CVS Pharmacist on "ReadyFill" Prescription Refill Service
Over on Consumerist, an anonymous CVS pharmacist talks about the company's "ReadyFill" automatic prescription refill service. Customers can opt-in to the program and a computerized system will track which prescriptions are due to be refilled, calling customers to encourage them to come in to a CVS store.At best, this is a convenient way to remember your prescriptions. At worst, it's an example of CVS using private patient information to sell more at its pharmacies. The automated program is supplemented by "store-generated calls about refill reminders" - that is, phone calls from pharmacists who are already busy filling prescriptions and talking to customers. From the Consumerist:
"In high volume stores, this can be over 100 people that have to be called. Every single employee hates these. They're incredibly stupid because people generally stop taking a medication for a good reason, but we're supposed to ask people if they want to refill it. One store once called a customer that had died. Oops."
The pharmacist goes on to explain that many stores, hoping to meet corporate-set quotas, have begun to enroll customers in ReadyFill without their knowledge. The source details higher enrollment rates in ReadyFill translate to higher bonuses for pharmacists, who are thus inclined to enroll as many people as possible, with or without their permission.
"I approached my district manager with the fact that the store was auto-enrolling prescriptions, which I felt could be an issue down the line. He didn't care because as soon as they started doing that, they started making the number needed to satisfy the metric."
This practice could mean problems for customers and their prescriptions, but more troubling is the fact that CVS can manipulate prescription information without a customer's knowledge or consent. Programs like ReadyFill aren't the only way CVS profits from prescription information: the company has sold data on prescription drug purchases at its stores to third-party companies, and received payments from drug makers for marketing activities conducted using this type of data.
Customers should be advised: who do you trust with your prescription information?
CVS Will Automatically Refill Your Prescription, Consent Be Damned [Consumerist]
Posted by Alex G. on August 12, 2009, 2:15 PM
6 Comments
Comments posted to the Cure CVS Blog are the sole property of the individual posting them, and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Cure CVS campaign, Change to Win, its affiliated unions, or its leadership.
Personally I like redifill. I take 4 drugs each month for my cholesterol and blood pressure and I find it bothersome to call the pharmacy every 30 days. Now I just stop in when I run out, and there is my prescription all ready for me. Thanks CVS. Another way to make my life easier.
Seems that anonyomous pharmacist is either a generally uncooperative person or lazy. I don't condone anyone getting redifill without permission, but this has not been my experience at my CVS.
Customers opt-IN. If they don't care for the service than perhaps they should opt-OUT.
Redifill seems like it could be a useful service, however it is concerning because it is part of a larger pattern within CVS where pharmacists are being put in a position where it is their financial interest to push prescriptions on people regardless of need. It is stupid corporate policy.
You might want a car salesman working on commission; you may want a realtor working on commission. But it is innapropriate for a pharmacist to function as a drug "salesman".
No one here is arguing that a reminder service for prescriptions is a bad thing. Alex may be talking about it as an inconvenience, and that may be a non-issue. However, his concerns about the ethical problems of treating drugs as another product to be marketed and sold are legitimate. Drugs are not just another product.
Any efforts which CVS has engaged in to sell drugs in excess of existing customer demand (and this includes these quota pressures, and marketing and information payments for drug companies), whether or not they've been successful, can be characterized as irresponsible behavior.
If Ms. or Mr. youdon'tneedmyname would read the full post, it would be clear that the CVS pharmacist says that CVS is signing people up for this "service" automatically, whether people opt IN or not.
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Redifill is a excellent program especially for elderly who has memory issue and forgetfulness, and busy parents. However it is wrong to incorporate the results of metric outcome into figuring out Bonus earning. This promotes cheating practice for financial incentive. Redifill is voluntary and the pharmacy staff is encouraged to ask the customer as a medication adherence tool and it should be left at that.