07/24/2024
Yesterday, an encounter with a fellow pharmacist left me feeling a range of emotions😤🥺😡 while trying to assist a patient. This gentleman’s prescription insurance plan limits him to the use of a specific chain pharmacy, so I had to transfer prescriptions my pharmacy received by a nearby clinic location. I immediately understood the challenge that being homeless and having a bicycle🚲as his mode of transportation presented for him having to ride almost 3 miles away. I was moved to help out, by asking my colleague at the other pharmacy to prioritize this patient who also had a foot infection. Unfortunately, I was told that prescriptions take 48 hours ⏳ at their location. Even after explaining all the barriers and urgency, there was no attempt to show any level of compassion or care. I was ultimately told “I understand that you’re trying to help him, but no one helps us!” To learn later that this patient was treated inhumanely and disrespectfully once he arrived to the pharmacy was unsurprising. I can’t help but wonder if this was in a different zip code, would the experience be the same? 🤔
Please understand that if this is the type of callous treatment you are experiencing in health”care”, you have options! Do not tolerate being unseen and treated with anything less than dignity and compassion.
Sometimes I wish I could ignore my emotions when these things cross my path, but I’ve also come to understand that the thing(s) that irritate you most, is often where being a solution to a problem lies.