I have been going to St John's Pharmacy since it was built and I was a kid. For the past 7 years I have had a need to get prescriptions every other month. When it was St Johns Pharmacy I would have a problem with their service on a rare occasion. The problem's would be it would take 25-35 minutes instead of the 15 their sign said or they wouldn't have my medication in stock and they had to order it which would take a day or two, nothing major. Now that it is CVS I didn't know how good I had things. The first visit I chalked up to being new and inexperienced with the new procedures. The second visit was just as aggravating and I became much less forgiving and the third visit was the last straw. The new employees are rude and some of the original employees have become rude, they act like you are bothering them just by turning in a prescription, and they are unwilling to help if someone has a question. Here are the highlights of my last experience with them. I walked up to the prescription drop off window and was the only one in the store. There was a young girl standing there and it took her over 5 minutes to acknowledge me just to tell me she would be with me in a few minutes. She kept typing away on the computer while two other employees talked behind her. Another ten minutes went by and she snatched up my prescription and told me she needed to check if they had it. I was told she didn't have it but they got a shipment in that morning so I can try back tomorrow to see if they have it. Because of work I couldn't stop by the next day so a couple days later I came back and this time I was the 3rd person in line. It took them 45 minutes to deal with just one lady and the whole time the person in the pickup line just sat there doing nothing. It took me over an hour to find out that they didn't have my medication again and when I asked if they could order it they said "that was a St Johns thing and they don't carry that medication". I said thank you, took my prescription back, and on the way out the door I threw my CVS card in the trash. I have asked around and I am not alone in my complaints. No one I have talked to is happy with the new CVS and they all say the same thing, it is like they are trying to alienate their customers. Sorry for the long post but I needed to vent. I now go to Target and so far am happy with the service. As for CVS, if they were the only pharmacy in the county I would go to Waldorf or Calvert. It is a shame this happened because my whole family went to St Johns but because of my experience and some of their own they will never go there again.
St John's Pharmacy VS CVS
- Thread starter bilbur
- Start date
The CVS at Buck Hewitt and 235 is great. Any time I've had a prescription filled there they've been efficient and courteous. 
The CVS at Buck Hewitt and 235 is great. Any time I've had a prescription filled there they've been efficient and courteous.
I am glad to hear that not all CVS's operate like the one in Hollywood, unfortunately, the Hollywood one left such a bad taste in my mouth that I would only try CVS again if it was my last option. If they all did act like the one in Hollywood I think CVS would be out of business by now.
pebbles
Member
i only go to CVS if I absolutely have to. I live in San Souci & kids go to pediatrician in Jarboe bldg. so CVS at buck hewitt is super convenient but I don't go there. They have billed the wrong insurance gotten the wrong person even with me handing them my insurance card, given wrong medication, not been ready the next day when i dropped off & they said it would be an hour etc. I used to go to St. John's as well, my friends that work there are looking for new jobs, they hate the new management & policies. :sad: I will go to target now.
migtig
aka Mrs. Giant
I go to the CVS on Great Mills Road and use my insurance company's prescription mail program. Both are fine, and both have problems. :shrug: If you do have an online/mail pharmacy to use, it does at least cut out the stress of dealing with rude people.
I had too many bad experiences with Target pharmacy to go there anymore. They've even read a few of my prescriptions wrong and gave me the wrong drug - if I hadn't caught it...
for which they shrugged and gave me a $5 Target gift card. "Oh well, sorry for trying to kill you." 
They are fine for run of the mill prescriptions, but anything out of the norm becomes an extremely trying process.
I've learned it doesn't matter what pharmacy you use, it's always hit and miss. Good luck.
I had too many bad experiences with Target pharmacy to go there anymore. They've even read a few of my prescriptions wrong and gave me the wrong drug - if I hadn't caught it...
for which they shrugged and gave me a $5 Target gift card. "Oh well, sorry for trying to kill you." They are fine for run of the mill prescriptions, but anything out of the norm becomes an extremely trying process. I've learned it doesn't matter what pharmacy you use, it's always hit and miss. Good luck.
sockgirl77
Well-Known Member
MY opinion:
I went to St. John's because the older generation of my family did. The prices were high. They so rarely had my meds in stock. A few times I waited there for entirely too long as they searched for my filled prescriptions. They did not have a drive thru window which I have come to really appreciate while either being sick or having a sick kid with me. The changeover does not affect me at all.
As far as CVS, I prefer them over anyone. They've always had my meds in stock. I pay below copay for a few of my meds. Couponing is fabulous there. The one on 235 always has their shiat together. The one on GMR is not bad but I prefer to not take my kids into the store because there are almost always degenerates walking around outside.
I refuse to go to Target or Walmart anymore for meds. Their lines are ridiculous and service is SLOW! Each one has one single fast cashier and neither are ever there the days that I have gone.
I went to St. John's because the older generation of my family did. The prices were high. They so rarely had my meds in stock. A few times I waited there for entirely too long as they searched for my filled prescriptions. They did not have a drive thru window which I have come to really appreciate while either being sick or having a sick kid with me. The changeover does not affect me at all.
As far as CVS, I prefer them over anyone. They've always had my meds in stock. I pay below copay for a few of my meds. Couponing is fabulous there. The one on 235 always has their shiat together. The one on GMR is not bad but I prefer to not take my kids into the store because there are almost always degenerates walking around outside.
I refuse to go to Target or Walmart anymore for meds. Their lines are ridiculous and service is SLOW! Each one has one single fast cashier and neither are ever there the days that I have gone.
withrespect
:wr:
I have had luck with Giant Pharmacy and CVS (Except the one in Leonardtown (seriously, what a fustercluck. 
))
I haven't tried the old St. Johns but I don't think I will anyway.
))I haven't tried the old St. Johns but I don't think I will anyway.
SamSpade
Well-Known Member
This ....
I could not understand why the same meds could cost so much more at different pharmacies.
And it's a shame, because they are so close by, but we go to Giant, and they know us all by name.
sockgirl77
Well-Known Member
They cost more at smaller pharmacies because they pay more for them. They cannot order the same bulk quantities that big chains order.
H
Hodr
Guest
The biggest issue I always have with CVS, other than them not processing prescriptions sent to their fax very quickly, is that they try to auto-fill without asking.
So I have a procedure done, get a prescription for pain meds, get it filled once, only take the first couple of doses before I feel fine again, then endure 3 months of robo-calls telling me to come pick up my refill.
So I have a procedure done, get a prescription for pain meds, get it filled once, only take the first couple of doses before I feel fine again, then endure 3 months of robo-calls telling me to come pick up my refill.
withrespect
:wr:
I thought there was a new law that you couldn't get refills on narcotics. It has to be a fresh prescription, hand-delivered on paper, every time.
Roman
Active Member
She might be talking about non-narcotic pain medications.I thought there was a new law that you couldn't get refills on narcotics. It has to be a fresh prescription, hand-delivered on paper, every time.
withrespect
:wr:
I don't know that I have ever been put on one of those...except maybe Motrin 800. You're right, my mistake.
Tilted
..
CVS has agreed to buy Target's pharmacy and clinic business. The pharmacies in Target stores will be rebranded as CVS pharmacies and owned and ran by CVS.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/cvs-to-buy-targets-pharmacy-business-for-1-9-billion-1434367874
http://www.wsj.com/articles/cvs-to-buy-targets-pharmacy-business-for-1-9-billion-1434367874
Tilted
..
My initial reaction is it probably makes good sense for both parties. So much of the pharmacy game is about purchasing power (i.e. volume). The bigger CVS can make its operation, the more purchasing power it is. This would seem to be a way to do that fairly cheaply. From Target's perspective, the pharmacies are about bringing traffic into the stores. Now they don't have to deal with operating pharmacies (and doing so with the disadvantage of having less purchasing power than some of their competitors), and I'm sure CVS branded pharmacies will create more extra traffic than they would being Target branded.