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Sometimes you just have to go with your gut and if something smells fishy that probably means there is bad fish somewhere (I learned on TV that fresh fish should smell like the ocean–not yucky and fishy).

I went to the eye doctor today…and have chronic dry eye. Afterwards I was prescribed various eye drops and “homework” in preparation for a recommended procedure (which of course I’m unsure of especially because insurance doesn’t cover it…).

Here is what is fishy:

1. After the eye dr consult they told me the rx just got sent to a pharmacy that the provider prefers (though I hadn’t told them where I fill my prescriptions). This was Community Pharmacy (specialty pharmacy), A Walgreens Pharmacy, on San Mateo and Montgomery.  This in my opinion, is not ok. You ask the patient first and then make suggestions about what pharmacy to use if asked. In this case–I told them that I was ok with it–only after they had sent the script. They didn’t check to ask with me until after they sent it. FISHY!
2. They told me that the providers at that practice prefer that pharmacy because they do a really good job coordinating with the eye dr office on medications, especially for Restasis (a specialty eye drop medication that usually requires prior authorization and makes pharmacies $$). A lot of pharmacies are busy and PA’s are stressful but it doesn’t take much to fax a PA request to the provider…really it doesn’t. Again, FISHY! Because, guess what?  The provider’s office should be the one completing the PA request to submit to insurance…unless they contract it out. Which makes me think…are they contracting that out to this pharmacy? Or even worse, do they get something (kickbacks?) for sending patients to this pharmacy?
3. Another fishy thing: Location. I tried to open the door and I thought they were closed…but then realized you have to ring a doorbell to be let into the pharmacy. Ummm…no thank you. I don’t want to use a retail/specialty pharmacy that needs to have that type of security but has a store front. FISHY!
4. The name…nice try calling it “Community” and underneath stating it is a Walgreens pharmacy. Sneaky.
5. My plan to be done with the stinky: Wait and hope the PA for my rx comes through then transfer my prescriptions to my pharmacy. Because  from my experience working in pharmacy and knowing how insurance works this is all too FISHY for me!

**Disclaimer: The pharmacist and technician (I assume) were very friendly and helpful and I do not blame them for the fishy “smell”.