Published 2026-06-06
tag(s): #failures #yell-at-cloud
CVS is a chain of pharmacies. I would love to use the town's family-owned pharmacy, but they said they don't carry one of our family's prescriptions and sent us to CVS themselves. A month later, we just transferred everything to CVS. Half sad, half 🤷. It is simpler to go to a single pharmacy for everything...
A while ago, CVS added tablets where you check in with your name and date of birth, and they
show which prescriptions you have ready to pick up.
Of course, I am not a fan of the change. I can see how it would (allegedly) be more effective
since there's three screens and then a single pharmacist can hand you things and collect
payment. But I knew deep down the change wasn't just one of process.
And indeed, starting last month, while you wait for the pharmacist, the screen offers you
vaccines and other medication. I found this infuriating.
For starters, the idea that medication is something to be advertised the way it is here, is
disgusting. Yep, over 10 years in the US and I still don't get used to it.
And then, vaccines...the "controversial" one. I hate, HATE that
vaccines are still somehow a matter of "belief". You don't "believe" in
vaccines? Then go live in the woods, instead of embracing all the convenient aspects of living
in society and surrounded by technology. You want to take your kids to a school? You want to
have internet, packaged food, year round fruits from around the world? Then you
"""believe""" in vaccines.
...
OK, that wasn't what I wanted to talk about, but you get the idea.
Yesterday I was picking up a prescription and got reminded of this topic. As I was in line
waiting, it occurred to me that CVS probably asked their pharmacists to upsell people
offering additional services, and they most likely just don't do it. With the tablet approach,
you have to sit through the offers.
But I also have to question, does it really work? How many times are you getting medication
for whatever and then think to yourself oh right, this is the perfect moment to
get my shingles vaccine!
.
With the tablets, they can get a lot of (creepy) metrics about engagement. But I somehow feel that instead of getting the memo that this is a stupid and annoying idea, they will use those metrics to somehow make the check in tablet even more annoying.
Heavy, long, sigh.