I just don't get it.

Last week I received a phone call from a client requesting two things: 1) her horse needed a chiropractic appointment, and 2) she needed a prescription refill for one of her dogs as well as an order of it's special food (diabetic dog), and that she'd pick that up the following week (aka this week).

 

I told her I would try to get Dr. R over here the next week (aka this week) for the equine chiro, and that I would call in the prescription for the pills I don't carry over in the Sticksville clinic and have them here for her. Her and her husband are super-dee-duper nice folks, and if I had any flexibility left, I might just bend over backward for them.

 

As soon as we hung up, I called the main clinic in Town to see what Dr. R's schedule looked like for the next week (aka this week), and the receptionist said it shouldn't be a problem sending him over to the Sticksville clinic that week. Then I told her that I also needed a prescription refill for the same people and to have them stick said prescription in the Sticksville box to send over the following Wednesday. She said (and I quote), "Sure. No problem."

 

Famous. Last. Words.

 

On Tuesday I called the main clinic in Town to verify appointments, and spoke to the other receptionist. After going over appointments, I wanted to double check about that prescription for Mr. and Mrs. Super-dee-duper Nice, because I'm paranoid. She wrote everything down because she didn't see a charge for it in the computer yet and said (and I quote), "I'll check on it, and make sure it's in the box."

 

Famous. Last. Words.

 

Wednesday rolls around, and Dr. R shows up this morning and we do our surgeries, chit-chatting, while I start putting stuff away that he brought me. What don't I find? The prescription I asked about. Twice. Dr. R hears me going, "oh no no no" and asked what was wrong - I told him I didn't get a prescription that I'd asked be brought over. The food, however, had shown up. Go figure.

 

When the phone finally stops ringing around 11ish, I try calling Mr. and Mrs. Super-dee-duper Nice, and while it's ringing, guess who walked in the front door? You got it.

I sheepishly told them the dog's medicine did not get sent over for some reason, but that I had their food. They of course weren't overly happy that they were going to have to drive over the mountain just for that, but seeing as the dog was out of medicine by now, they had to do it. They paid for the food, and I promptly called the main clinic in Town.

I spoke with the first receptionist, and I asked if the prescription refill was over there, and she said, "Yep. I have it right here." When I mentioned (politely) that it hadn't been sent over, she said, "It didn't show up on my desk until this morning and by then Dr. R was gone." I simply said okay and thanks and hung up.

I. Was. Fuming.

 

Now, here is what I don't get. There are two receptionists full-time Monday through Friday. If they know of a prescription that needs to be sent over to my clinic, either they need to inform a tech about it, or they can do it themselves. Oddly enough, that is what I do. Hell, I fill prescriptions because I don't have anything else going on and I'm happy to help out wherever I can.

 

Here's another thing: When I call in a prescription and ask for it to be sent over here, it's for one main reason - saving some poor soul a 40 mile round-trip drive. There are a few people that don't have a car. Or don't have a license. Or can't drive because they're too old. Or they just want to save the gas money if the doctor is coming over here anyway for work, he can bring the medicine, too.

 

That's what happened this time. These folks call in their refills or special orders a week in advance. I try to keep their dog's food over here at all times. I also try to keep a bottle of insulin for their dog.

 

 But what really pisses me off is the fact that I called it in last week, and for whatever reason, it didn't get done. So, when those really nice folks show up to get their order, I'm the one who looks like a douche when it's not here. Not to mention they now have to make a 40 mile round-trip drive (with gas sitting near $5/gal) because someone dropped the ball.

And I don't ever want to hear, "It didn't show up on my desk until this morning and by then the doctor was gone," because don't you freaking remember that I called and spoke to you about it a week prior?!

When I call to have a prescription sent over, it's not a suggestion.