Biggest Critic

Tonight was awful.  I'm so happy to have a day off tomorrow because I'm in just a... depressed mood about myself.  I'm my biggest critic in anything.  If I say or do something that I later realize was the slightest error, I will replay it over and over in my head.  I guess it's kind of a punishment.  I can't ever let anything go, even if it's all fixed and no harm, no foul.

Tonight I worked the troubleshoot queue.  A prescription came up that said someone in the pharmacy had called the doctor to alert them of a prior authorization.  Okey doke.

I noticed in the rejection that the insurance would pay for #10 in a 30 day fill.  Ah, the prior authorization must have gone through!  At least they'll cover #10...  *checks prescription*  Doctor had written for #90?!  That must be a typo...  *fix to #10 and fill!*

It gets filled.  The floater pharmacist verifies and bags it.  The patient picks it up and I tell them what the insurance will cover.  They say that it's supposed to be a maintenance drug, but whatever.  They are pleased with a $0 copay and leave.  If that's what insurance will cover, then so be it.

Later on I ask the stable pharmacist about the quantity and dosage and am told that we were waiting on the prior authorization because it is for maintenance.  That low dosage is to keep it in their system at all times.

I feel guilty.  I feel upset.  I feel stupid.  I feel like I've let down my pharmacist, the one who depends on me to make their job easier.  I've just increased their workload ten-fold.  I feel so disappointed.

I call the patient later on when possible and let them know of our mistake.  They understand (patients up here seem to all the time...  it's quite amazing) and say that they will bring it back so we can resubmit the claim to the insurance for #90.

The pharmacy manager comes by to do some shopping and the whole story is relayed to them.  The look of...  well... not surprise, because who could be surprised that it was me who released the prescription?  Disappointment.  Frustration.  Exhaustion.

The patient brought it back and we resubmitted it.  Now we wait for the prior authorization.

I'm never working the troubleshoot queue again.

However, no one else ever does either.  I've never seen other techs working on it.  Prescriptions can be stuck in there for an hour if the pharmacist is too busy before it will show up on their screen again....

Yes.  Tomorrow's day off cannot come soon enough....