Complain about a product or service

Eckerd - Pharmacy Service

Eckerd • Rx errors • Rx service • Gift cards • Pricing • ADA compliance • An insider's view

James of Wilmington NC (8/4/03):
On 29 July 2003 my son had a surgical procedure at the medical facility in New Bern NC. This is approximately 1.5 hours driving time from his home. When released from the hospital he was given five prescriptions for pain and other meds to be taken as prescribed. Fearing that he would need the pain meds during the trip home I stopped at the Eckerd's (1247) to get the scripts filled.

Entering the store I noted that the retail section had approximately 2 to 3 customers and the drug section was completely void of any customers waiting for assistance. Handing the scripts to the front end girl she stated what I thought was it woud be 4-5 minutes. Not fully understanding her comments I requested that she repeat her comment and as she turned to me I heard her say 45-50 minutes. I explained the urgency of getting on the road and the reason for requesting special consideration. The unknown Pharmiacist looked up from another counter which was to the side of the customer desk and SHOUTED "Hey look, you aren't the only customer we have. You will have to wait."

I repeat, there were no other people waiting for service and one other girl behind the counter was talking with another employee. I went to the retail check-out and requested to speak to a manager and I was informed that the Store was actually two stores in one with each having control over their own area and they operated independently. The on-duty pharmacist is "GOD" in his department. It was suggested that I could call, at my own expense, the DM. I was given that telephone and a first name only of Crystal.

I called the next day and got a recording of "This is Crystal and I out of the office and will call you back within 48 hours." I'm still waiting and it is now six days. Maybe she is running in a different time zone.

I drove to KMart, turned in the scripts and within 10 minutes was on my way home. This is not a legal matter, just an incident to show the lack of service, concern and communications by all parties contacted in the Eckerd system.

Rita of Panama City FL (2/24/04):
On Feb. 23, 2004 I took a prescription for my 12 week old granddaughter to be filled. When I returned to pick up I asked for a measuring syringe that has three-fourth on it, as the order read three-fourth medicine twice a day. The clerk called the pharmacist over who asked me what was the problem. I stated to him that I need a measuring device that reads three-fourths so I can be exact with my granddaughters dosage. My granddaughter is 12 weeks old, I said. The pharmacist said he did not furnish these and I could come in and buy one. I was at the drive thru window during this transaction.

The pharmacist gave me a syringe with the reading 1/2tsp., 1tsp., 11/2tsp., and 2tsp., printed on it. I Can easily determine the three-fourths mark, but I speak for people that make mistakes giving infants medicine because they assume a dose, didn't understand the dose, or they had to second quess a dose due to a pharmacist that refused to listen or did not care. After the pharmacist told me I could go in and buy one, he slammed the drive thru window in my face.

This upset me because I'm picking up meds for an infant and my daughter will be giving this med. If memory serves me right, children die everyday from wrong dose. Can something be done to insure that everyone receiving infant meds from Eckerd's Drug Stores also receive the current devices, syringes, etc. to administer the proper dose?

The lady returned to the window and told us that the prescriptions would be $50, so we sent in our credit card and the lady left the credit card in the slot, and returned to the in-store register. The guy came back and asked what else we needed. I explained that we had sent in our credit card and that it was still in the drive-thru drawer. He took the credit card and returned with the prescriptions. We signed the slips, and received one prescription. I explained to him that we were supposed to have 2, and he went looking. After another 10 minutes, he came back and asked the name again. He went back to look some more, and came back to the window, and explained that they hadn't seen that there were 2 to start, and that it wouldn't have mattered anyway, because they didn't carry that medication anyway, but he could order it.

We asked the price, and then he explained that he had been mistaken, and he couldn't get it. So we asked for a refund on our "filled" prescription, and that we would go somewhere else to get both. We spent an hour in that drive-thru, and got so mad about how unprofessional everything was handled. It was totally ridiculous. At one time, there were 8 cars behind us, and several of them left because they couldn't get up to the window. I will never go back to that Eckerd drug.

Patsy of Greenwood MS writes (4/15/03):
The last 4 times I had to go to the Eckerds Pharmacy, I had to wait 45 minutes to get my prescriptions. Others standing around said same. Store recently remodeled to supply more merchandise. Why couldn't the pharmacy be moved to the front of the store? Why can't other checkers help? Today there were two at the front with one customer! I noticed at least 10 baskets with medicine in them waiting to be checked out.

There are elderly who have trouble walking to the back of the store. There are those like me who have asthma or other breathing problems. There are a minimum of seats for sitting while you wait. If you don't stand near the cashier you really will be kept waiting! The one this (04-15-03) afternoon is slow as Christmas and smacks on her chewing gum the whole time! I am a business person; I was always taught that chewing and smacking gum at work is very unprofessional. She is the same one I've had to deal with the last 4 times either during the afternoon or after work!

I missed an extra hour of work to wait 45 minutes in Eckerds. It is not any better after work either, because I have waited as long at that time also. Maybe Eckerds needs to forget about all the junk they want to sell other than drugs and pay attention to hiring more pharmacists and clerks! That's not all a friend of my was given the wrong prescription one time and almost died.

Sandy of East Point GA (2/27/03):
In the last month, I have had problems getting prescriptions filled. There is never enough people behind the counter in the pharmacy -- the average wait is 30-45 min. Today I dropped off 3 new scripts at 12:00pm and at 8:45pm they still weren't filled. The pharmacist said they were out of 2 of them.

I am going out of town for 3 days in the morning and need this medication. When I called at 6:00pm to see if they were ready, why couldn't someone tell me they were out of 2 of them. Also I was given a partial refill on one of my regular meds on Tuesday and when I dropped off the new scripts today, I was told the rest of the prescription would be ready also. Now they can't find that bottle.

I will have to find another pharmacy in the morning. I have finally realized it's time to get my meds filled through my insurance's mail order program. I know I'm only one customer, but it is more and more discouraging that nowadays customer service is so poor at this store and other retail stores.

"D" of Acworth GA (2/24/03):
My daughter's pediatrician called in 2 prescriptions for her. I sent her father to Eckerds to pick them up. He waited for 2 hours to even be able to tell them our child's name due to so many customers waiting to pick up prescriptions. Everyone there was very angry at the poor service they were receiving. When he finally got to tell them our daughter's name, they did not have it ready. When they said it was ready, they filled an old presription that they pulled out of the computer. They then claimed that the prescription was not called in.

I called the Doctor and confirmed the prescription was called in and the exact time it was called in. By this point, the drug store was closing and they would not get my daughter's prescription ready. She was very sick and needed the prescription and had to do without her medicine.

My daughter was very sick with a sinus infection. She was blacking out during the night and needed the medicine. Pharmacies need to be held responsible for their incompetence. If I had not called her father to ask questions at the time they gave him the wrong presription, she could have taken the wrong medication.

Carolyn of Chattanooga TN (1/28/03):
I just returned home from Eckerds pharmacy, spending 30 minutes waiting in the drive-through for a prescription Lotrel, a blood pressure medication. My blood pressure is going up because of this incident. Last year this pharmacy received over $3500 of my business. I am on Medicare. So I had to pay cash for the medications. In my opinion the drug companies are making a killing on sick old people. There ought to be a special place in hell for such.

Health care is no longer existent since the beginning of HMO's. I had better medical care 20 years ago.

Aloha of Oklahoma City writes about the Eckerds at 122 & May:
I purchased an elastic wrist band ($14.99) and was told if it was not what the dr. wanted I could return it with my receipt. I tried to return it and was told that since I wrote a check I could not return it for 5 days. I have been a customer at this Eckerd's for the past 10 years. I get all my family's prescriptions filled at this store and well as our other pharmacy items. I have NEVER written a bad check at this business.

If my business in no more valued than this I will take it across the street to Walgreen's. Lucy offered to credit my credit card. I don't understand why I couldn't have my money back. I do understand store policy but should have been informed when asked if I could return this item. As it is I made a wasted trip.

Loyal of Brooksville, FL, writes about Store #2232 in Brooksville:
On Nov 15,2000 4:15PM I went to pick up my prescriptions that I ordered the previous Friday. I rang the call button for service. My sales slip given me was timed out at 5:28PM. Just about 45 min. There were two pharmicists chatting in the back (well, they had white coats on and were oblivious to any customers in or out of the store).

There were at least 5 customers inside the store and a line of at least 5 cars behind me. Only one clerk to wait on all of us, she apologized all over the place for the delay. I place this right on the management for neglect of service to the ten customers waiting for service. I am very disappointed in Eckerd's service. My parents and I spend a lot of money for drugs at Eckerd's pharmicy. It would be nice to get better service.,don't you think?

After I got the meds I remember that Eckerds had a "stock-up" sale on Coke products. I went in to get some. I wasn't really suprised to find the Diet Coke that I wanted was "temporarily" out of stock. And "check with us later" was the best answer I could get as to when they would have more.