In many places that I have temped at, I often see notes in the employee kitchen or break area “Your Mother doesn’t live here.. clean up after yourself” Should be apply that same philosophy to some of our pt/customers? You know who they are… the “informationally deficient patient”.. they are lucky to know their own name and maybe birthdate… Just read a lot of other Pharmacist’s blogs… their daily interactions with such patients are expounded.
Do we spend too much time accommodating these types of patients? Doesn’t everyone behind them in the line really the ones paying the consequences for their inability to be anywhere near what should be the “norm” and respect for the rest of those in our society?
As our profession tries to move toward a more patient centered practices.. are we short changing the large per-cent of the patients that come to us for the medications and health needs by “coddling” a small per-cent of these “informationally deficient patient”. These patients may be the ones who wants to argue about their deductible or copay change, doesn’t have their insurance information, doesn’t have their current insurance card… What would be the harm – when appropriate – to give the patient a day’s worth of meds… and tell them to go home and find out what they need or call their insurance company to clarify the question or tell them that you will commit staff time to solve their problem when you have time. Yea… you might lose a few.. but there is a good chance that they will migrate to stores that have not learned how costly “informationally deficient patients” really are… in the end.. their “normal patients” will be looking for somewhere to get their Rxs filled and can get their questions answered without waiting in line for a unnecessary period of time.
Just think about it.. while you are taking all that time coddling these patients, there are probably pts waiting in line .. watching what is going on.. how many is going to pickup on .. If I pitch one.. the store manager is probably going to give me a gift card to shut me up… Is there anything that a “coupon queen” will not do.. to get that discount or gift card ?? Are we setting ourselves up for yet another problem pt?
Filed under: General dumb-ass problems
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