Careplus CVS Pharmacy

The poor reviews here all point to customer service. Pharmacy techs may know how to fill prescriptions and ring up purchases, and ask every time they’re passed the phone for the caller’s date of birth (I went through three people in one call, all asking me for dob, as if that infobit may’ve changed during the phone call), but the ones at Careplus CVS view the business telephone as an intimidating communication device with intricate, complicated patterns of relaying information.
«We’ll call you as soon as the medication comes in.»
No. DON’T FALL FOR THIS. I did, and so did many earlier reviewers.
I could give Careplus CVS the benefit of the doubt. If they spend most of their phone time in much-​too-​long holding cycles with US HMOs and insurers being misdirected and given evasive answers, as what happens to me when I call us HMOs and insurers, I can see where the hostility and frustration generated would turn the Careplus CVS pharmacy techs against seeing the telephone as a worthy instrument.
But try mimicking calling a 7 or 10 digit number on your phone. Allow 7 — 15 seconds for imagined rings, before someone picks up or the voice mail kicks in. Time yourself as you say: «Hello [insert name of choice here], I am calling from Careplus CVS Pharmacy to tell you your prescription has arrived and is waiting for you.» Then mimic hanging up. Mimic entering into a log, either electronically or by ancient practice of pen and paper, who you called, what date and time, and for what purpose «Prescription is in. Come take.»
How long did that take?
Do you feel that Careplus CVS employees’ time would be put to good use performing that function?
I’m giving two stars because as far as I know, my prescriptions have ultimately been fulfilled and, believe it or not, a Careplus CVS employee was five-​star helpful in leading me to a prescription subsidy program, saving me hundreds of dollars off my prescription. But 60% of the time I call, there’s a problem Careplus CVS has with my doctor’s office, or the insurer, and 100% time those problems are resolved when I myself have to intervene. Which is why I have developed skillful telephone etiquette in relaying my problem, asking for help, and offering best practice suggestions for better productivity and performance.

I called the pharmacy to ask if they could order a specific medication for me. The pharmacist told me she «couldn’t» make a phone call to find this out — that I would have to drive all the way out there (from Ballard) with the paper prescription in hand. Un-​freakin-​believable! I second the other reviewer’s opinion — this place is pathetic. They could have gained a customer with a half-​dozen new prescriptions; one who would make purchases while waiting for prescriptions to be filled, like most people do. She could not be bothered to make a two minute phone call. Wish I could give negative stars. I recommend reading the Unilocal-​blocked reviews as well. Everyone has had similar, awful experiences with this place.

If I could give negative ratings, this would be the one time I would choose to do so. If you have ANY other option, take your prescriptions elsewhere!
After four phone calls and one visit in person, not to mention over one month of waiting for someone, anyone to call us back about a prescription faxed by our doctor and transferred from Bartell Drugs, for my husband, the inept, unprofessional and lacking in any understanding of customer service by the employees in this pharmacy, we gave up! We went back to Bartell Drugs on Greenwood, had the prescription filled within an hour, received a phone call to let us know it was ready and friendly, smiling staff.
If only ineptitude and callousness, not to mention rude employees and uncaring pharmacy staff was reason enough for CVS to shut this place down. Seriously, don’t bother. Go elsewhere. ANYWHERE else.
(That being said, our CVS experiences in Portland, OR and Arlington, VA had always been way better. So it’s not. CVS per se, rather THIS particular pharmacy.)