Privacy laws yet lack of privacy at the drugstore

11 years ago

Most everywhere these days if you ask a question somewhere you're told they can't tell you anything because of privacy laws or whatever. Ontario here has pretty strict privacy laws in that regard. How here's my beef.
A while back I went to my local drugstore to get a prescription filled and when they handed it to me they started explaining the ins and outs of it. Meanwhile other people are standing around or sitting in the chairs waiiting or just happen to be shopping in close proximity. Everyone can hear and soon know what your ailment is. It's worse in a smaller city like this where there's virtually 2 degrees of seperation. How do I know if my neighbors aren't just out of sight etc.
Again today I went in and while I was standing there a woman was picking up her prescription and the pharmacist started asking her questions which got into a conversation. Within 3 minutes I knew this womans complete medical history, that she'd had parts of her bowels removed etc. I don't think she or the pharmacist even realized. After they were done I spoke to the pharmacist ( I like the staff there a lot) and mentioned it to her. They do have a small room off to the side she told me for consultations but doesn't seem like they utilize it unless asked. I never even knew it was there..

Even the setup of the "consult" room isn't that great because you still have to come out and go back to the pharmacy counter and pay etc..

So I'm just wondering. Am I the only person who this sort of thing bothers.
What do you guys do in this situation.

It's not a small little store either, it's one of those big chain drug stores. While there's numerous other ones in town they all seem to be set up the same way for lack of privacy.

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Comments (10)

cloudy_christine
11 years ago
Prescriptions here come with a printed sheet listing the directions, side effects, and contraindications. The important cautions are also on a label on the bottle or pack. So generally there's no discussion. If you have a question about your special circumstances you call your doctor about it.
But I have had a supermarket checker in a busy line ask me how well an intimate product worked for me!
ann_t
11 years ago
Peter, they do the same thing at our pharmacy. Moe is on a number of medications and any time a prescription is new or one changes the pharmacist always goes over the changes with me. It isn't often that they tell me something that I wasn't already aware of, but it has happened that a prescription was changed , (increased or decreased) and brought it to my attention. Even though they also include an information sheet with the prescription, I think it is a good practice for them to go over everything, especially with an older customer.

I am sometimes amazed at what a customer will share with the pharmacist in the presence and within hearing distance of others.

~Ann
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chase_gw
11 years ago
We also get " the drill " on a sheet of paper but often if there is something new my pharmacist will come talk to me about it. Maybe a drug that has gone generic, or a different shape to the pill. Never anything I felt was something I didn't want someone else to hear.

I've never felt like there was a privacy issue. Maybe I should, but I truly have never been concerned.
annie1992
11 years ago
I've never had a pharmacist talk to me about any prescription, but they always ask if I have any questions or need to consult with the pharmacist. I tend to ask my questions at the doctor's office before I agree to take the prescription.

However, like Ann T, I'm amazed at what people will "share" in public, not just standing at a counter, but talking on cell phones as they wander about the store. I hear about sex lives, toenail fungus, children's misbehavior, finances, all from people wandering about in public talking on their cell phones like no one else in the world is there.

Amazing.....

Annie
eandhl
11 years ago
Real pet peeve of mine - our drug store for many years was closing and sold their business to a chain. No notice, the day it was done it was in the newspaper! In my opinion that is selling your personal medical information. Don't get me started on cell phones. Personally I think every cell phone sold should have an icon "phone manners".
rob333 (zone 7b)
11 years ago
Telling people about side effects and what medications are in the presence of others is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. Huge. I will even lie and say I've received a prescription before so no one will know what it is or the side effects. And I cannot stand to hear the side effects of other's meds. Who wants to know about diarrhea? UGH!!!! Isn't there another way to help someone avoid the problems? There must be.
colleenoz
11 years ago
My peeve is that I get a particular painkiller for really bad tension headaches, and for the past year or so there seems to be a new policy of making the counter staff ask, "Are you taking any other medication?"
Now, I'm also on medication which has a remote chance of interacting with this, and I know if I say, Yes, ---------------, they'll give me a big lecture about how dangerous it is etc etc. At the same time I don't want to lie.
I have discussed it with my doctor and she sees no problems with my taking this particular painkiller. It's not as if I'm popping them six times a day.
One time when asked The Question, I said, "Yes, and I've discussed it with my doctor, and she's OK with it."
"So what are you taking?"
"I've discussed it with my doctor, and she's OK with it."
But what are you taking?"
"I've discussed it with my doctor, and she's OK with it."
"But I need to know what you're taking."
"No offence, but you are a shop assistant with no medical training. I have no intention of discussing my medications with you, I'm over 50 and have been using this medication for many years now and know what its effects are."
"But I have to refer it to the pharmacist."
"Fine, I'll discuss it with him."
The pharmacist okayed the medication without the need to come and talk to me.
I just get so irked- and so does my doctor. She gets the same falderal- even after she says, "I know what I'm doing, I'm a doctor."
triciae
11 years ago
Doctors are not getting as much pharmaceutical information from sales reps and their companies these days as a few years ago due to all the flap about comping/conflicts of interest, etc. Pharmaceutical companies are also not doing the huge conferences they used to for the same reasons. I learned all this the hard way when I volunteered to do a physician's awareness campaign for a medical foundation. I ran into trouble almost immediately trying to get out the info. So, I'm not quite as confident in my doctor's prescription knowledge as I was a few years ago.

When I get a new prescription I phone the pharmacy ahead of filling and speak direct with the pharmacist asking any pertinent questions. No privacy issues. I get the info I need. If there's any conflict between what my doctor has told me and the pharmacist then I call my doctor.

Patients just have to be really proactive in today's medical world. No more relying on any one person.

/tricia
pkguy
Original Author
11 years ago
That's the sort of thing I'm talking about. It's actually a good thing that most pharmacists ask first if you're not a regular customer and they don't have all your prescription history on file. All the dispensing transactions should be done in a private area. It really wouldn't be all that difficult to design a setup that when you're picking up your prescriptions you and the pharmacist or the clerk handing them over have to step into more private, soundproofed area.
Lars
11 years ago
When I flew to Mexico City in 2002, the customs official asked me if I was carrying any prescription drugs, and so I told him about the BP medication I had with him. I could see that he was visibly disappointed that I admitted this and then wanted to talk with me in Spanish, but I pretended not to be able to understand him, and then he had to see my medication with its prescription and okay it. The next time I flew (in 2005), I told them I did not have any prescription medications with me - it went much faster, and I think the customs officials were relieved.

Lars

Privacy laws yet lack of privacy at the drugstore

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cloudy_christine

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Privacy laws yet lack of privacy at the drugstore

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