servern
Trial
Reged: 03/11/03
Posts: 154
Loc: USA- Northeast
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I have been going to the same pharmacy for about 3 years now. Never a problem , very nice guy. It is a fairly large, busy "mom and pop" pharmacy. Ok, out of no where- I pick up my script, and there are people everywhere- the pharmacist gave me an attitude and I felt very uncomfortable. He knows my problems and is usually very understanding. As I am walking out, he yells out loud my name and also very loud says "Karen, yeah, take it day by day (isn't that what they say to addicts or something-I didnt get that) and" you really need to stop taking this medication soon you know!!" and "you cant be on it forever"!!!!!!!!!!!
I was so shocked and embarressed I went over to him , told him that I just got back from my DR. and then I could feel tears so I turned away and said I will talk to you the next time and ran out. (And by the way my Dr says I will be on pain meds probably the rest of my life-I go to pain management). I didnt tell him that because so many people were waiting and it is none of their business either, and most of all I was in complete shock.
But he totally has no judjement on what I take. My Dr prescribes it and I feel he TOTALLY broke the ethics law. He is the pharmacist and I have no insurance on prescriptions, I have been a legit loyal customer of his for years now.
I am going to file a complaint. A close friend of mine who also suffers from chronic pain was in aww when I told her. She told me to definately file a complaint, I called her hysterical. I have never felt so degraded. She thinks that I can actually sue him which I would never do, but I am filing a complaint with the state board and never going back there again after I pick up my antibiotic the Dr called in for strep throat.
I have been depressed and he made me feel like a piece of S****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cried all day and am even right now. Please if anyone had this happen to them, respond- is this right on his part. I have been in a wrong state of mind and actually the depression is kicking in big time. I have never experienced this type of depression, I do not want to get out of bed.
He made me feel like a loser!!! Am I a big loser because I need medication to function due to my injuries?????? PM me even. I read online about the code of ethics and pharmacists must obide by them. He humiliated me and had no right to give me advice as my Dr is the Dr not him. Sorry for rambling, but I just cant get over it. The worst, I have to pick up an antibiotic there tomorrow and that is the last visit, I am ashamed to walk in there......
Thanks and any support/input will be so greatly appreciated.
I need it and support will make me feel normal. I lovethis forum and everyone here. I need you guys now, thanks in advance.
Karen
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cantbewrong
Journeyman
Reged: 06/10/02
Posts: 69
Loc: USA
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I don't know the laws so I am not going to touch on that one but what I can offer is some support and a hug  . I am so sorry that happened to you and nobody, I mean NOBODY has a right to treat someone that way. It doesn't matter who the people are and what they do for a living! I wish there was something more I could do, but I can't. You should dry your tears because crying usually only makes pain worse, and that pharmacist isn't worth one moment of pain! Find out what your antibiotic is going to cost if you don't already know, cut a check or have cash on hand and have someone else pick it up.
Once again, don't cry...take a deep breath or two and realise that he was probably having problems of his own and be thankful that you don't know what those are.
I wish I could do more...maybe just one more hug
~cantbewrong~
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the odds of stickin' your foot in your mouth is proportionate to the number of times you open it
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joffrey
Member
Reged: 02/03/02
Posts: 111
Loc: Left Coast
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What a power-tripping, judgemental, rude, unethical, unprofessional pharmacist! Bastard. I hate this kind of thing, and I'm sorry it happened to you. You didn't deserve it, and even if you did, he had no right to make pronouncements and embarrass and humilate you in any case. HE was the one in the wrong -- not YOU. Remember that, and try not to let it get to you. And DO file your complaint, by all means.
You don't know me, but similar things have happened to me, and I can relate and empathize. I have usually just gotten the disdainful "stink-eye" semi-sneer, sometimes worse (even though I'm over middle-aged, am reasonably well-groomed and dressed). I am grateful that my pain, while sometimes severe, is intermittent, and that I don't have to take narcotics daily. My heart goes out to anyone who needs to. But if they do, there should not be such a stigma attached to it. Ridiculous and rotten. He or she should not have to put up with such insulting behavior. Don't tolerate it.
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I'm not a doctor; I just think I know everything.
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 860
Loc: usa
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This is terrible! Very unprofessional...you can file a complaint with the State Board governing Pharmacists...at first I thought you had a valid HIPAA complaint...however you stated, : " he yells out lous my name and also very loud says " you really need to stop taking this medication soon you know" and "you cant be on it forever"!!!!!!!!!!! but for a HIPAA complaint, he must have released "Patient protected health information"....SO, if he deliberately shouted or even loudly said your name and identified the medication your taking....i.e. " Virginia Smith, you really need to stop taking this Oxycontin! You know you can't be on it forever!"....that would qualify....if he only said, "this medication" it would not.
Also, he must have used both your first and last names...now, if he did, shout or loudly & delibertately, use both your first and last name, or your last name...i.e. Mrs. Smith" and he gave the name of the drug...i.e. oxycontin, you need to write a letter detailing the complaint.
Call the pharmacy tomorrow, get the name of the HIPAA Compliance Officer and Privacy Officer, (it can be the same person) and their correct mailing address. I would send the complaint certified mail, return receipt requested, restricted delivery ...which means only the named addressee (the privacy officer) can sign for it.. that way you have proof they received it.
At the bottom of the letter, say this
cc
Secretary of Health and Human Services
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Telephone: 202-619-0257
Toll Free: 1-877-696-6775
send the letter to the official at the pharmacy, wait for their response...if they don't respond within 7 days, go ahead & forward a copy to the address above. If they do respond & your unhappy with their response, forward the complaint and their response to the address above.
[Why allow time Compliance/Security officer to respond to your complaint? Because that's the process...if you don't notify them of the complaint and give them the opportunity to respond and resolve it, your complaint will probably be taken less seriously....that's just the process.
If the criteria I mentioned above were breached....this is an "Intentional Disclosure"
Well, there you have it--I;m sorry this happened...let us know how it turns out....
if you want more info, here's a link:
http://answers.hhs.gov
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samisu
Member
Reged: 02/08/03
Posts: 158
Loc: Tennessee
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Servern, I am so very sorry to hear that you had such a humiliating and really distasteful experience. This should never happen to anyone and especially to anyone who is suffering so much already. I wish I could do something to assure that nothing like this would never happen again but there are always going to be those out there who have little compassion and or ethics and continue to work in fields where it is so desperately needed. Please try not to be depressed and remember that you always have someone to listen to you here at DB. Although I cannot do anything in person to help you, please feel free to pm me if you want a good listener and I will be there for you. This pharmacist needs a good swift kick in the butt to say the least and perhaps some day he/she will be the recipient of such but until then just remember that they are the one with a problem and not you. Feel better and again please feel free to pm me if I can help in any way. Special and a guardian to watch over you. Please keep us posted on how you are doing with your feelings of depression and know that you have a lot of support and compassionate friends here. Here's another to help you thru the day.
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Selby
Enthusiast
Reged: 10/09/02
Posts: 230
Loc: the coast down under
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It's a proven fact that a satisfied customer tells 1-3 people~A disatisfied customer tell 7-8 people. You should make it a point to tell as many people as you can about his unsatisfactory behavior. When you pick up your LAST medication from him make sure to tell him that you have spoken to everyone you could and will go out of YOUR WAY to keep business away from his store.
Ask him what he thought about your medical records at your Dr.'s office. See if he can answer that! A Monday morning Dr. is what he is.
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The Moose is Loose!
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johnjacobs
Member
Reged: 05/04/02
Posts: 188
Loc: SE USA
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I agree with the third post... There is not too much to do if it is a "ma $ paw" store. If this store is a franchise, you may have other routes to take. Being that it is not, push the Hippa laws on him... what he did SERIOUSLY violated those "new" rules to follow... I am a store manager with CVS stores and I know if it happenned in a chain, the hell would follow, both from the bosses, and then from the government.... but being a small outfit, sorry to say your on your own to make that fight. DO REPORT IT. This is the only good thing that we, as customers can do, thats in our favor in this new regulation. (And about the ONLY THING!!) Best of luck to you, and I would slash his tires once a month for the next year, but thats only what I would do, to say the least..... Take Care 
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Today is the Tommorrow you worried about Yesterday & Tommorrow is the day your DREADING Today! Good Luck to us all!
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qbird
material girl
Reged: 09/02/02
Posts: 825
Loc: USA
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If it is a ma and pop type of store, I really don't think you can do much except file a complaint with the owner and by all means find a new drugstore. They tend to forget you are the customer, and what ever happened to the customer is always right?
No you do not have to put up with this kind of treatment. The only one you have to answer to is your doctor. The pharmicist is not the doctor and what right does he have to say anything? I got the rolley eyes from a pharmicist once and needless to say that was the last time I used him. I don't need attitude from a pharmacist. Here is a big and I am sorry you had to deal with that jerk.
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servern
Trial
Reged: 03/11/03
Posts: 154
Loc: USA- Northeast
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Thank You-EVERYONE
He is the owner and I even saw him out to breakfast a few months ago and he said my first and last name, I did not recognize hime, we laughed. He knows my situation. I am going to the HIPPA website.
1 more question- with this HIPPA, was it ok for him to talk to a family memeber about me. This is how it started , I should have started with that first - I am sorry. A family member went to the pharmacy out of "concern" (over-paranoid, yet loving too worried about the addictiveness of pain meds and the person works for a detox first of all and assumed that I was abusing- does not understand the pain) He talked to her "out back she said", I even told my DR about it at my last appt and he was fine with it, but advised not to order online. I disclosed no info, told him that I did not remember the name of the place, he really did not care, but insisted that I go to him from now on if I am in more pain and I need the breakthrough meds. This family memeber saw me go through two surgeries and numerous procedures to reduce my pain. I was even out of work for a year and a half because of this injury. Like all of you I am sure- I would give up any medication to be normal and pain free. I miss those days and took them for granted. This family member had no right nor did the pharmacist to "talk about me"..................It is wrong, I have rights! And this does explain him being rude. She is so wacked I am sorry that she asked him to chemically test it and he verified it was a watson and gave her the 1800 number for watson. She took my meds!
Reason for the family member to go to pharmacy- I ordered my break through med off of a site from here and guess what, I was not home and they recived the visit from the man in brown UPS. I am in no way double dipping. I don't have insurance, so I stick to what I can w/ Dr appointments and prescriptions which run me dry. When I had insurance, I got my breakthrough meds from specialty Dr that I can not afford anymore. Anyhow, the breakthrough med that I take is H***O, and that is not what I get from the pharmacy nor my Dr. Now, I need to read through HIPPA, I saw that they are entitled to tell someone anything if they were to pick up my meds, thats fine. But for them to walk in with a pill and pull my pharmacist aside and ask him to identify it on and on and discuss me and the pill. The person regrets it now she says, but said she was "worried for me" and thought that she was having a manic moment(she is bi-polar unfortunatley and even goes to same pharmacy and he knows that she is on 7 diff meds for all this Best if kept off the board and still talked to her)Now I know that is against the law, I need to know what was said. I am pulling him aside today to talk and find out. And as to this- I wish it was Walgreens because this is a small town and I was humiliated. Thanks everyone and tell me if I am wrong for ordering breakthrough meds that I was on before, but without ins cant afford Dr visit after visit for it. And again, the medication is a sched II that I am on, but not oxycontin or close to it.
Thank you everyone for your advice and ATTN: CANTBEWRONG, thanks for the hug. I needed it,
About a month ago, I went in for the same script, and they were having everyone sign the HIPPA forms. I guess it finally took effect here. I have the papers they gave me still and I will look at them. Thanks everyone....and the fact is that he has spoken with my Dr on a few occasions about general stuff, and I am fine with that. I will write more, I am so glad to have signed on to see 6 replies. You guys made my day and without this forum I would not feel normal. I will list my injury and med. Maybe we can compare stories, I have to search for that thread. Thanks so much everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I love this site- I never get depressed and boy it scared me, I just needed support and some advice I guess. I will write back when I talk to the pharmacist.
Thanks,
K
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qbird
material girl
Reged: 09/02/02
Posts: 825
Loc: USA
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I was going to ask if you were from a small town. I am also from a small town and everyone is always in everyone's business. I always go to Walgreens or Walmart pharmacies and avoid the mom and pop places like the plague. Believe me I know how people talk in these little towns.
Online pharmacies are also a good idea since they are discreet but bummer a family member saw your package. I went through that too with my husband. The overreaction was probably due to the meddling family member even though the pharmacist was in the wrong and very unprofessional in my opinion.
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quincy
Board Addict
Reged: 11/07/02
Posts: 333
Loc: pacific northwest
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Serverne;
First of all, NO HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CAN TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT YOUR CONDITION WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT!! THIS INCLUDES FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE DOING IT OUT OF "CONCERN". The pharmacist may have been unethical by calling out your name and making comments in a busy store, but HE BROKE THE LAW when he talked to your relative. He has no business nor right to do that unless you have signed a written directive allowing him to do so. I would go straight to HIPPA, the state pharmacy board and a lawyer. Hell, I would also place a call into my local newspaper or news channel. This guy is way out of line and what he is doing is illegal.
I have also had family members ask a doc about me out of "concern". I was only a minor and my mom asked my doctor what my problem was. (she was convinced I was riddled with STD's and recreational drug problems) The doctor could not tell her by law, unless I gave my permission. Now you are an adult and no one has a right to talk to your pharmacist but your doctor.
I would confront this pharmacist about him talking to your relative. See what excuse he has when you tell him that he broke the law and that you intend to press charges. He broke confidentiality and in healthcare that is a big NO_NO!! He is wrong, and made a gross example of negligence and non-compliance with confidentiality issues. Get a lawyer and sue his butt!! Also please call or write HIPPA and the pharmacy board. They will take your complaint seriously when they find out that this guy has been discussing your case without your consent. Especially if the conversation took place at the pharmacy, and not in a social situation. If your relative went to the pharmacy with the intention of getting info about you from your pharmacist, and he gave it out, he broke the law. He is wrong and needs to be punished. Please don't let this slide. Im so sick of self-righteous, judgemental, nosy people who meddle in your life because of some "concerns" they have. You are an adult and privacy is a right that is not to be violated.
Sarah
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 860
Loc: usa
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PM me if you want to...and we can get more detailed about the discussion w/family member & HIPAA....I'm the security and compliance officer for my company...so am familiar...
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Peaceful
Stranger
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 3
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Just one more note of support - I am somewhat familiar with the laws about professionals and confidentiality: these laws and codes were in place before HIPAA ever appeared.
Yes: a health professional has no right to expose any information about you to any other person without your written consent. The comments in the store in front of others fall into this category. The conversation with the relative goes a lot farther. But I THINK it's even illegal for him to shout, "Miss Smith -- your aspirin order is ready!!" where others can hear it. Though I would not make a case of that one myself.
In your position I would tell him off unless you put yourself in a bad spot by doing so, and I'd make a complaint about him to the pharmacists' licensing organizataion. This is enough to scare him and prevent his doing this to you or other people. I believe he'd be notified of the complaint and reprimanded, at the least; and a file would be opened or added to.
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daddyj
Board Addict
Reged: 02/06/03
Posts: 367
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One more thing, I suggest that you make sure to let the owner know that you intend to take your business elsewhere and why. Your medical problems shouldn't be fodder for the rumor mill.
take care
J.
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Misty morning, clouds in the sky
Without warning, the wizard walks by
Casting his shadow, weaving his spell
Funny clothes, tinkling bell
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sara43
Member
Reged: 05/14/02
Posts: 196
Loc: Mississippi
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I am realy sorry what has happened to you. I would go to another pharmacy and have them call at the mom & pop store to get your other meds, That way you don't have to go back in there ever again!. hang in there
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 860
Loc: usa
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Actually, they were alot more fuzzy...prior to HIPAA, a physician could absolutely inform a spouse, for example, of the physical condition of their spouse....under HIPAA the doc can talk to the spouse about the bill, but not about "protected, personally identifiable health information"....yes there were guidelines in place, HIPAA made them more specific, more stringent and punishable with fines ranging from $100.00 to $25,000. And I said, the requirement would be in this instance, if the pharmacist use the patients name and named the medication....both would be required to constitute a violation....with regard to the family member, that is a clear violation, unless we're talking about parent and minor child....
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servern
Trial
Reged: 03/11/03
Posts: 154
Loc: USA- Northeast
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Thank you everyone!!!!!!! A few friends have told me that I can sue the pharmacist for bringing my family member- she is in fact my mother , I am in my late 20's and staying with her due to the injury and untill I am back on my feet.
He had a lengthy conversation with her. I am going to report it to HIPPA and consult an Attorney. I just dont want him to do this to anyone else. I know he re-thought of what he did. I went in to pick up my antibiotic and his attitude was totally different.......the normal hi- how are you with a big smile. It was because I remarked after his that I know he spoke with her and left. He knows that he did something wrong and I am sorry, the past 2 weeks has put me through hell mentally over this but its all over now. Thanks everyone! I really, really mean it. Whatever happens, if HIPPA does anything - that is out of my control, but with all of your support, I am back to myself.
Thanks All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love Ya All!!
KK
Karen
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buey
Old Hand
Reged: 01/15/03
Posts: 453
Loc: USA
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Servern, what happened to you was unacceptable but I am not a huge fan of lawsuits. Seems everyone wants to sue everyone else these days.
I'd report him for sure. If you want to make sure he doesn't do this to anyone else, reporting him will do the trick. I think a lawsuit is overkill. But that's just me.
I had a similar experience with a pharmacist who compounded a drug for me. This is not an addictive substance but was prescribed for a condition that I consider very private. He asked me when I dropped it off what it was being prescribed for and I told him. Wish I hadn't. But he wanted to know because the drug can be used for many things and he was concerned my doctor prescribed the wrong strength. Well when I went to pick it up, there were 2 techs and 3 customers in the small store. And this place is SMALL. It is a compounding pharmacy. Only has a counter in front with enough space to stand and pick up your prescriptions. I wne to the counter and he looked up and said "Jane Doe, right?"
I said yes. Well he said "I called your doctor and changed the script from name of drug xmg, to name of drug xmg. The strength she wrote was for someone with XXX condition. Since your problem is XXX, you should be on the dose I filled it for."
I was mortified. The three customers were standing there next to me and I wanted to crawl into a hole and die on the spot. He basically told these people what my name was and what my medical problem is and what I was taking.
Yes, I was humiliated. When I think of it, I still cringe. Problem is until I am able to find another pharmacy to compound it and get the doc to rewrite the script, I am stuck with this jerk.
I am not going to sue this man, but I am thinking of reporting him to the State Board of Pharmacy.
Whatever you decide to do, good luck to you. You were treated very poorly, unethically, and illegally.
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ebswest
Stranger
Reged: 12/20/01
Posts: 10
Loc: NC
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I worked as a health care professional for over 18 years in a large medical center. I have seen a few people over the years who were fired immediately for talking about a patient to a collegue in an elevator and a member of the family was in there with them. I have also seen several professionals fired for discussing a patient condition with other people/family members. The hospital has no choice but to fire. As said above, it is against the law. We can be prosecuted. Also, there is a lot of research that shows that a person who is taking opiates for true pain relief has a very low probability of addiction. Addition is a bio-genetic disease. It is inhereted, much research has been done to prove that. Dependence is different. Dependence is diagnosed by the presence of withdrawal symptoms upon dicontinuation. Anyone can be dependent on opiates, benzos, corticosteroids, alcohol, SSRI's, etc. Addiction is a primary, chronic, progressive and nearly 100% fatal if not treated. Dependence carries non of these descriptions. ebs...
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servern
Trial
Reged: 03/11/03
Posts: 154
Loc: USA- Northeast
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BUEY- that is horrible that happened to you as well. I am sorry. I am not out to sue anyone, but this has ruined my reputation with my family and has caused alot of trouble and I am going through Hipppa. Again thank you very much and yes my DR verified that the meds are addictive as all medications as far as having withdrawls but they are not addictive when used for chronic pain which I have. It is always good communication wih him.
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 860
Loc: usa
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Sevren..this is more for others info, as we have been PM'ing....JUST FYI... HIPAA is an ACT, not an entity, that outlines privacy standards that went into effect 4/12/03....there is a complaint process, and IT MUST BE FOLLOWED....When you file a complaint....YOU START WITH THE PRIVACY & COMPLIANCE OFFICER at the facility where the infraction occurred...in this case it will be the pharmacy also, the pharmacist shouldn't have spoken w/your mom...but if he was discussing Vicodin that your mom told him you got from another source...not via his pharmacy, it was wrong for him to discuss it, but he was not discussing "protected health info" obtained by his practice, nor your medical records w/him specifically....the guidelines are VERY specific....so we need to get ALL the facts together before filing anythin
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prettyday
Threadhead
Reged: 02/09/03
Posts: 912
Loc: Coastal Sage Scrub
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Once again, my friend IMS, you give good advice. Ultimately, no matter how legit our needs are, currently the goal is to fly under the radar as much as we can.
I am so mortified for you and I wish all of us here could just band together and make the clock run backward when these moments happen - then we would all hit 'delete' at the same time and have a choice of sending the little meglomanic to :
1. Summit of K2 in a thong, marinated in 'Icy Hot' rub.
2. Fit him with concrete running shoes, rub him with impala scent and place him 20 feet from a mother cheetah.
3. Hypnotize him into believing he is King Kong. Make him climb a power pole and attack him with remote control planes. Establish a betting pool on how long it takes him to punch the transformer by mistake.
Until then--I will PM you because I have some questions about the mom thing. Feel free anytime to do the same.
Now try to erase your tracks between this pharmacy and whatever new one you choose.
Hugging you, Nat
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First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
- Mahatma Gandhi
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Ocean
Member
Reged: 04/20/03
Posts: 137
Loc: Outside of New York City
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About five years ago, I worked for a busy pharmacy... You would not believe how they gossip about people back there! Anyone receiving pain meds on a regular basis would be viewed as an addict! Without even knowing what their condition is! Granted, you do see a heck of a lot working back there all day... People trying to pass phony scripts so ridiculously written out (such as: Percocet 10 mg with 3 refills... There are no refills on schedule II), or people coming up with sob stories how their meds were stolen or lost, but treating everyone with the same suspicious manner, is just prejudicial and wrong...
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Such a long, long time to be gone... And a short time to be there...
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FangZ
Member
Reged: 12/16/02
Posts: 104
Loc: My own theoretically ideal wor...
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Ugh...I live in a 'small' town too and avoid the mom and pop pharmacy like the plague. I swear everyone knows each other and feels free to tell all.
We have two local pharms/one CVS/one Walgreens and walmart...and the grocery store ones that I won't go to either.
There is a CVS pharmacy here that THE town gossip workED at and suddenly I was having people that I didn't know very well asking me "How are you doing?" (referring to my health)...It was HER telling all...and giving FALSE information to boot. Hubby was so mad after we were at a high school football game one night and I got asked by my daughters freinds mothers this numerous times.
He called her up and said "If you are SO concerned for her, let me fill you in on her REAL health problems" She was speechless.
Now, I understand she works for an ambulance dispatch company...I can imagine everyone knows who they pick up every day now that she works there.
Now, I fill my rx's at Walgreens and will only go in when my favorite pharmacist is there, she's great...the other one will lecture me everytime on the meds I've taken for YEARS...daily.
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Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things!
Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?
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