Walgreens - Discriminated Against
March 16, 2016
Attn: Walgreen Corporate Office
I am writing concerning an incident that happened at store #3157 on Montrose in Houston, Tx. I have NEVER been so degraded in my ENTIRE life. I first left store #11465 from trying to get a prescription filled. The store was unable to fill the prescription so I asked about another location they referred me to the Montrose location because it was 24 hours and it was before 7:00 a.m. I confirmed that my insurance information was on file and travelled to #3157. When I first arrived at the drive thru the clerk said she could not find my information, and had me to hold on to talk with the pharmacist on duty who had just walked in. His last name is Fitzpatrick. He approached the window, and in an irate tone began to address me. He was speaking so fast that I could only comprehend bits and pieces of what he was saying. I asked him to slow down, but he would not. Finally I understood
“I don’t fill pain medication here for the first time, all you have been getting from Walgreens is pain medication”.
So, I am thinking he couldn’t see the information on line, so I say to him,
“This is my third time filling this prescription at Walgreens”.
He continue with “I don’t fill pain medication here”.
I than told the man, “I have cancer.”
His response was, “If you got cancer, then I’d see other medications on your record”.
This is when I realize that yes he does see my profile on line and he is refusing to fill my prescription.
I then tell him, “I am on medication. I take Letrozole. I get that filled at CVS and CVS never have enough of the pain medicine and that is why I go to Walgreens.”
He then say, “You need to go back to CVS and let them fill it”
I said, “They never have the medicine, that’s why I come to Walgreens”.
He said, “You’ll have to take that up with CVS”.
Somehow the question about this Walgreens having the medicine on hand came up and the man responded,
“I have the medicine, but I don’t fill pain medications if you don’t have any others medications on file.”
I asked the man if he is refusing to fill the prescription and he responded “Yes”.
I drove off in humiliation. I felt like this man made an assumption, instead of doing his job. In this interaction, indirectly I was called a liar, a user, a trader, a 2nd class citizen, and an addict. I am neither of these, and I have never been an addict in my life.
I am a paying customer, with an option to choose what company I give my business to, but Mr. Fitzpatrick doesn’t seem to think so. He shouldn’t be allowed to call himself a doctor, if his 1st priority isn’t to help others. In that moment, he took my degree, my pride, and my self-worth. His accusations, words, and demeanor made me feel less than human.
I will not accept this, and I am hoping his actions does not represent the values of Walgreens. How is it that another human being in a customer service setting, feels he has the right to talk to anyone like this? Did he look at me and see an ignorant black woman who he was better than? Someone he could call a liar, and question my integrity? I am truly concerned about how a man with such responsibility would falsely judge and boldly express his attitude upon patients.
My prayer is that this company takes this seriously and realize that one broken customer can lead to many broken customers. I’ll be awaiting a response.
Thank you,
Lenora Green
Reason of review: Poor customer service.
Walgreens Cons: Being treated like i was a criminal.
Location: Houston, Texas
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Comments
Please avoid publishing any personal information and promotional content
Its pitiful. So sorry this hAppened to you
A pharmacist can refuse to fill any controlled or narcotic script at their discretion. If you have not filled other medications with them, then that in itself is a red flag.
He's not a doctor. He is a pharmacist.
Big difference. He needs to fill prescriptions and keep his personal issues to himself.
I think the way you were treated is abhorrent. You need to contact Walgreen's directly, as this is just a rant site.
Not correct. Pharmacists have wide flexibility with filling controlled substance prescriptions based on the situation.