ComplaintsforPatio Drugs

• Initial Complaint

  11/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My doctor sent Patio Drugs a prescription for a compound drug with a new strength. However, Patio Drugs dispensed the medication on the old prescription without asking me. I thought this was a problem with my doctor's prescription but after having visited my doctor last week, I found out that the prescription was correct. I called Patio drugs to refill it and asked why they dispensed the medication in a different strength than prescribed, they told me that the new prescription was on hold. I asked why, they said, "this is how we do it." Pharmacies, by law, have to counsel me about a new prescription. The lady I spoke with me started to yell on me and said, as a customer, I should know how their system works (that they keep the new prescription on hold when there are refills on the old one). Even though the strength is changed? Dispensing it on the old strength without consulting me? The lady screamed at me at said I was a difficult customer and I was being rude because I was asking these questions. I read some reviews on Yelp and some customers complain about similar issues. They are not supposed to treat customers like this and especially, when they are by law forced to consult the patients.

  I complained about this company yesterday (case #: ********) and this is a complaint in addition to that. This new complain is related to this issue. I received the medication yesterday and realized that they only dispensed half of the amount (5 ml) prescribed for almost the same price ($110) that I used to pay for the full amount (10 ml for $125) without consulting me even though the prescription says refill at 10 ml. I called them and they said, this is what they usually do and they don't consult the patients even if the prescription says something else. And they also said that the double amount would have cost $220 which is not correct as my documents show (attached). I told them that I used to receive the full amount until spring 2022 for almost the same price ($125) but they said it must have been a mistake. I told them it cant be a mistake because $125 is the price I have been paying over the years for 10 ml. They insisted that this is the usual amount (5 ml) they always dispense and this is the usual price ($110). They also insisted that they don't need to consult the patients before dispensing half of the amount on the prescription. Please see the attached documentation that confirms my story. I have attached receipts from March 2017, May 2017, August 2017, April 2019, September 2020, and April 2021 all of which show that I paid $125 for 10 ml. In contrast, I paid $105 in October 2021 and May 2022, and $110 in November 2022 for 5ml. As you can see, the price for the double amount is not $220 as they claim and it was not a one time mistake. They simply decided to dispense half the amount for almost the same price without consulting me. This is illegal.

  

  Business response

  12/20/2022

  RE:         Claim ID ********
                 *****************************
  
  Dear **************,
  
  Please accept this letter as a response to a recent complaint filed by ******************************  We value our patients experience at Patio Drugs, and we strive for exceptional service.  We extend an apology for any confusion or frustration this may have caused, and we look forward to its resolution.  We have thoroughly reviewed Mr. ******* complaint and are addressing it internally, as we complete additional training with our team members, as it relates to proper communication and customer service. 
  
  The following is our explanation and response to Mr. ******* complaint. 
  
  Customer Service
  Words alone do not capture our concern with Mr. ******* report of unprofessional treatment by our staff members.  We pride ourselves on exceptional customer service and are proud to be a part of this community.  We are aggressively addressing his complaint and implementing coaching and additional training for the staff members involved in processing Mr. ******* refills. 
  
  Pricing
  There has been a pricing increase in the medication in question.  This should have been communicated to *************** prior to filling the medication and at the time of pickup.  Anytime there is a price increase, our staff member is supposed to communicate this to the patient before filling the medication.  At that point, the patient decides to either let us fill the medication or not.
  
  The pricing on this preparation has drastically increased due to higher ingredient cost and ************** regulation costs.  The current price is approximately $110.00 for 5ml and $220.00 for 10ml.  Even with this increase in pricing,we are still one of the lowest priced providers in the area.  This pricing is subject to change at any point due to constant changes in costs and shipping charges that we are experiencing as every industry is experiencing right now.  Any proposed changes will be communicated prior to filling the order.
  
  Additionally,Patio Drugs currently provides free delivery to **************** and others in the area and due to rising fuel/supply costs, the free delivery may not be available as of January 1, 2023.  This is under further review, yet something we wanted to communicate, in support of being transparent.
  
  Dosing
  Due to the nature of this complaint and Mr. ******* protected health information,we are limited in the details we can share about his medical record and prior fill history; however, the prescriptions were filled in accordance with compounding regulations and recommendations.  Regardless, this should have been discussed with **************** during the filling process.  We are addressing this issue with the associated staff member and apologize for this confusion.
  
  Resolution
  In consideration of the lack of customer service, the lack of adequate communication and Mr. ******* claim that he did not recognize the pricing difference until after he had paid for the medication, we would like to offer a one-time courtesy refund in the amount of $165.76 which is half of the price **************** paid for the refills in question. 
  
  In closing, we truly apologize for Mr. ******* experience.  We are grateful that it has been brought to light so it can be addressed with our staff.  We hope **************** finds this resolution offer fair.
  
  Please do not hesitate to contact me if there are further questions or concerns. 
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***************************************
  Executive Director

  Customer response

  12/20/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me insofar they are willing to admit what they wrote as a response. I am adding the last part because the most unprofessional treatment I received was from a lady who said I was the "most difficult customer" or something in that manner and she turned out to be the owner (or so I was told by the manager I contacted after my shocking experience with her). I hope that the owner will not do this again. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩