Remember driving to the video store to rent a DVD? What happened when they were out of the most popular title on Friday night?
Remember standing in line for Black Friday sales and you finally get inside and they are already out of the item you wanted?
Remember heading to the grocery to find they are out of something you need for a recipe?
What did you do?
What recourse did you have?
What actions did you take to receive compensation?
Anything?
No.
In most cases you likely rented another picture, bought an alternative product, and drove to another store or purchased a substitution.
If the real world worked the way people believe pharmacy does, there would have been hell to pay. See, the pharmacy world operates just outside of normal. If there were a rural suburb of normal, this is where Pharmacy World would be located. We'd even have one of those signs that gives the population...and a kid sitting by to change it.
The expectations in this Twin Peaks-esque World are quite skewed. In each of the above scenarios, the outcome would have been the same had they occurred in Pharmacy World, but different than in Normal Town.
CP: I apologise, but we are currently out of this medication.
Can't Comprehend Current Conversation: But why?
CP: We've had quite the run on this today? We never stock it because it costs $1 bajillion? It's brand new and we haven't had call for it yet? Pick one.
CCCC: Don't you know how to stock?
CP: Yes. I order something. It comes in tomorrow. Much like you and your prescriber. She ordered something and now it has to come in tomorrow. As I said, it is quite expensive and no one has prescribed it before. (Or everyone has been writing for it but supplies are limited.)
CCCC: So I have to come back tomorrow?
CP: As I stated, yes.
CCCC: I spent all this time in the drive-thru lane and now I have to do it all over again tomorrow?
CP: Well, you could come inside for a bit of a change of pace and scenery.
CCCC: Who's going to pay for my gas?
CP: Sorry?
CCCC: My gas! All that I wasted while sitting in this interminable line and that I am going to have to use to come back tomorrow!
CP: Hmm. Let me think. That would be you.
CCCC: <incredulity permanently tattooed to her face> Excuse me?
CP: You could have called before you came down. You could have come inside. We attempted to ring you but you mustn't have heard the message.
CCCC: I deserve compensation for wasting my time and gas.
CP: I didn't realise gas was such a sought-after commodity and Pharmacy Town was in the middle of it. Did the apocalypse happen while I was stuck in here and now we're in the middle of Max Max? Let's think about this for a moment because no one ever does the math. Your vehicle averages about 20 MPG. It's 4 miles to your house. Since you were coming here anyway, let's start the math from now. That's 4 miles home, 4 miles back. Add in 15 minutes of idling and that's less than 0.1 gallon each time. Right now we are at 8 miles and 0.2 gal used. At 8/20th of a gallon you are using 0.4 gallons driving. Add the idling 0.2 to this and you used a total of 0.6 gallons. With the cost of gas right now at $2.00 per gallon, your wasted fuel costs amount to $1.20. Even when gas was $4.00, you'd only be out $2.40.
CCCC: Well I deserve something.
CP: You got it. A math lesson and a history lesson.
CCCC: What history lesson?
CP: Next time you'll call ahead ... and listen to your voicemail.
Remember standing in line for Black Friday sales and you finally get inside and they are already out of the item you wanted?
Remember heading to the grocery to find they are out of something you need for a recipe?
What did you do?
What recourse did you have?
What actions did you take to receive compensation?
Anything?
No.
In most cases you likely rented another picture, bought an alternative product, and drove to another store or purchased a substitution.
If the real world worked the way people believe pharmacy does, there would have been hell to pay. See, the pharmacy world operates just outside of normal. If there were a rural suburb of normal, this is where Pharmacy World would be located. We'd even have one of those signs that gives the population...and a kid sitting by to change it.
The expectations in this Twin Peaks-esque World are quite skewed. In each of the above scenarios, the outcome would have been the same had they occurred in Pharmacy World, but different than in Normal Town.
CP: I apologise, but we are currently out of this medication.
Can't Comprehend Current Conversation: But why?
CP: We've had quite the run on this today? We never stock it because it costs $1 bajillion? It's brand new and we haven't had call for it yet? Pick one.
CCCC: Don't you know how to stock?
CP: Yes. I order something. It comes in tomorrow. Much like you and your prescriber. She ordered something and now it has to come in tomorrow. As I said, it is quite expensive and no one has prescribed it before. (Or everyone has been writing for it but supplies are limited.)
CCCC: So I have to come back tomorrow?
CP: As I stated, yes.
CCCC: I spent all this time in the drive-thru lane and now I have to do it all over again tomorrow?
CP: Well, you could come inside for a bit of a change of pace and scenery.
CCCC: Who's going to pay for my gas?
CP: Sorry?
CCCC: My gas! All that I wasted while sitting in this interminable line and that I am going to have to use to come back tomorrow!
CP: Hmm. Let me think. That would be you.
CCCC: <incredulity permanently tattooed to her face> Excuse me?
CP: You could have called before you came down. You could have come inside. We attempted to ring you but you mustn't have heard the message.
CCCC: I deserve compensation for wasting my time and gas.
CP: I didn't realise gas was such a sought-after commodity and Pharmacy Town was in the middle of it. Did the apocalypse happen while I was stuck in here and now we're in the middle of Max Max? Let's think about this for a moment because no one ever does the math. Your vehicle averages about 20 MPG. It's 4 miles to your house. Since you were coming here anyway, let's start the math from now. That's 4 miles home, 4 miles back. Add in 15 minutes of idling and that's less than 0.1 gallon each time. Right now we are at 8 miles and 0.2 gal used. At 8/20th of a gallon you are using 0.4 gallons driving. Add the idling 0.2 to this and you used a total of 0.6 gallons. With the cost of gas right now at $2.00 per gallon, your wasted fuel costs amount to $1.20. Even when gas was $4.00, you'd only be out $2.40.
CCCC: Well I deserve something.
CP: You got it. A math lesson and a history lesson.
CCCC: What history lesson?
CP: Next time you'll call ahead ... and listen to your voicemail.
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