Save Time at the Pharmacy

People are always wondering why it takes 15 minutes or more to fill a prescription. I have addressed this in a recent article (Why does it take so long to fill a prescription?). Since you cannot safely make the pharmacy staff work faster how do you get in and out of the pharmacy in less time? There are many steps you can take to improve your experience.

1. Chose a pharmacy close to your house. I am partial to a pharmacy in a supermarket so you can do your grocery shopping and get your prescription in the same trip. Save time and gas. If you are new to a pharmacy you should go in and fill out their information sheet in advance so you will already be in the computer when the are presented with a prescription.

2. Use the same pharmacy every time. If you are known to the staff, they will usually take better care of you. There is also a safety issue with using multiple pharmacies, if all your medicine comes from one location, they can more easily screen for drug interactions and other possible problems.

3. Phone in refills the day before you plan to pick them up. They will be ready when you get there and if the pharmacy is out of stock of a medication, they have time to order it before you come in.

4. Have your doctor’s office phone in (or fax or electronicly transmit) the prescription to the pharmacy. Then call later to verify it is complete before you come in. This provide ample time to the pharmacy staff to fill the prescription and address any problems with the doctor’s office if needed.

5. If the doctor hands you a new prescription make sure YOU can read every part of it. If you can’t read it, then there is a chance the pharmacist won’t be able to read it. This could cause a delay when you drop it off as the pharmacist will have to call the Dr to clarify what is written. Also, a poorly written prescription has the potential for being misfilled causing possible harm to you. Take a moment and have the doctor rewrite it clearly or even type it.

7. Also, if the doctor has given you a new prescription, verify he has included the drug name, dose, quantity, refills and instructions and verify it has been signed. Ask the doctor if this medicine is covered by your insurance plan before you leave the office. You will be required to pay the full price if it is not covered, or the pharmacist will have to call the doctor to switch to a covered drug causing a delay.

8. Plan 2 trips to the pharmacy. First trip is to  drop off your prescription and the second to pick it up. You could run an errand in between. Or, if you will wait for the prescription, then bring something to read. You could learn about your medical condition or ask the pharmacist for the prescription handout and learn about your medicine.

9. Make sure you have your prescription insurance card with you at all times. Some plans separate medical and prescription cards. The medical card presented to the pharmacist will usually not work. The required information for the pharmacy is usually only on the pharmacy card.

Follow these steps and your trip to the pharmacy should be just a little easier for everyone.