Either way, I would suggest that eRx doesn't suck, but the response of a few pharmacists at the other end may. We can control this aspect of their business. My suggestion would be that the next time the issue arises, have a brief conversation with the pharmacy manager. Explain that you expect a response along the lines of "I am sure the doctor sent it, but I just can't find it; I will call and request it again for you". Tell them that the next time the tech blames the provider and tells a patient to call you will be the LAST time you send a prescription to that pharmacy; in the future, you will tell the patient they need to pick a pharmacy that provides better service.
Jon, this is a great idea, but it simply is not reality. First, it is just as likely that the pharmacy manager is the one who said it. I have always wished that pharmacists would say, "We don't have it. It is possible that either your doctor didn't send it, or that it didn't make it or we misplaced it. Let me call your doctor. Most times, though, they or the tech just say, "We don't have it." The patient just assumes we didn't send it. Many times we get a call from the patient, we then HAVE to call the pharmacy, and they tell us it just arrived. Whether it just arrived or not, we will never know. But, the patient could have been patient and probably would have had the pharmacist simply educate them on the process whether it is fax or eRx. I have a saying I made up called "The power of last authority." I don't know how many times I tell a patient to wait at radiology until I call them with the result, but they leave because the tech tells them, "It is normal, you can go home and your doctor will call you." This is simply one more phone call IF they are home, instead of the tech telling me and handing the phone to the patient. Yes, radiology will hand a phone to a patient. I am willing to bet that I could literally walk over with the patient, show the patient the script for Zantac, hand it to the pharmacist in front of the patient, and if the pharmacist told him or her they hadn't received it, one out of 100 would call the office. Sure, a bit of an exaggeration.
The other problem is you and I can decide to boycott a certain restaurant, but we cannot force a patient to. Sure, a subtle reminder that Wrong Aid and Wal-Mart don't even stock amoxicillin, may persuade them to change. But, most patients like their pharmacies for other reasons, and are not going to change.
I think this would all get much better if 1) we worked together to educate the patients as to how and/or why a script got there or not and the possibilities of why it did not as well as telling them about the system. "I know your doctor ePrescribes most of his or her scripts, so it will probably be here soon. Walgreens texts my patients. And, 2) the pharmacist should call the office.
