The Lemon Fool

They seem to spend an awful lot of time shuffling through piles of prescriptions. Seeing as they were (presumably) computer generated in the first place, why are they messing around with bits of paper at all?

And then they seem to root around re-checking bags of already filled prescriptions.

First world problems I know, but mildly irritating when waiting in the queue.

MrFoolish wrote:They seem to spend an awful lot of time shuffling through piles of prescriptions. Seeing as they were (presumably) computer generated in the first place, why are they messing around with bits of paper at all?

As an additional visual check, I suppose. To a list on a computer, Mrs Brown's order number 964821 for sleeping tablets looks much the same as Mr Smith's order number 964281 for diamorphine. Having to stop and actually read something on the parcel might avoid embarrassing fatalities.

Particularly in my local village pharmacy, where the two twentysomething people who own the place have a transistor radio blasting out pop music all day with the volume turned up to 11. Now that does annoy me.

BJ

MrFoolish wrote:They seem to spend an awful lot of time shuffling through piles of prescriptions. Seeing as they were (presumably) computer generated in the first place, why are they messing around with bits of paper at all?

And then they seem to root around re-checking bags of already filled prescriptions.

First world problems I know, but mildly irritating when waiting in the queue.

When I used to go to the hospital pharmacy when my wife was being looked after there, they had the same routine. I had plenty of time to watch them and one person fulfilled the order and put it in the bag, then someone else routinely extracted it again and checked it both by name and by quantity. It is vitally important that they get prescriptions right.

Furthermore they have no idea of the order of people coming in to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription, and as far as I can see some phamacies are better at it than others, keeping them in shelves marked in alphabetical order or not. Even then it is perfectly possible to have two or three marked Smith for instance.

Dod

MrFoolish wrote:They seem to spend an awful lot of time shuffling through piles of prescriptions. Seeing as they were (presumably) computer generated in the first place, why are they messing around with bits of paper at all?

And then they seem to root around re-checking bags of already filled prescriptions.

First world problems I know, but mildly irritating when waiting in the queue.

In ours they are sent electronically to the pharmacy. The print-out is used to make up the prescription and to check that the correct person gets them. That's why they ask for the first line of your address.

The made-up prescriptions are stored alphabetically, and if they don't find it, they then go to the computer to see if it has been received. Then a print-out is done and you wait (or get on with your shopping and come back later).

TJH

I gave up with one of our local phramacies who seemed to have some sort of totally random access stirage and retrieval method. I have a surname that is only shared by our family -in our town - its pretty esoteric and not at all common - so it isnt about getting the right "Smith". They would just look in several different places and iften just never fuinding it after havbing had the prescription for a week at least .



didds

Why does it always take chemists 15 to 20 minutes to prepare a prescription. I go to the doctors and I'm told I need tablet A. They will send a prescription through staight away to the chemist who is next door. I make my way to the chemist and it is empty. The assistant checks the computer, confirme the prescription is there and asks if I want to wait for it. I ask how long it will be, the reply is always 15 to 20 minutes.

Back in the day when chemists prepared tablets or mixed mixtures I could accept that, these days the tablets are always in a box on a shelf or in a drawer, one or two boxes need taking down and labelling with a computer generated label and then the boxes need putting in a bag and passing to me.

I can accept they may be preparing prescriptions ready for other customers, but that isn't always the case in a rural chemist.

I don't mind waiting, I'm a patient by definition and a patient sort by nature, I'm just curious. Always 15 to 20 minutes.

sg31 wrote:Why does it always take chemists 15 to 20 minutes to prepare a prescription.

It's not the putting of the box of tabs into the bag that takes the time, it's the labelling and double/triple checking. I'm reasonably certain two people are required to be involved, one to actually dispense, and a different person is required to unpack it, check it, repack it and seal the bag. Hence the 15-20 minutes particularly if you can only see one person in the dispensary.

There must have been problems handing out the prescriptions in my local Boots. When I go to collect one they now ask my surname and first line of address, rummage about and find a pack, then they ask for my full name and first line of my address which they check with the label. Then separately they ask for my postcode. If I get it right they hand me the package and sternly request me to read the label on the package and and confirm it is my name and my correct address and my postcode. All recently introduced and seems rather 'over the top' .


(Edit to fiddle with the detail.)