To start off, I am a 23 year old kidney stone patient preparing to undergo an ESWL procedure for my severe stone pain. I am currently out of work and medicated until they can get me in for surgery. My primary care physician wrote me a script for Percocet so I would not run out over the weekend and I could avoid another trip to the ER, and I think there's a certain time limit for how often I can fill pain medicine prescriptions.
I do not believe I was treated with respect, dignity, courtesy, or professionalism and I am extremely outraged and disappointed.
My mother and I went to this particular Walgreens location about 11:45 PM EST to drop my prescription off in the drive thru window. It was for Percocet, a narcotic pain medication. We sat there for about 10 minutes without being acknowledged by the pharmacy staff. My mother hit the buzzer, and an associate named Karlie came to the window. My mother interacted with her at first, giving her the prescription and my birthdate. She demanded us to verify our home address and our phone number and demanded to see an ID. It wasn't so much her request for the information, it was the tone in her voice when she asked. She was just plain rude and absolutely unpleasant.
I have gotten prescriptions filled here before after many late night ER visits, including a few for narcotic pain medications. I was never asked to supply an ID, usually just a "Have you gotten prescriptions here before?" and "Are you waiting for this or coming back?" Maybe an occasional, "Do you have any allergies?" General pharmacy stuff.
I did not have my purse or any ID on me at the time, and my mother offered to show her ID, as our last names and home addresses match. She said it was not good enough, that she would allow it this time but she NEEDS ID each and every time. I don't know how many times I have been there and gotten a prescription pain medication and I have never once been asked to supply my ID.
We offered to go back to my house and get my ID, and she said she didn't need it now and it wasn't required, but before it was company policy.
She said, "We need to be cautious. People are more likely to commit fraudulent activities at night. There have been major crackdowns on narcotic pain medications due to people abusing it."
I found that kind of ironic, seeing as fraud can just as easily be committed during the daytime as well. I'm not sure if it's paranoia or what, but perhaps she should not be on the night shift.
She also said, "You would get into trouble with the police. If they pulled you over and you had that script or that bottle and no ID, you would get in trouble with the police."
She told us if we wanted to wait, we could pull into the dark parking lot next door by a hardware store. Karlie said it would take 10 minutes unless she was interrupted, but then it would take longer.
We went back to my home and got my ID and came back to get my medication. Karlie was waiting on a customer and was smiling, saying thank you, have a nice day, etc etc. When that customer was gone, she treated us with rudeness and nonchalance.
I gave her my ID, and she asked to verify my address again after seeing my ID and after us verifying it in the drive thru. She kept snipping back, "It's company policy, we have to!"
My mother wrote her name down, and she said "Yes. My name is Karlie. Is there anything else I can do for you?" and I asked her for her manager's name.
She looked at me and said, "I felt like I've offended you in some way...?"
My mother and I told her we did not appreciate the treatment in the store or in the drive thru. She seemed extremely arguementative and began to raise her voice. She kept saying that every pharmacist was different, but her way was absolute company policy. We received no apology and she did not show any remorse for the way she treated us.
I work in customer service, have been for six years. I've dealt with my share of crappy customers. I know what it's like to be crapped on in a thankless job with bad pay and terrible hours. I go out into public and I try and treat other people in the field with respect, kindness, and friendliness because I was taught to treat others the way I would like to be treated.
I felt like she was accusing me and my mother of doing illegal activities. All I could think was "What is she accusing us of?" I felt like I was treated with absolutely no respect or even common human decency. I felt like my mother and I were treated like drug abusers or dealers or both. She talked down to us like we were somehow lower than her, like we were criminals or the scum of the Earth.
I wonder if anyone who brings in a narcotic pain medication script to Walgreens is treated like a criminal.
I insist, please please please! Do not do business with Walgreens. Their customer service is absolutely disgusting. Please spend your money at a competitor or a mom and pop pharmacy. Don't give your money to them.
Anonymous
Virginia Beach, Virginia
U.S.A.
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