Forum Discussion

ctpres's avatar
ctpres
Explorer
Jul 13, 2013

Problems with Walmart med transfer

Apparently every time you order/transfer meds at a new Walmart another profile is created in the main database. Seems we now have too many and latest transfer request created problems. Associate advised us to get with home base Walmart to clear out the extras.
Anyone familiar with Walmart system and have a better solution?
  • huh. At the WalMart here in Santa Fe they told me the same thing - I had too many profiles. The woman behind the counter fixed it, reducing it to one profile. It sounds like your WalMart person didn't know how to do it. Next time ask to talk to the pharmacist or manager.

    Besides, its not a problem for us. It is a problem for them - cluttering up their system.
  • I've never heard of this 'creating profiles' problem. I haven't run into it - yet. I use 5 different Walmarts in western WA in my travels and the only issue I've had is when I get a script refilled at a Walmart that didn't fill the original prescription.

    If the original prescription is at store #1 and I get it refilled at store #2 then store #2 has to transfer the prescription (the RX number on the bottle) to their store, before filling it. If I call store #2 I have to leave a voicemail message or talk with someone. As far as I can tell, the automated refill option over the phone only works at the Walmart store that last filled the prescription.

    If I go back to Walmart store #1 for the next refill then store #1 has to transfer it from store #2. Why? I don't know. It may be that Walmart has a policy that each of its pharmacies needs to take ownership of the prescriptions that they fill. The only other reason I can think of is that the RX number is not unique enough to be used in a national database and Walmart doesn't see a need to update its pharmacy software, so it puts the burden on each store's pharmacy to do the work.
  • Why not use a mail pharmacy like Express Scripts. We get a prescription for 90 days with 4 refills for each of our meds and then get our refills online sent to our address (or another address if we are going to be there for a while) and never have to worry about transferring prescriptions. Or go with Walgreens and have your physician write the script for 90 days with 4 refills. Either way, much better than monthly refills.

    Barb
  • sch911 wrote:
    You should not be asking them to create new profiles, but rather have them transfer your existing profile to the new store. Perhaps that is your issue?

    We don't ask for new profile, in fact we never heard the word "profile" from Walmart until yesterday after two days of store visits and phone calls to our Doc and the local Walmart. We just ask to get prescriptions filled and answer questions. I would guess if we asked Walmart to transfer profile to a new store several time a month that our doctors would have an even bigger problem keeping up with where to send renewals. Not to mention problem of getting renewals from doc before we know which Walmart will be our next stop. There must be some key word or way to ask for transfer at each Walmart to prevent this problem. If anybody knows a way around this - let everyone know.
  • You should not be asking them to create new profiles, but rather have them transfer your existing profile to the new store. Perhaps that is your issue?
  • That's why we use Walgreens. Plus, there's usually one across from each of DH's projects.

    We also found WM had to create a new profile each and every time. CVS was also an option, but not as plentiful.
  • We have been using Walmarts all over the country for our prescriptions for 11 years and it hasn't been a problem for us.

    For the last few years we have been staying in the same RV park in AZ for the winter. We also spend a couple of months in the spring and the fall in Palisade CO and that has sort of become our home Walmart. Our doctors are there also.

    We call them (Walmart) and they mail us our prescriptions for no extra charge. They will also call the doctors and ask for new prescriptions for us when necessary.
  • I have asked 3x for a duplicate profile to be deleted and never has been. I changed my prescription to another pharmacy because of Walmart's transfer and system issues.
  • Anytime I go to a Walmart, I never expect any type of customer service. Usually I am not disappointed. However, I suspect what you are experiencing is not a Walmart issue but more of complying with different state laws and professional standards. Having said that, perhaps a smaller store experience, like Whalgreens would work better obtaining prescriptions on the road.
    • Mothermary86's avatar
      Mothermary86
      Explorer

      Can anyone explain why I just had my prescription intercepted by walmart without ever requesting a transfer from walgreens? This may be off topic, but I found this thread while trying to figure it out. I requested my medication refill through the walgreens app, like I do every month. However, due to a bizarre "technical glitch", as they called it, at Walgreens a few months ago, I have had to start filling ONE of my medications at Walmart. Walgreens recently aquired a local chain of grocery store pharmacies in our area which has caused an array of issues to arise within thier system. One in particular, was the complete rejection of the main prescription medication that I'm required to take daily. The system absolutely would not accept the order and kept giving an error message saying that it did not recognize the drug at all...despite having my doctor send it to 3 different walgreens/brookshires locations. We ended up having to cancel it completely and send it to Walmart, which I tried to avoid because I know it causes my PMP score to rise and due to the controlled substance that I take regularly, I try not to use more than one pharmacy. However, I have only ever filled that ONE single med there, and my doctor sends all my other medications to the same walgreens that I've always used. Circling back to the point of this post, after requesting  refills on my meds through the walgreens app, I was instantly alerted that my trazadone was delayed due to an insurance problem. This is not uncommon and didn't spark any concern as I would just resolve it when I got there to pick up the rest of my meds. The estimated time of pickup wasn't until 6 pm so I went about my day as usual. But then, I received a text telling me that my TRAZ was ready for pickup and I thought, "oh well I guess the insurance situation has been resolved". I soon realized there was only one txt and I looked on my walgreens app to see if they had finished ALL of the orders, 4 in total. But when I checked, I saw that the same insurance error was present and that the order had NOT been completed at all...which was strange. So I looked back at the text only to see that it was not from Walgreens at all, it was from Walmart. I need to add that when I picked up my script from Walmart 4 days ago, I deliberately asked the pharmacist if there were any other medications sent over by my doc just to be sure, and they checked and said, "Nope. Just the one, that's all we've gotten"....so how coincidental is it that 4 days later, without any stimulation to Wal-Marts system or store wide database at all, they all of a sudden have a prescription that I NEVER requested nor attempted to request, to be transferred to Walmart, and is suddenly ready to be picked up not even an HOUR after requesting a refill for the exact medication through walgreens, who delayed it due to insurance issues???? What the h$@% is going on there? It doesn't seem ethical at all and I feel like my private sensitive medical information is just dangling by a digital thread at this point for any takers who's interests seem to align with my healthcare needs. HAS ANYONE ELSE EVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A PHENOMENON WITH THESE 2 ENTITIES?? It's really bugging me....any perspective or insight would be greatly appreciated. ❤️ 

      • way2roll's avatar
        way2roll
        Navigator II

        You are responding to a topic that's 11 years old and has nothing to do with RVs. I suggest you post your inquiry on a pharmacy forum or call them directly. 

  • I happen to pick up a prescription at Walmart in anothe state & they said OK we'll transfer your information. Never thought too much about it but guess they transfer all records. Interesting.