Posted on 03/08/2006 2:30:35 PM PST by indcons
For years, Janey Karp has battled depression and anxiety with the help of prescription drugs. Though millions of Americans do the same, Karp admits she is intensely private and can't help but feel stigmatized for needing medication to feel normal.
So when the 53-year-old Palm Beach resident read the Walgreens printout attached to her prescription last week for the sleep aid Ambien, she couldn't believe her eyes. Typed in a field reserved for patient information and dated March 17, 2005, was "CrAzY!!" In another field, dated Sept. 30, 2004, it read: "She's really a psycho!!! Do not say her name too loud, never mention her meds by names & try to talk to her when ... " The information continued onto another page but was not attached.
"I was devastated, humiliated and embarrassed," Karp said. "I honestly couldn't speak. I was trembling."
Karp filed suit Tuesday against Illinois-based Walgreen Co., accusing the nationwide retail chain of defamation, negligent supervision and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Walgreens is investigating, according to company spokeswoman Carol Hively, who said that computers are accessible to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
I know a doctor that filled in for another doctor on his rounds and found a note on a patients file that said "psycho ceramic". He later found out it meant "Crack Pot".
Apparently, she showed it to a third party...the newspaper.
that should be "can't interpret it", obviously. typo!
Of course.
If she had of stayed silent, no one would have known.
I'm glad to hear that. Of course, this is Palm Beach County....
susie
Well, true. But that wouldn't be actionable, as you well understand.
But you're right, she's the only one guilt of publication here, as far as I can tell.
If she is making statements like that she must be CrAzY!! or self-medicating again.
I don't know I'd sue over it though, although Walgreen's deserves it for that on a couple of grounds, well throughout my life I just took my knocks, and my meds, but maybe I would cash in on something like that. It would make me too anxious/depressed to get involved in a lawsuit, lawyers, courts, anxiety off the charts, so I probably wouldn't for that reason.
Not all people with these kinds of problems get obnoxious in public, and most people would not know I suffer from this if I didn't tell them. The other day I nearly panicked bigtime, my prescription was screwed up, took all day back and forth between the place I doctor and Walgreen's, but I never got abusive with them about it. I finally emailed my doctor though which I have only done once before because once office hours are over, just try to get your meds through the on-call physician. At best they will just give you a few to get you by until the next business day.
What I am also annoyed about is that the secretary is never, ever at her desk when I have to call about anything and seldom returns my calls. One time my message never got to my doctor until three days later, and luckily my regular doctor helped me out that time, bless her. I feel like I deserve better than that, will say something, but will not be obnoxious about that either.
If you read this far and are dependent on any medications, watch the number of refills on your bottle AND the date. I had two refills left but they expired on March 3, and the pharmacy would not refill it without calling my doctor. That is correct procedure. I can't see that well and didn't read the date right, showed it to my doctor the last time I was in, and we both missed it. That is the third time this has happened to me in about a year.
[::shrugs::] Time will tell, of course. :) I work in one of this state's top law firms, and our own in-house rules regarding the disclosure -- whether intentional or otherwise -- of ANY information, regarding ANY of our clients, are far more adamantine; and the resulting penalties for same, infinitely more crushing. And that's between two attorneys working in the same law firm, mind.
"Lawsuit material"...? I'm still straddling the fence, on that particular point... but: was she genuinely sinned against? Not a doubt in my mind.
LOL
"If she had of stayed silent, no one would have known."
But we all know she's "CrAzY!!", so go figure.
I resent people making fun of the mentally ill. That is not funny. I saw a woman humiliated beyond words once when I worked for the government, and she was trying to get the legal office to sign off on releasing her medical records, probably a dependent of someone in the service or she wouldn't have been qualified for the military to have her records the first place. Behind her back they made fun of her and called her names. It made me furious, even if she did have problems. She wasn't acting abnormal, may have been a little uptight.
WHen I worked for a vet we used to write notes on their cards (this was back in the old days). Things like BITES. We usually were talking about the pet, but not always....
susie
The doctor dignosed her illness and prescribed the medication. it is not required that the employees make derogatory remarks about her condition. I hope she wins.
The article (according to another poster) said someone else (a friend?) picked the meds up. I know the last time I got a new doctor, I had to fill out all of those forms, and had to say whether or not my info could be released to someone else (husband in my case) or if it could be left on an answering machine. I'm curious if the pharmacy can release her meds to anyone other than her without written permission?
susie
Are you suggesting we are CrAzY???
susie
"I'm curious if the pharmacy can release her meds to anyone other than her without written permission?"
Not sure about the release of the meds. They certainly CAN'T disclose her medical conditions/info though to a third-party.
There are two reasons why she doesn't deserve a thing.
They didn't disclose anything. It was on her bill which only the staff and she saw.
And it wasn't even medical information. The crazy comment is about how she acts towards the staff. She is crazy because she treats the employees like crap, and thats why they put it in there. If you act like a bitch, don't be surprised when you get called one to your face.
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