Protecting Yourself at the Pharmacy

How careful are you with the information you are asked to give at the pharmacy?

Whether turning in prescriptions, picking up the filled RX's, or simply talking to the Pharmacist or Pharmacy Techs about your issues revolving around your pain medications, we must be more aware of our surroundings.  We need to be safe.  Look around you to see if there are people that are within earshot of your conversation.

Many pharmacies ask for your address as verification that the person picking up the prescription is either the patient, or a family member that would know this information.

I personally would rather have them ask for ID.  Too many people can hear you recite your address, note it down, and surreptitiously use that address to pick up medications under your name.  Sometimes when they ask me for my address, I have a total mind blank, and either have nothing, or have the numbers all messed up.  Wouldn't my ID be much safer?  For both of us?

We need to protect our medications from being handed out to just anyone who happens to know the address.  I have seen many people say loudly as they walk away from the pharmacy counter, that they 'will be back later to pick up those other prescriptions', sometimes even naming the mediation.  If anyone is listening, paying attention to these seemingly mundane things, possible problems are looming.   The shifts could have changed by the time she returns, and whoever it is that picks up prescriptions for so and so, simply gives the written down address, and walks out with someone else's meds.

I have spoken to my pharmacy about this issue, and although they say they haven't had problems with meds being picked up by others, they did agree that asking for ID would be a good step to implement.  It may encroach upon some privacy issues in a negative way--as in the pharmacy then needing a list of authorized people to pick up your medications, and if you send a friend that is not on the list, you can see the potential problems.

Here are a few tips to remember the next time you fill your medications:

1.  When turning in your prescriptions, talk in a soft voice, or go somewhere private as possible if discussing exactly what type of medication you are filling.  This information is as confidential as your other medical information.  

2.  Keep an eye out around you.  Make note of anyone seeming to listen to your conversation, and move away from them.  You deserve privacy at the pharmacy.  That is what all the HIPAA papers you are given regarding privacy is all about, and why there are now red lines for people to wait behind, to give the person being serviced the privacy they deserve as much as you.

3.  When leaving your RX's with the pharmacy, make sure they have noted everything needed before leaving.  This is where your own education comes into play.  If you know how to read a prescription, and know what needs to be on it to be processed, you can save a lot of time checking this info BEFORE turning them in to be filled.  (I will be writing about reading prescriptions next.)

4.  Make sure you are near the phone the pharmacy has on file for you, in between dropping off your prescriptions, and going back at the designated time.  If the pharmacy needs to get a hold of you during this time, it is very frustrating for them if you are not available, and will just slow down getting your medications filled.

5.  Try to turn in your prescriptions on an earlier day of the week, rather than near the weekends.  Most insurance companies do not work over the weekend as far as doing medication authorizations.  You don't want your medications sitting around there not being filled--sometimes for days.  As careful as pharmacies are, as serious as they are about our information and safety, it is possible to lose things.  I like to hand in my RX's, wait there for them, and pick them up the minute they are ready.

6.  After you have your medications in hand, and are leaving the pharmacy, pay attention again to your surroundings.  There have been many instances of teams of people that are just waiting to distract you as you have the meds in hand, walking out of the pharmacy.  Be careful!  Be aware!!  Make sure to check around you as you get into your car.  Walk with authority.  These medications are important to your pain management regime, and although a police report from a robbery will help you to get another prescription from your doctor, it is a long and tedious process.  Better to be ultra-careful and safe, than unaware and in possible personal harm

YOU are more important than your medications!!  If ever faced with the choice to hand over your bag or face something far worse, hand over the meds!!  I know that is obvious.  Just wanted to remind us all.  

Gentle Hugs----