It was Just Called In

Suppose you decide you need a Starbucks beverage. You go to Starbucks and you order a Tall Non-Fat Latte With Caramel Drizzle. You give them your name of "Brian" and they write down "Brain" on your cup. You pay.

Then you immediately step to the pick-up window. Another Starbucks barista asks how he can help you. You say, "Tall Non-Fat Latte With Caramel Drizzle for Brian." But it's not there. The Starbucks guy looks at you like you're crazy. Why?

Because they haven't had time to make it for you yet and now you've added time to your order because you asked for it and made them look for it.

THIS IS THE SAME THING IN PHARMACY and it happens ALL THE TIME:

"Hello, how may I help you?" the pharmacist asks.

"Prescription for Brian," you say, proudly, and with every confidence in the world that your prescription is filled and ready to pick up.

The pharmacist looks in will-call. Nothing is there, and then he or she steps to the computer and puts in the name, only to find out there is nothing there either.

"It would have just been called in," you say. "I just left the doctor's office like five minutes ago."

WHAT ON FREAKING EARTH IS WRONG WITH YOU, DUDE? SERIOUSLY, ARE YOU THAT FREAKING STUPID?

If I'm in a bad enough mood or it's been a bad day, I will ask the patient what made them think we'd have it instantly ready for them if it was "just called in." Other times I will say that I wished the filled prescription spit out of the printer with the fax that was sent over. Some people realize that what they've just done was, in fact, pretty damn stupid. Other people quickly state "Well I was just checking in" with an attitude.

"Checking in" is NOT helpful. Should you come back in another 30 seconds and we can go through the whole process again? By the time all this has taken place the pharmacy has lost 3-5 minutes that COULD have been filling prescriptions for people who understand that process.

I wish, I really wish I could say that this rarely happens. But this happens every day, usually several times a day. Between prescribers who blurt out "It will be ready when you get there" and patients who have no concept of linear time it happens.

EVERY. DAMN. DAY.