Rite Aid

This Rite-​Aid Pharmacy is a mixed bag and suffers more from factors outside of its control than anything else.
First, let me say that overall, the store is clean, well staffed, and everyone is friendly. The biggest problem here is interacting with the pharmacy. To sum up the experience, there are 3 aspects that work together to raise frustration. The first is the location. This pharmacy is near downtown and across from Sparrow hospital. As a result, there are many patrons who visit the pharmacy as pedestrians. Due to the customer base, I have perceived that the pharmacist is extra careful (and at times, skeptical) when filling scripts. I can understand the position of the pharmacist, but it leads to increased wait times and increased burden of proof for the customer. Again, understandable, but frustrating. The second aspect, and related to the location, is the amount of traffic and how busy the pharmacy is. There is usually always a line waiting to pick up prescriptions, and oftentimes, privacy is not guaranteed. Finally, the pharmacy doesn’t seem to have the correct number of staff to effectively manage the first two factors. While the staff is friendly, and you can tell that they’re working hard, they don’t seem to have the numbers to run an efficient operation. Often, the pharmacist will be busy filling scripts while one staff member frantically tries to balance the drive thru window, the prescription drop off, and the prescription pick up stations. Occasionally, a cashier will hustle from the front of the store all the way to the back to try to help work through the backup.
It’s too bad. I feel a connection with the staff and the location, as they are all a part of my community. However, from an efficiency perspective, there is a lot of room for improvement. I’m sure it’s not the staff’s fault — that would be management’s responsibility; we all know the limitations that management is working with in this day and age. This location is OK in a pinch, as long as you understand the pros and cons as you enter into the experience.