There’s more than 2000 pharmacy.Sees in the Commonwealth, not only are they facing increased workflow, but the Pharmacists Association says virtually all of them are looking to hire
pharmacists and technicians.
Samantha York takes a closer look.
“Times are hectic right now.”
The overcrowding of area hospitals is having a snowball effect into pharmacies.
“They’re running, you know, ten, twelve, 20 hour waits in the E.R. with triaged patients trickling in for care.”
They’re pretty much saying do not go to the hospital unless you are absolutely in need of the hospital. This added to high demand for COVID 19 boosters and pediatric doses.
“You’re filling regular prescriptions, taking care of sick people, and you’re adding 100 120 shots a day. We don’t want to turn anybody away who actually wants a vaccine.
So we are doing the best we can to try and incorporate this into our standard workflow.”
As pandemic mitigation efforts loosen, pharmacies are seeing an uptick in flus and colds and people looking for tests pumping up the testing because the first thing everybody does does
as soon as they get sick, they want to be tested for COVID.
Pharmacies are slammed and staffing shortages are making the balance hard to maintain.
Employees with the right skill sets even harder to find, with other jobs boosting their wages to $15 and up to be competitive.
“That was kind of the beginning starting wage for technician in our industry and to try and compete with that when they would have to go to school and get a degree is becoming even
more difficult”
Some chain pharmacies cutting hours, suspending drive thrus or relying on self-checkouts or closing their doors while the chains crying that they can’t even open stores
Independently owned pharmacies holding up.
But it’s requiring longer hours to get it all done. The disgruntlement in our industry is growing tremendously.
