Rite Aid Pharmacy, Vails Gate - upset with service

# 40 for May 18, 2002

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on May 17, 2002:

From: Email User

RE: Rite Aid Pharmacy, Vails Gate - upset with service

Dear Rite Aid Pharmacy, May 8th, 2002 I am writing to your company to complain not that it ever does any good. I have made so many honest and true complaints that were pretty serious issue's and have never even got as much as an apology letter or a $2 off coupon in the mail for my aggrivation. Nor even the response saying it was being looked into or would be dealt with in a way that would make me feel better. Yes at this point I am a bit bitter to say the least at some of the things as a consumer that I and my family have gone through. Not to mention rite aid has put me and my health at risk due to there (lack) of~ in short too many times!!!

This time this particular situation I will again display to you with honesty the best that I can once again... I have been on blood pressure medication and water pills for about three years now. I can tell you I have never I mean never (not) had a problem with the Vails Gate Rite Aid once when filling those simple precriptions... Not to mention the rude manner I have so many times dealt with. I don't mean the young inexperienced girl that usually hasnt a clue as to what to do when all is confusion between myself and the attending pharmasist. Actually feel bad for the girls.

My Doctor called in my new renewals lets see on a Monday. I went to the pharmacy not once but two days in a row and still no filled prescription!!! At that point I was not the happy camper as my old prescriptions had only one more day before it was gone. Leaving me then with no medication in my system and it is dangerous to just stop them without medical assistance. This is the normal this always happens time and time again and the last time they blamed my doctor saying he never called in the prescriptions at all!!! Not true and he himself was contacted the last time and he was pretty to be blunt pissed as he did call them in...

I then after waiting all those days and then running completely out and not having them in my system now I am at Friday. I go again to the pharmacy and am told ohhhhhhh your prescription for your blood pressure is filled but we dont see the water pill.

Then after sitting at a window about 9 songs in the car I was told ohhhhhh we have a computer problem we cant fill it right now. So yes I freaked as my two pills work like a husband and wife together in my system taking one is not the way to do it you must take both pills together. I then demanded nicely for atleast two pills and would come back again being inconvenienced but I needed to get them into my system. She gave it to me with an attitude. Like it was something I did...

I went through the weekend taking the one friday night and then the other on saturday. I called first to make sure that things were all ready and again on Monday noooooooo not because they said noooow this time my medication was not there there was none on the premises to fillit! Cute right!

I then came back going without my medication till Wednesday when they told me it would be in to find nooooo my prescription still was not yet filled sitting again at the window more songs more aggrivation all for one lousy prescription that should have been filled at the same time my blood pressure pills were long ago. What a joke.

I was then told come back in one hour and a half by the young girl and it would be ready. I pulled away not n a good mood. Turning my car around and saying nooooooo you know what my hands are swelling and my feet I am starting to feel sick from this rollercoaster pill game. I need this medication enough is enough. This was 6:55 evening time today May 8th, 2002. I was then told by the young girl that the pharmasist said wouldnt do me any good to take the pill this hour of the day just come back tomorrow not gonna give you a pill to hold you over so that I could get it in my system immediatley again what a joke. Not a true statement cause within one half hour I relieve the water retention that not taking the pill has caused. Thanks to Rite Aid I know this welllll since this happens all the time. In the end I was given two pills in a blank bottle and another attitude I then asked for the girl to write down the time and the date on paper and the pharmasists name.

Her name is Rita 5/8/02 at 6:55 pm and Ihave that paper. This isnt a difficult prescription to fill there is no need for me to endure these health risks. Its not the doctors fault nor my fault its fault falls apon Rite Aid. I have made many reports to your company as I stated and to say that my friends in my area have not all had much the same go on with there prescriptions would be a serious understatment. I could send you names and phone numbers with stories galore trust me when I tell you that one! I was told once by a Rite Aid representitive that the window should never be closed. I laughed that window is closed more than its open with a sign that says sorry window not servicing come inside. Why not just remove it for god sakes. Sit and watch in a week how much that window is really open.

What do I want well you know what Changes would be nice someone that cares enough to look into this and follow up with it and see that these things dont go on. There have been times luckily I have checked had someone elses medication in my bag. I should not have to go through this and yes I have considered changing Pharmacies but that is not a one day thing and once they have been put into your system that is more aggrivation for me to go through.

Please I beg you look into this pharmacy and its many antics its sad that a company that has been around for much of my years on earth is being represented like this. The risks that people are going through and the unwanted consumer output for grief and aggrivation is so uncalled for.

If you have any further questions you may contact me by this email at any time. At this point a $100 gift certificate for a free shopping spree in the store would only put a slight smile of relief on my face. As I said this has gone on for years now and its getting really old. I thank you for your time, I hope that my forwardness is accepted in a way where you see exactly how I feel and know I would not take the time to write this very lengthy letter if I didnt feel the extreme need! Sincerely Yours, Susan Clark

Comment On This

In October, my granddaughter was on fall break from college, and used that time to have 4 wisdom teeth removed. The surgeon told me to get her prescription filled right away as she would need to take the Lortabs within the hour. I went to my Rite Aid, dropped off the prescription, they told me I would need her SS# for a narcotic, so I go out to car and since her mouth is packed with cotton, she had to write the number down for me. I went back in and told them I would wait for the prescription. First they tell me that my granddaughter is not in computer, and I assure them that she is. They asked for her full name, seems the Dr. had written her nickname, not her full name, the pharmacist looked at me like we were druggies trying to obtain Lortabs under fake name. THEN, she informs me that they do not have 10 mg Lortabs, that they only have 5mg. I asked if they could just give me those, she said "No, he has written 'no substitution'". Her next question was "Did she ask him to give her 10 mg?" I was FURIOUS and said that she was undergoing surgery and had no input as to her pain med. All this time, she is staring at computer screen with intent interest. Finally, I ask if there is another Rite Aid who has it, she says "Well, yes I called one who has it"....it was five minute drive so I told her I would go there. She asked if I wanted her to fill the other meds, an antibiotic, mouthwash, nausea med. I said "yes, go ahead." She then tells me they do not have Compazine for nausea, that it is not commonly used for nausea and wondered aloud why he did not use phenagrine. I told her that she is allergic to it, and she raised her eyebrows and said she had never heard of allergy to phenagrine. SO, I asked her to check with the other Rite Aid to see if they had it, she replied, that they did have it, although she never made a call. Indeed, she never looked away from computer screen. I drove across town, dropped off script, went to video store, came back to pick up meds, and they tell me they do not have compazine, that it is rarely ever prescribed. At this point, I took the sack of meds and left. By the time I reached home, granddaughter was in severe pain and I was furious. I have been customer at this particular Rite Aid for 30 years, long before it was even a Rite Aid,and have never received a phone call to alert me that they are out of meds, they wait until you show up to get it. I moved my prescriptions to Walgreens (the people there actually smile when you walk up). My husband is changing his as they reach renewal time. I received a letter from Rite Aid, saying they want me back and will give me a gift card if I come back. When Hell freezes over.

Comment On This

I hate to say it, but I've had the same exact experiences with them: the first time was several years ago, when I called ahead and was told that, yes, they could fill my prescription at that time (they had it in stock). When I got to the store and gave them my prescription, they then told me they had 'made a mistake' and were entirely out of stock, and would have to order it. I said fine, and left it with them with the assurance it would be there in a few days. It wasn't. I asked them to call me when it arrived. After another week (!) I called them to inquire about it; they said it was "on order". After more than TWO WEEKS, they had it filled. I never did business with that particular store again.

Fast-forward some years to now: there is a local one down the street (used to be a different one, was bought out by them), and I stupidly figured I'd give them a chance with a recent (06.14.2008) prescription, which I dropped off that day.

It is now the 26th of June -- same litany of "oh, we ordered it, it'll be in tomorrow" stuff...Over and over again. I learned my lesson this time, and will never, EVER give my business to them, and will actively discourage people to use them, as well.

I'm unclear as to what the issue is, as I don't see what financial motivation they have in 'tying up' people's prescriptions with long wait-times; perhaps it is just lack of caring on the part of the staff, or whatever. Regardless, that's the end of doing business with them, that is for sure.

JMB

Comment On This

Unfortunately the service at Rite Aid has not changed. From the highly skeptical managers to the "I don't care" regional managers and the non-apoligetic no-help customer service nothing has changed. Nobody in the company even knows what their own return policy is even though it is pasted on each register.