First, the average pharmacy processes between 300-500 scripts (that's pharmacy speak for prescription) a week, while it is common for our pharmacy to do over 300 in one day. Needless to say, that's a lot of time spent filling pill bottles and a LOT of potentially angry customers.
Second, due the nature of pharmicutical work, which is giving medicine to sick people, every customer is angry. They're mad at the tiny germs causing their illness, they're mad at their doctors, mad at their insurance agencies, and they're mad at me, the pharmacy tech, because I am the bearer of bad news about their doctors and insurance companies, and plus I take a long time to count pills. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed I can't help but wonder
where do these people come from?It probably doesn't help that our store is right across the street from a three-story tall Public Housing that holds all the senior citizens in Quincy. I think the highlight of their day is to come to Brooks with their fifty prescriptions and tell me about every ill that's occuring in their life. I think it might be the white lab coats, but for some reason customers love telling us about every single bodily function they have. It's ironic, because HIPPA is very stern about pharmacies not revealing patients' medical information, but the patients themselves announce to the whole store that they're about to have a colonoscopy.
The old folks really aren't that bad. The ones who really stir up trouble are the people on the state's health care plan. Now, Mass Health covers almost everything, and most medications only cost the patient between $1-$3 if they are not free. But you would not believe how many people tell me they don't have any money to pay for their meds. I had this one lady come in chowing down on a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice creams, which as you know is not cheap.
"I don't have no money for my medicine," she said, smacking her lips. "Just put it on my tab."
"Um, okay." I said. Brooks, doesn't deny anyone medicine it they can't afford it. So, a very complicated system was developed to allow someone to take their medicine home and then come back and pay for it later. But, technically there's no "tab" because we aren't the Down Home Country Store. Pharmacist Jonathan decides to try to explain that to the customer.
"Actually, m'am, we don't have a tab. You have to pay for your medicine."
She sets down her ice cream, the glint in the eye revealing a readiness for battle. "Oh, yes you do! I know because I've done it before!"
Jonathan continued "I know, but you have to pay for it. I can give it to you, but you have to come back and pay for it when you've have the money." I didn't mention it to Jonathan, but to most people that's what a "tab" means.
The customer picked up her ice cream, and resumed smacking. "Oh, I know that, I just don't have the money right now. But I'll pay for it later."
Satisfied, Jonathan left, and I was torn between saying "Yeah, right" and "You know, if you hadn't spend the $4 buying that expensive ice cream I bet you would've had the $3 to pay for your medicine." But you can't reason with someone who feels entitled to both ice cream and free meds, and to do so would have probably resulted in me wearing Ben & Jerry's for the rest of my shift.
While I enjoy observing human folly, I don't particularly enjoy participating in it. However, working in the pharmacy has shown me a whole spectrum of people and attitudes which makes me think about our society. In general, I'm against government handouts, because like Ben & Jerry's lady clear demonstrates, they're often abused. But what about nice old lady from across the street who is one fifty different scripts - she honestly can't afford them. How do we balance personal responsibility with community responsibility? It's a question I've been struggling with a lot here in Tax-achussetts, and one that won't be easily answered in one essay.
As for the question about why Brook's customers are the way they are, the answer is simple. People are weird. And that's about all you can say.
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