SparklyUnicorn Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 So my husband's work sent an e-mail that EVERYONE can go to the pharmacy for free flu shots, have them billed as a prescription and they are free . Yay...freeeee....come on everyone go get their flu shots. So I marched down there with the kids. They don't administer them to anyone under 18. Oh super...of course not. So I know that means I have to pay $40 at the doctor's office. So the pharmacy is across from the doctor's office. I figured I'll stop in there and ask if they can do them today and if not I'll make appointments for a later time. The shot takes what a minute per kid?! WOW you would have thought I was stopping by to ask them for triple bypass surgery. The receptionist was so nasty about it. There was absolutely nobody in there. No patients. I saw 2 doctors and 1 nurse and then the two office staff all just sitting/standing around. Really, I was putting them out for the minute it took?! They did them, but the receptionist was having a cow. I said if this is a bad time no problem I'll make appointments. Oh no..you are lucky, someone cancelled, blah blah. Ok so what is the problem!? Wow...Did I do a terrible thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xahm Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Flu shots are the only thing our ped encourages drop ins for. Whatever their policy, they should be polite. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 She was ridiculous. You're fine. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 (edited) The receptionist needs to get over herself. What you did was fine. FYI -- You may want to check around with different pharmacies. I know when my boys were younger they all had different policies and some would administer the vaccine to kids under 18 and some wouldn't. We've gotten our flu vaccines at Walgreens for several years and youngest DS is 17 now. I know he's been getting it there for four or five years. Or course different state laws may come into play, too. Edited October 24, 2016 by Pawz4me 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 24, 2016 Author Share Posted October 24, 2016 The receptionist needs to get over herself. What you did was fine. FYI -- You may want to check around with different pharmacies. I know when my boys were younger they all had different policies and some would administer the vaccine to kids under 18 and some wouldn't. We've gotten our flu vaccines at Walgreens for several years and youngest DS is 17 now. I know he's been getting it there for four or five years. Or course different state laws may come into play, too. I asked them and they claimed none of the pharmacies are allowed to. So then I said to the guy who did mine that I was bummed they won't do kids. He said only once pharmacies were given clearance due to an epidemic and then for a month they were allowed to. I don't know maybe it is a state thing. Annoying. Next time I'll call around and ask. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 FYI -- You may want to check around with different pharmacies. I know when my boys were younger they all had different policies and some would administer the vaccine to kids under 18 and some wouldn't. We've gotten our flu vaccines at Walgreens for several years and youngest DS is 17 now. I know he's been getting it there for four or five years. Or course different state laws may come into play, too. I was in at a Target/CVS pharmacy last month getting a prescription filled and they were encouraging me to get the flu shot. I said it was too bad they couldn't give the shot to my kids, or I would take them up on it since we were already there. The pharmacist said that they did give shots to kids...they would give it to anyone over 10 who had a prescription from their doctor. :glare: Number 1, if I have to go into the doctor's office to get a prescription, then wouldn't they probably just give the flu shot there? I suppose there could be a few cases of doctors not having any shots in stock, but the one time we had that issue, the pharmacies didn't have a steady supply of shots either. In any case, having to get a prescription would negate the part about getting the shots right then because we were already there. Number 2, I was standing at that Target pharmacy counter with a cart full of itty, bitty children. A baby, a preschooler, a 5 year old and a 7 year old who looks nothing like a 10 year old. So, thank you, Mr. Pharmacist, it is very helpful to know that in a decade, when all my kids are over 10, then Target will be able to handle the family's flu shot needs...as long as I have already gone to the pediatrician and gotten flu shot prescriptions for the kids. For now, though, I think I will continue to classify Target as "not able to give the shot to my kids". Wendy 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 So my husband's work sent an e-mail that EVERYONE can go to the pharmacy for free flu shots, have them billed as a prescription and they are free . Yay...freeeee....come on everyone go get their flu shots. So I marched down there with the kids. They don't administer them to anyone under 18. Oh super...of course not. So I know that means I have to pay $40 at the doctor's office. So the pharmacy is across from the doctor's office. I figured I'll stop in there and ask if they can do them today and if not I'll make appointments for a later time. The shot takes what a minute per kid?! WOW you would have thought I was stopping by to ask them for triple bypass surgery. The receptionist was so nasty about it. There was absolutely nobody in there. No patients. I saw 2 doctors and 1 nurse and then the two office staff all just sitting/standing around. Really, I was putting them out for the minute it took?! They did them, but the receptionist was having a cow. I said if this is a bad time no problem I'll make appointments. Oh no..you are lucky, someone cancelled, blah blah. Ok so what is the problem!? Wow...Did I do a terrible thing? No you did no terrible thing. Nasty people should not work with the public. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 I'm guessing this had nothing to do with you walking in & something to do with either the receptionist or perhaps the whole office.Could have had a blow up or drama or someone died or whatever. We just have small walk on roles in other people's lives, kwim? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Wow, our clinic does walk-ins for all kinds of things, including flu shots, ear cleaning, and more. I thought most insurance companies covered flu shots though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Whoa - she was WAY out of line. I think you were smart, and I'm glad she did them for you. If I were feeling motivated, I might write a letter to management about her behavior. I do agree with the thought that there was probably something else going on for her that threw her off. However, her job essentially is customer service so she should mellow out in a big way. I think you were brilliant for taking the bull by the horn and stopping in when you were right there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 (edited) My pediatrician allows walk ins for shots. I have done it several times and never got a bad attitude once about it. That is very rude of them to treat you like that. Most places here seem to offer walk in shots so I am not sure why you got treated so rudely. Edited October 24, 2016 by MistyMountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 No you didn't do a bad thing. I live in NY and pharmacies etc can't give flu shots to anyone 18 and under. It's such a pain. But, man, my Dr office will do a flu shot for you ASAP if you drop in. Now, you will have to wait for a free nurse, that is true. But you wouldn't get attitude for it. They vastly prefer you make what they call a 'nurse appointment'. It' a quick 15 min appt just for the vaccination. And there is paperwork for the practice etc for every shot that you don't see but the nurse does. So it's more than just that one minute for them. My doctor is always trying to give the flu shot to everyone, lol. If you bring in a kid for a totally different reason he will try to vaccinate at least the adults. He gives them to the UPS and FedEx people for free, lol. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 24, 2016 Author Share Posted October 24, 2016 Wow, our clinic does walk-ins for all kinds of things, including flu shots, ear cleaning, and more. I thought most insurance companies covered flu shots though. They cover it, but we pay a copay for everything including routine. So, for example, even the HPV shot which is three shots. I have to pay a total of $60 because it is three copays! So yeah every little bit helps so I was excited about a vaccine with no copay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 24, 2016 Author Share Posted October 24, 2016 No you didn't do a bad thing. I live in NY and pharmacies etc can't give flu shots to anyone 18 and under. It's such a pain. But, man, my Dr office will do a flu shot for you ASAP if you drop in. Now, you will have to wait for a free nurse, that is true. But you wouldn't get attitude for it. They vastly prefer you make what they call a 'nurse appointment'. It' a quick 15 min appt just for the vaccination. And there is paperwork for the practice etc for every shot that you don't see but the nurse does. So it's more than just that one minute for them. My doctor is always trying to give the flu shot to everyone, lol. If you bring in a kid for a totally different reason he will try to vaccinate at least the adults. He gives them to the UPS and FedEx people for free, lol. Then again think of the mountains of paperwork I've saved them over the years. They have never had to fill out school physical forms or other school forms. No camp forms. No forms of any kind. So if they have a bit of paperwork i don't feel that bad for them. Plus I gave them every opportunity to just say no you must make an appointment. I said I was across the street and figured I'd stop by to make an appointment or see if they just happened to not be busy. She kept going on and on about me telling people that they could just drop in. Who am I going to tell? I don't talk to people (who would care). Good grief. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 24, 2016 Author Share Posted October 24, 2016 No you didn't do a bad thing. I live in NY and pharmacies etc can't give flu shots to anyone 18 and under. It's such a pain. I was looking on-line and what gets me is how these pharmacies advertise this stuff. CVS says they can "vaccinate your whole family!". With a disclaimer at the bottom "over 18 except in Kentucky and CT). How exactly is that the "whole family"?! I had no idea it was this way because they never point this out in the advertisements. I see those signs at every store I walk into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 I've had the worst time with receptionists in doctor's and dentist's offices. Right now we're in a good place. The doctor and dentist have really nice receptionists. But until these current docs, the receptionists have been, WITHOUT FAIL, nasty people. Maybe not all of them, but there has always been one. I used to hate going to the doctor or dentist, just because I knew I'd be dealing with the crabby receptionist. The first nice one I had was back when I was pregnant with DS14 and went to a midwife. What a nice receptionist! It was a breath of fresh air. Like I said, my current doctor and dentist have wonderful receptionists, but it's been a long time coming. Decades of crabby receptionists. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 I was looking on-line and what gets me is how these pharmacies advertise this stuff. CVS says they can "vaccinate your whole family!". With a disclaimer at the bottom "over 18 except in Kentucky and CT). How exactly is that the "whole family"?! Oh, I long-distance homeschool all my kids. They're out somewhere in rural Kentucky, fending for themselves! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Our family doc has walk-in hours for shots. That receptionist was out of line, especially since you weren't demanding that they be done today and you were willing to make an appointment. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Some receptionists! There's one that says, "hold please" as soon as she answers the phone basically every time we call. Dh got so irritated the last time he called he said no LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 In a similar vein, I had my son at the pediatrician today for a "med check" with the doctor. This is every so many months to go over how his ADHD meds are working. When we got there I asked the nurse if we could do his HPV vaccine today. She said, "Oh, no, you do vaccines at well visits." Um, yes, but he already had his well visit this year, I don't want to wait until next year to do the vaccine. "Oh, well then you need to call to schedule a nurse visit." Seriously ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 I asked them and they claimed none of the pharmacies are allowed to. So then I said to the guy who did mine that I was bummed they won't do kids. He said only once pharmacies were given clearance due to an epidemic and then for a month they were allowed to. I don't know maybe it is a state thing. Annoying. Next time I'll call around and ask. Our whole family has gone to the pharmacy for flu shots the last couple of years, kids included. Some pharmacies here advertise they do immunizations for age 3+. Yeah, maybe it's a state thing. This year we have to wait till November 1, as (different insurance this year) insurance is having trouble getting it set up. If I went now, I would get the vaccine for free but would have to submit for reimbursement for administration. No thanks, I'll wait. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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