Pharmacy's can do THIS? Here is a bitter pill......
I've had a neighborhood pharmacy fill my prescriptions for about 15 years....this is a pharmacy that was privately owned by an Iranian Jew who couldn't be kinder or give more personal service. We really liked him and his staff. About a year ago, I heard the rumor that he was hoping to sell his pharmacy and I was hoping it was wrong.
Saturday, I received a letter from CVS Pharmacies telling me my pharmacy has closed and they have my records and will be so happy when I use them for my pharmaceutical needs now.
Does that seem LEGAL to you? I'm going to CVS today to see what's up .... will let you know. In the meantime, doesn't this sound strange to you? They have MY RECORDS without my consent?
z
9 comments:
When a pharmacy is sold, client records are included with other assets. It is standard.
OH...well, thanks, Mustang. I still think this is an atrocious abuse of privacy, don't you? Standard or not? Seems to me I'd like to pick which pharmacy I want to have my information....of course, I suppose I can take my records elsewhere...
It seems like standard operating procedure to me. You are free to have your records sent anywhere you wish or keep them there.
legal, you bet.
z, have you checked out the announcement that scientists have created artificial life? It's the lead on BBC right now.
I find it disturbing.
Ducky, it is troubling..this is, particularly: "These could be used in the future to make the most powerful bioweapons imaginable. The challenge is to eat the fruit without the worm."
It's 'life' but, is it?
I'm waiting for more info before I get too disturbed, but you have a point. Odd, because just last night I saw an amazing lecture by biochemists from Brown and Berkeley both saying that Darwin's theories have been debunked so much that Darwin himself would have changed his mind by now! Fascinating stuff.
As Mustang says, CVS bought the records and it's legal. But they are still bound by HIPPA and by law must keep your records private just as any other health care provider is required to do.
thanks, LA...just seems unethical to me...pharmaceutical records are personal and, yes, they're bound by HIPPA to privacy, but I suppose I can take them with me if I choose another mama/papa pharmacy and they can't keep what they had on record, right?
//but I suppose I can take them with me if I choose another mama/papa pharmacy and they can't keep what they had on record, right?//
I think they bought the info with the idea of getting your business. It happens all the time in other things too.
I really wouldn't worry too much about it. Most likely they may mail you some specials in some attempt to keep you from going elsewhere. But if you opt to go elsewhere, it's likely they will keep your info for only a while and eventually purge the information in a few years..
It's also protection against being sued. When they buy something out, they buy any potential liabilities that may arise down the road too. Keeping the data protects them should a frivolous action is initiated..
CVS is NATIONWIDE....computer-linked, etc.
So, I go to a CVS very nearby and they don't have my 'account' the one even CLOSER to me does, they tell me "THEY have it!"! 10 blocks away! "it'll be easier for YOU, if you go THERE, ma'am"
But, I am BUSY today, can't you just fill these two? What if I was here from Arizona?
No. had to drive to the closer one...You'd THINK that their being computer-connected and all owned by the same company would prevent this IDIOCY, no?
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