if patient has new insurance or your action note follow through metric looks bad and they track that individually and you get yelled at about it. At least if you cash out through discount card there is no action note bs. They don't seem to care that it hurts the profits lol

Entering discount cards not provided by the patient is against corporate policy, fyi. They send out a memo about it every few years.

 

[sosoo]

we cannot blame CVS for the customer vile service b/c the customers are the only ones to blame. they are supporting a terrible pharmacy. if u go to a restaurant n they have poor reviews, n they are unpleasant, would u come back? NO! yet these idiots would come back year after year proudly saying i've been a customer at your terrible store all these years. also if another store sells the same item for $100 cheaper, would you go to the more expensive store to buy that same item? NO! yet, CVS sells lipitor, finasteride, among others at a much much higher price and yet ppl still keep coming back.... CVS is a great company with great benefits. its the customers that are driving everyone mad!

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I look back at my hospital job and say the same thing. The endless med rec sheets, constant nurse calls, nurses losing meds every 5 minutes, physicians that treat you like dirt, the catiness and back stabbing of such an office-like setting. Good riddance.