Having a child with a special health need like cystic fibrosis means having a kitchen cabinet designated for prescriptions. It also means frequent trips to the pharmacy. Pharmacists make a lot of money off CF patients as their meds can cost upwards of $8000 a month. The problem is that most pharmacies don’t keep things like digestive enzymes in stock. So I spoke with the pharmacist at the pharmacy I had chosen for its convenient drive-thru window. I told him about Maggie and that we would be getting these medications for her from them for as long as we lived in the area. I asked if he could keep them in stock so we wouldn’t have to wait so long to get the refills. He refused. Big mistake. On top of that, they were continually making mistakes in my order as well as other customers’ orders. I never went to that pharmacy again. Instead, I found a pharmacy that understood my needs and valued me as a customer. And you should do the same.
Pick a pharmacy with conveniences like late and weekend hours, a delivery service, or drive-thru pick-up windows. This will ensure you can always get your child’s prescriptions when you need them. And with the drive-thru window, you won’t have to get your child in and out of the car.
Choose a pharmacy that is willing to work with you. If there are certain medications you will be purchasing every month, talk to the pharmacist about making sure they always have some on their shelves. If the pharmacy wants to keep you as a customer and sees the value of you (and the profit they can make from your orders) they will agree.
Becoming friendly with your pharmacist can be a big help too. If the pharmacist knows you by name and knows your child, he will be willing to help you out and work with you. He may get to know your schedule of refills so well that you may even get a phone call if he sees it is refill time and you haven’t called yet. He can help you understand new prescriptions and do what he can to get you anything you need as quickly as possible.
In return for the great service a truly good pharmacist can give you, respect them by not showing up as soon as the delivery does. Give him the time he needs to sort through all the boxes and get his delivery organized. Allow him to do his job to the best of his ability so he can help you take care of your child.