Walgreens — Local services in McMinnville

I have been a customer of Walgreens for several years. I recently purchased a Covid test from the store but never even opened the box. I tried to return the purchase with the receipt but was told by three different employees that Covid tests are not returnable. Of course, I was not happy with this new information. I politely ask the employees where in the store does it state that policy? One employee replied, “it is not but the company employee that checked you out should have told you.” I pointed to one of the three employees standing in front of me and said he was the guy. She responded and said, “oh he’s new.” I felt like I was fighting a losing battle. I ask to speak to the store manager. One of the employees spoke up and said,” she’s not here right now.” I ask if someone could call her and the one employees called her on her personal cell phone. The manager’s name was Rachel. She was not available to speak with me at the spur of the moment, understandably. They took my phone number and said that Rachel would call me tomorrow. Rachel and I talked the next day. She was very polite and professional and apologized for the problem. She explained to me that she does not have the authority to return the Covid test because her cash register’s system will not return Covid tests. She offered to reimburse me out of her own pocket. I declined her offer. I ask her how she was going to help me and she said that she could add reward points to my Walgreens card. Smart thinking on her part. Her decision to do that gets me back in the store to spend more money. She could have said that there was nothing she could do which would have left me feeling bad about the store. Good thinking Rachel and to her three...

They're the only pharmacy in town that is only open five days a week, M-F, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. If you work, or worse, you're released from the hospital on the weekend or late in the afternoon on weekdays and you need pain medication, good luck picking up your prescription.

Service is also slow because apparently they only have one person working the drive-up and the counter. I tried to pick my prescription up during my 30- minute lunch. There were six vehicles ahead of me. Over a period of 10 minutes, the vehicle at the head of the line never moved. This pharmacy is the worst.

When i called to complain about the poor service and lack of adequate hours, I was told they can't find pharmacists who are willing to work on weekends or drive in from the Portland area. Not sure why they can't find pharmacists to work weekends or work till 8 or 9 p.m. Rite Aid, Albertson's, Safeway, and Walmart don't seem to have any problems staffing their pharmacies seven days a week and till 9 p.m. on weekdays. I guess this Walgreens thinks nobody works or we all get off work by 4 p.m.

Avoid...

I would like to share a story. someone very close to me had to go through a terrible medical procedure and had to pick up her medication to start the beginning of the procedure in route to OHSU. The judgmental tone provided to the person picking up that medication was horrible. First lets not have a judgy tone at all. In fact maybe we should show empathy? That's what decent health care workers do, yes even in crisis. Several months pass and that same person needs to pick up an antibiotic. It was sent to a different pharmacy first and then transferred over the weekend. Instead of letting the patient know that the medication was not going to be covered by insurance, but could still be obtained, right away. It was expressed that the medication wouldn't be approved and the patient wouldn't get it. It was only when questioned further that it was found that we could pay $40 and have the medication now. Or i mean,, i could go to ER and get an IV of antibiotics. Naw, I'll pay the $40 . Lets be transparent and show some empathy to...