The ID-10T Classification

I didn't invent the nomenclature. I merely use it. When I have a patient that has exhibited a certain level of idiocy, I mark their profile with a classification of "ID-10T" to remind myself to help avoid issues with the patient, or to at least be aware of what I might face in the future.


ID-10T, of course... symbolizing IDIOT. But you can't have "idiot" listed in the patient file. That might come back to bite you in the future. So I used ID-10T.

Here's some examples of patients that have earned this classification:

1. I have many patients that call to remind us of their script that's coming up, but one in particular is extreme. Ironically, she thinks WE'RE the idiots, both the pharmacy and her physician's office. She's actually told us her physician's office staff are a bunch of idiots, and told them the same about us... not even considering the two offices talk about her.

She will bring in a new script for Oxycodone with a future fill date. It's typed on the Rx, which she points out to us like it's our first time typing up a script with a future fill date. I'll type it up and put it on the calendar. I will tell her that we will fill it on that future date and to give us at least an hour to fill it before she comes in on that date. I will show her the calendar and date where we have written the Rx number. That would make most people happy.

But she's not happy with this. EVERY TIME she will call in one week before it is filled, two days, and then the MORNING and NIGHT that day before it is filled to REMIND us stupid pharmacists and techs that her Oxycodone script is coming up. She's also one of those people who won't shut up and needs to tell us all about her present ailments, and it takes oodles of time every time she calls. I haven't yet, but Mickey has just hung up on her a few times.

She's an ID-10T.

2. Normal people don't bother me. People with issues don't bother. That's just life. But stupid people bother me. And when people clearly have no clue about linear time, they earn the classification of ID-10T and are thus a danger to themselves and others.

I'm referring, of course, to the patients that walk out of their physician's office that's literally in the same parking lot, walk into Goofmart pharmacy, and proclaim...

"I just left my doctor's office five minutes ago. Is my Rx ready?"

Really? Really??!? Do you people that do this REALLY think pharmacy works like a McDonald's drive thru?

When a patient does this, I flag their profile ID-10T.

3. I understand people that need their medication. I take medications too. I get that. But we're at the mercy of the physician's office when it comes to refill requests. When a patient calls every hour or two to see if they're refill request has been granted, it slows down the processing of other prescriptions. And I especially detest people that we tell, "We WILL call YOU when we hear back from your doctor." (And we do). And yet somehow, people feel the need to call the pharmacy again and again and again like that will magically make something happen in the physician's office.

People that do this get an ID-10T rating.