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AwakeHS's blog
Sarcasm from a conservative RPh
Social Health
4 Comments
Am I alone in thinking that everyone should be charged a fee...some fee...even a few cents. This would limit the abuse of low income health care and make patients think twice about rushing to the ER for a runny nose just because it's "free".
There are no free lunches.
Comments
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 154
The problem in a free market model, unless the fee for service was industry wide someone ( probably me ;} ) would undercut your fee for service and get a larger portion of your business. Just as with laws regulating our profession are vastly diverse so are the costs that we pass on to the patient. Consistancy is what our health care system needs from regulation through to fees for service.
Location: Muskegon, MI
Posts: 30
I am thinking that it should be fine for Pharmacists to be able to start charging fees. WE do so much and go out of our way to call insurance companies, doctors, etc.
I have been seeing a patient of ours come in to the Pharmacy at least 3 times a week, and she hasn't been able to pay the $3 co=pay for her Premarin for almost 2 months.... yet, she picks up all of her $0.00 copay RXs... and she has one that is $1.10, and she will pick that one up.... she is in her early-mid 60's... and she walks everywhere (has no car) -- yet, she manages to come into the Pharmacy to pick her Rxs up with this: An UNLIT new CIGARRETTE in her hand... we do not allow smoking in our pharmacy... I can't figure out why she chooses to come in with this thing in her hand and doesn't want to pay $3 for a RX! Cigarrettes cost WAY MORE than her Premarin RX.... what is she thinking?
So -- she always says she'll pick her Premarin up on Friday, or on Monday... She hasn't PICKED it up since JUNE 2 or 3rd.... It's August... I guess she doesn't mind all of the hot flashes, night sweats, hormone problems...
But she'll take her state funded Rxs free of charge..........
We finally put her RX for Premarin on Hold and said we will not fill it, until she sits and waits for it and has the $3.00 in her hand to pay for it. All of out work, calling, e-requesting the Doctor for refills for her, all of the filling, deleting, putting on holds for her.... this is our VALUABLE TIME. YES --- I truly think we should be able to charge a fee for this....
Any thoughts?
Location: Willingboro, NJ
Posts: 2
I always thought there ought to be some fees for services, but, due to the highly competitive nature of our business, we have used our hard work to gain customers. So, now, customers are using these “free services” as an expected duty. Many arrogant customers have been forged as a result of our business model. I'll never forget the first day of Pharmacy college orientation when the professor of pharmacy told us not to spoil the customers. No one listened nor followed his advice.
Location: Brevard, NC
Posts: 3
Your employer has a pharmacy in the business because the added value you, as a pharmacist contribute when you council the customer about their concerns. This extends beyond the mark-up on the item they buy. We build long term relations with the regulars and they come to trust our advice. There are practice situations developing (and currently existing) that allow charging fees, but by and large that isn't going to be our situation in retail. No one has yet been able to find an acceptable way around it. Your professor of pharmacy is better off in an academic position if he doesn't understand customer service.