Biotech
Friday, October 27th, 2023 4:04 pm EDT
Key Points
- Employee Concerns and Walkouts:
- Pharmacy employees at large drugstore chains are facing mounting challenges, including verifying prescriptions, administering vaccines, addressing insurance issues, and tending to patient needs in the store and over the phone.
- These employees are raising concerns about unreasonable demands placed on them by companies like Walgreens and CVS without adequate staffing or resources.
- Frustrated by increasing workloads, understaffing, and cuts to their hours, pharmacy staff from Walgreens and CVS locations have staged walkouts in protest.
- Workday Challenges for Pharmacy Staff:
- The article provides a glimpse into the demanding workdays of pharmacy employees based on accounts from anonymous Walgreens and CVS staff.
- It describes the challenges pharmacists face, such as handling paperwork, tracking medication stock, addressing insurance issues, administering vaccines, and managing prescription deliveries.
- The pharmacy employees are also responsible for handling customer inquiries, including addressing insurance coverage issues and phone calls, in addition to their primary duties of verifying and dispensing prescriptions.
- Impact on Employee Well-Being:
- The demanding workloads, understaffing, and customer pressures have led to physical and emotional exhaustion among pharmacy staff.
- Pharmacy employees often find themselves working beyond their scheduled hours to complete mandatory closing duties, such as taking out the garbage.
- Even employees who don’t have pharmacy-related responsibilities may be assisting overburdened pharmacists and technicians.
The article highlights the growing concerns of pharmacy employees at major U.S. drugstore chains, such as Walgreens and CVS, who are grappling with increasing workloads, understaffing, and cuts to their hours. Here are the key points from the article:
1. Overworked and Understaffed Pharmacy Employees:
- Pharmacy staff at large drugstore chains, including Walgreens and CVS, have voiced their concerns about the overwhelming workload and understaffing.
- In addition to the core responsibilities of verifying, filling, and dispensing prescriptions, pharmacy employees are also responsible for various tasks, including administering vaccines, addressing insurance issues, transferring prescriptions, and assisting patients in stores and over the phone.
2. Walkouts and Protests:
- Frustrated by the increasing demands and lack of resources, pharmacy staff from Walgreens locations across the U.S. and CVS stores in the Kansas City area have walked off the job in recent weeks. Some employees are planning another walkout from October 30 to November 1.
- These walkouts are a response to the perceived unreasonable demands being placed on them without corresponding staffing and resources.
3. Workday Challenges for Pharmacy Employees:
- The article provides insights into the typical workday for pharmacy staff at Walgreens and CVS, as described by anonymous employees.
- Walgreens pharmacists, for example, described shifts lasting from six to 12 hours, during which they juggle multiple tasks, such as managing paperwork, checking medication stock, addressing insurance issues, and administering vaccines.
- CVS pharmacy technicians mentioned the challenges of processing new prescription orders from doctors, matching prescriptions to patient profiles, filling prescriptions, and dealing with patient phone calls, customers at the drive-thru, and other tasks throughout the day.
4. Impact on Employee Well-Being:
- Pharmacy employees are facing physical and emotional exhaustion as they try to manage their workloads.
- The article highlights the anxiety experienced by a Walgreens technician who begins a shift during a busy period when patients are getting off work. This technician noted that understaffing leads to long wait times and occasional frustration from patients.
- The challenges faced by pharmacy staff are leading to burnout, with employees often extending their working hours to complete mandatory closing duties.
5. Responses from Walgreens and CVS:
- Walgreens and CVS both acknowledge the challenges faced by their pharmacy teams. Walgreens mentions ongoing efforts to recruit, retain, and reward pharmacy staff, with improvements in technology and centralized operations to help manage workloads.
- CVS cites unprecedented demand and a clinical workforce shortage and has plans to make targeted investments in its retail pharmacy business, such as enhancing recruitment and training for pharmacy technicians.
The article sheds light on the growing concerns among pharmacy employees working in major drugstore chains and the challenges they face due to increased workloads, understaffing, and a range of responsibilities beyond prescription dispensing. These challenges have led to walkouts and protests as employees demand better working conditions and support.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/27/walgreens-cvs-pharmacy-staff-walkouts-what-their-work-days-look-like.html
