This is a pharmacy computer screen shot from one of the chain pharmacy’s computer systems… this is the second time this week I have heard about a chain pharmacy having 1500+ Rxs in the “waiting Que” of their computer system. A Rx dept working with one Pharmacist and two techs should be able to fill 300-500 in 12 hrs… so this particular store is – AT THE MOMENT THIS SCREEN SHOT WAS TAKEN – up to SIX DAYS BEHIND. Obviously, this particular pharmacy is having more Rxs sent in – mostly electronically – than they are able to fill/handle. That does not mean, at the end of the day, there could be more/higher number of Rxs in the “waiting Que”.. Below is a quote from a FB page… the stress of working in a Rx dept at WALGREEN… apparently caused one of their employees to end up in ER and admitted to the CARDIAC UNIT.
And these are the Rx dept staffing that you are trusting your health with ? It is human nature that when you have more to do than is really reasonable, people start using “short cuts” and short cuts… will eventually cause errors or “mis-steps” and that is when YOUR HEALTH could be put at risk… There is no better time to find yourself a independent pharmacy… who is typically better staffed… because they don’t have to support the massive corporate overhead that the chain stores do. Where you will be dealing with the Pharmacist/owner… the person where THE BUCK STOPS… and PROBLEMS CAN BE RESOLVED.
Here is a link to find a independent pharmacy near you by ZIP CODE https://ncpa.org/pharmacy-locator
Let keep going around!! If you are a patient, you are concerned. If you are pharmacist, technician or an ally of pharmacy, you are concerned.
The Definition of “ I don’t care about you “:
Let me tell you what you are looking at : on one picture, there are at least 517 prescriptions to fill. 517. And on the other, at least 1881.
Two major points:
1) patients care and safety. At least 517 and 1881 prescriptions behind. It will take days, weeks to recover from this. And no, this is not from power surge or anything. Just a regular day.
Forget about little Johnny and Caroline antibiotics for their ear infections. Forget about their pain medication after they got their tonsils out.
Oh did your wife just have a C section? Did you break your leg? Well too bad for you because you are not getting your pain relief?
Oh wait, you run out of your insulin? Well too bad, it will be ready in two weeks. In the meantime, you should really watch your blood sugar.
But not only that… is that medication in that bag correct? Oh oops, let me see it.
Oh you want a Covid shot? Well not today. Come back next week. Wait.. you can because your pharmacist and technicians are still expected to do all the Covid, flu vaccines while keeping you safe in this environment. And they have other “ tasks “ to do . Otherwise they will get in trouble by people who have never used a spatula.
So my question to you patients, do you feel safe? Do you feel confident that your pharmacy ( not pharmacists and technicians) actually puts your safety first? This is not the pharmacists or technicians doing. They have zero control over this .
Are you awake now?
2) Pharmacists and technicians safety. Let me tell you that one of the pharmacists working at those stores was taken to the ER and admitted on the CARDIAC floor. A perfectly healthy pharmacist. No prior history. Are we going to keep ignoring what chains pharmacies are doing to their pharmacy staff? Are we going to keep silent? How many of our pharmacists and technicians they have already pushed to the edge? Do you want to hear about the many stories of pharmacists and technicians on the floor sobbing or taken to the ER for elevated blood pressure or heart attacks?
This has to stop.
Filed under: General Problems
I think every day about switching to an independent pharmacy. My wonderful local independent sold out to a big chain pharmacy back in January 2021. The staff are very kind and patient, but they are overwhelmed by the workload (especially a sudden influx of 500+? clients that they were clearly unprepared for.)
I’ve since had my pain meds delayed because they exceeded their monthly allotment and the district manager didn’t approve the Friday override until Monday. (The pharmacist can’t order more until they’ve filled all the other scripts for this drug that have fill dates before mine.)
My heart starts to race if I even have to think about about submitting renewals, and I get especially stressed when it’s time to fill pain meds every month. There is one remaining independent pharmacy where I live (the only one around for miles) but I’m afraid I’ll be red flagged for “switching pharmacies again” even though the first time was completely out of my control.
This is a nightmare scenario that patients and pharmacists are trapped in. I dare not complain to higher-level managers, because I know the staff will get blamed (and punished), even though it is all corporate profit-seeking driving these decisions.
And again, I fear the “red flag” for even lodging a complaint, because there are pain meds involved.
-Jane K
IMO – you move all your meds to a different pharmacy – preferably a independent – and continue to use just that one pharmacy … is generally not considered “pharmacy shopping”.. seeing multiple prescribers and having same/similar meds written and filled at different pharmacies – can create the optic of a person being a doctor/pharmacy shopper. If a new independent pharmacy is some distance away… talk to the Pharmacist about syncing up all your meds so that they are all filled on the same day every month… making a single – little longer – trip once a month will compensate for not syncing up your meds at a closer pharmacy and having to make multiple trips a month to get all your meds
I tried the pharmacy locator, but all it showed were CHAIN pharmacies! There is no option for independent pharmacies, but I know that there is one about a quarter mile from where I live… What’s up with that???
I bet you it’s because they want you to go to the chain pharmacies. I’ve been following Pharmacist Steve since 2016 & even got to speak with him on the phone a few times ( it was a like a chat kinda thing where you can use your phone or chat via computer) and he definitely knows a lot about chain pharmacies and especially independent pharmacies bc he used to own one I believe ( fibro fog ) and he’s a very intelligent, passionate guy. He would definitely know more than me about it. You can email him if he doesn’t get back to you here. Ive been going to Kroger for over 10yrs and I’ve always been kind and always get to know all the people working within the pharmacy. I make sure to ask how there day is going to get a feel of how they’re handling everything and my sons best friend works there now. So I’m keeping track ,bc though I’ve been there for a long time I’ve been hearing about this online and the #pizziaisnotworking going around, I’m really comfortable where I’m at but if I feel they’re overwhelmed I can’t play games with my husbands heart medication. I know it’s not there fault, it’s the people above them. I wish you luck & id personally go to that independent pharmacy if I was you. Good luck..
I currently use Walgreens, and omg, does it take forever for a script to be filled! I have diabetes, type 2, controlled by oral meds. I always make sure that I request refills at least a week ahead of time.
I know all about fibro fog, it’s not fun, is it?
And getting what little pain meds I have filled? I don’t even want to go into that hassle!
The independent pharmacy near me is owned by someone that used to work for a different independent pharmacy that closed. I have been seriously thinking of switching to them.
Thank you for your reply!
That link is put out by the National community Pharmacist Assoc… which is ALL INDEPENDENT MEMBERS… it defaults to 5 miles… go out a little farther…
Hi Steve! I did go out farther, and still, just Kinney and Rite Aid showed up. Bizarre, right?
I recommend this all the time… and you are first come to come back and telling me there was no independents …. what zip code were you using ?
It didn’t ask for a zip code, but it automatically focused in on my area.