The prescription drug struggle is back again.
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (46323)
July 16, 2025 6:18pm CST
I've written about this mess before...for several months now, it's been a lot better, smoother, and no waits for meds to arrive at the pharmacy. Now, it appears we are back to square one again.
I don't have to run around all over, have only had to make two trips to other pharmacies lately (not in my city, but not terribly far) but it's a pain in the patootie. Things that are supposed to be filled automatically are back to me having to go and ask ''where is this, you said it was ready?'' And we have had a complete turnover of new pharmacists and pharmacy techs, etc. There is only one guy, he is a tech, that seems to get anything done. And he is so nice to me, goes out of his way, really. The pharmacist told him the one med my son needed today (he was out of it yesterday) did not come in today. He said ''Oh, yes it did! Go look again, and get it filled, this lady has made 3 trips here today!'' She didn't want to go look, but she did, and I got the medicine for him.
How can a pharmacy operate like this? The only one I know of that runs smoothly is the pharmacy connected to the hospital my son goes to--and a person has to park in the parking tower to go to it, and walk quite a way to get to it, so I only do that if I have to.
Whatever happened to efficiency ?? Is it just gone forever, or what??
Picture from freepik
12 people like this
11 responses
@AmbiePam (100549)
• United States
18h
About 20 years ago our CVS was like that. I’m NOT ashamed to say I had a mini melt down with the pharmacist one day when I came back to the pharmacy with a filled prescription that had absolutely no hint of a label. He accused me of removing it (I contacted their main office after that). Then, I started getting prescriptions already opened, the safety seals punctured. And like yours, there was one good guy who would try to keep it together, and he started double checking people’s work. This was the only pharmacy we could use at the time (long story). Eventually, he moved to Wyoming, but he reported about three people there on his way out. That pharmacist who accused me got put on the graveyard shift. The other two got fired.
But Ryan is much worse off than I am, and you are dealing with craziness. God bless that one tech!
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (46323)
•
18h
One day a few months back one of the pharmacists would not listen to me...or fill a new scrip for him. I was so exhausted, I just started crying. I never do that, but I guess I had all I could take at the time. Then we switched out to another pharmacy and it was not any better, and a lot farther away. Then, as you know, it was just driving to one or another to actually get what you needed as no one was getting anything they ordered. CVS had it together for awhile, now they seem to be going through help like wildfire. I am so, so glad for the nice tech, who really goes out of his way for me and for others. It makes a huge difference.
I hope you don't have to go through this nightmare anytime soon to get your meds.
@Deepizzaguy (111951)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
18h
That is what I am concerned about efficiency has gone by the way of the dinosaurs.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (46323)
•
18h
I am always surprised at the attitude of some of these people--like they are doing us a favor to even speak to us! Whatever happened to customer service?
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (192886)
• United States
18h
I am sorry you are having these struggles. It can't be fun.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (46323)
•
16h
It's just maddening and exhausting, and affects so many people. Thank you, Snowy.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (46323)
•
16h
I guess they think it's not important to have customers? But don't customers pay their salary? Maybe they think differently, but in so many cases, the professionalism is just gone.
@id_peace (15764)
• Singapore
5h
It seems like complacency set in. Previously in my public healthcare system, the wait was a killer and that the workflow made us wait for a few hours for the specialists and then several hours at the pharmacy. These days, they made huge improvement and allow free next day medication collection.
@cherigucchi (15378)
• Philippines
15h
I understand your predicament. I just hope that this gets resolved
@LindaOHio (194811)
• United States
9h
Our Giant Eagle Pharmacy is a gem. I even had a tech call me to tell me that the antibiotic that I had asked him about was just sent in. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble. Can't you complain to someone?
@Nakitakona (57865)
• Philippines
12h
That caused trouble. We know no one is perfect but a good system may work well.
