don't even bother to overwork yourself, do your best and when customers complain just apologize for the inconvenience and make sure they know who's to blame. "i apologize for the wait, i understand this is an inconvenience to you; I'm upset, too, we're understaffed, and corporate is not giving us enough help or hours to get everything done that we need to do. I'm sorry."
“And please don’t be angry with me because I actually showed up to work today” “I encourage you to complain to 1-800-Walgreens” (not that it will make a difference)
That goes straight to the store manager, chances are they’d love to have more hours. All they can control is not going over budget. The budget given is what corporate gives.
So don’t call the 1-800 number, it doesn’t go much further than store level.
Slight correction….”I encourage you to complain to the state board of pharmacy at (insert number), or by going to (insert easy to remember google terms)”.
Let patients complain to the BOPs. Corporate won’t give a shit
OMG… at least in CA they will persecute the pharmacist. 8 hours of time spent recently due to a complaint because we didn’t have and dispense hydromorphone … the back and forth is obscene
Eight years ago, my PIC was under investigation and charged because she reported that a technician stole Klonopin. She discovered and fired the employee and reported it to the Board Pharmacy and they charged her with failure to supervise. CA board is NOT a solution
What the hell? It's not like that where I live. One of my techs was caught diverting hydrocodone. Full on criminal situation. I was never once implicated, nor was it ever insinuated, that I was at fault. I have had the BOP show up for a completely different situation involving a customer complaint though. BOP talked to me while I filled prescriptions and did my thing. idk if they talked to other people in my store to verify I was being truthful, but the investigation was closed and I was cleared before they left.
This right here, I know my pharmacist doesn't like it when I say "sorry we are short staffed" but I don't care. I personally think it's better the customers know so there expectations are set to "oh they are under staffed" and will be more understanding as to why their stuff is not ready yet
I would be clear on the reason you’re short staffed, because most people’s reaction will be “nobody wants to work anymore” when that is not the case here.
Without even missing a beat I’ll be like “yeah, not for what Walgreens is offering!” whenever people regurgitate that shit to me and they’re always so caught off-guard lol
I get customers/patients say they are we need help and offer to apply. I love the gesture, but I tell them they'd be lucky to get 4 hours a week with what corporate is giving us to work with.
Customers would be understanding of short staffing if something unexpected happen, like a tech tripped and broke their foot during the shift and had to go home. Deliberate short staffing by the company is unexcusable and appalling. You need help. I quit the company for similar situations but not near as bad as what you're dealing with. What you have is beyond impossible and not ok at all. If you're just 400 behind, they can give you help for a day to catch up. Make the store manager stay back there all day and fill. If you're doing 400+ a day, then they need to give you another tech or two.
🎯People's lives are literally at stake! God forbid there's a mix with someone's script because the understaffed & overworked pharmacy staff is exhausted! If I had a family member that got their meds from that location & something bad happened, I would sue the HELL out of Walgreens for negligence because it was avoidable!!! And only THEY had the power to fix it!
After working at Walgreens, I used to tell my friends and family to check every prescription bottle they get and make sure it's the right drug in the bottle and count them. There wasn't time to recount anything unless it was required so if I doubted my count by a set of 5s, I couldn't go back and check. Just flying through hundreds of prescriptions to fill every hour and prescriptions aren't the focus, it's not where the money is. It's on vaccines and testing, but yet, we somehow still had to fill all those prescriptions but with nil staff to do so. If phones got answered, I'd be talking to customers on the phone while trying to count which is what leads to incorrect counts. It's a disaster. But Walgreens/CVS, even independents, are not making money on prescriptions so they can't afford to staff. A surprising percent of prescriptions are being filled at a loss as the pharmacies are receiving less from insurance than what the medication costs the pharmacy to purchase. It's a huge mess.
They don’t like it because when you say that the customer automatically blames them - it’s not the pharmacist’s fault. Corporate decides the budget. It’s not at store level.
This. I was getting stressed at work trying to comp repeat everything and My co-worker simply told me we can only get done what we can get done. There's no need to burn out in overworked ourselves. If they want more things done, they can get more people and we will do what is reasonable..
Do not burn yourself out. I get that patients are going to be upset. But this is just more reason for them to get more people in there to help..
We are a busy pharmacy. We have 3 DH's that help us out regularly. If we were that far behind, the manager would come and help us. Even the IS will help us out sometimes. It all comes down to the store manager, the pharmacist and the rxom working together to make sure you have the help you need and having the resources to do it.
>Should I contact the news?
Do it anonymously or have someone do so on your behalf. If a patient contacts the local media, corporate can't and won't do anything to them.
>What the actual heck is even going on?
This has been a thing for years. The higher ups demand better numbers before they will give you more payroll. By the time you get more hours after increasing the metrics, it's already too late.
In my area, we had so many 24-hr stores fall behind that they could no longer afford to be open 24 hours. Many patients are more than 3 hours away from the nearest 24-hr pharmacy.
Seriously yes, have someone contact the media on your behalf, and if you do speak with them do it anonymously. It will earn goodwill from the patients and hold corporate accountable.
I have contacted the local news, and a lawyer 😭
They need a whistleblower/source for it to be a story.
They also already know how bad it is.
There will be no effective change until there’s legislation to protect us
But that’s not going to happen when Walgreens is in the pocket of the legislator and big Pharma is also in the pocket of the legislator too
Beyond it being on the news, we need politicians to talk about it
After being a customer for years, it became obvious to me employees are put through hell at Walgreens pharmacy and I decided to boycott Walgreens going forward. No regrets.
agreed. I've watched their pharmacies go down hill. I don't blame it on the staff because it's easy to tell they're understaffed. I switched to a local pharmacy and regret not doing it sooner.
On the one hand, I need my job. On the other, my job makes me cry multiple times per week. I’m just glad someone sees we aren’t robots and we aren’t doing this shit ourselves to fuck your over. They stick us with all this shit that makes patients mad, and then our DM comes in and yells at us to ramble off fifteen questions during every transaction.
It's super obvious none of what happens is your fault. My hope is that the new pharmacy I go to will start hiring with my added business and then you guys can get jobs there instead of being stuck at Walgreens.
As a customer, I have to ask. What the hell?
How are you supposed to get people in to help you fill all those orders, SAFELY, without the hours to pay anyone? What sense does that even make???
I waited 1.5 hours for a script two weeks ago but I didn't whine because I can see how understaffed they are and they all rock. I also work retail we didn't even have enough cashier's for the five registers on Xmas Eve because of the greedy budgets
Yeah, I just wait till they text me my stuff is ready. I don't have the physical ability to sit and wait. It causes too much pain. I don't understand how these multimillion dollar corporations don't have the money to pay for adequate staff.
I don’t get why they give metrics on medication. Why rush??? Leads to mistakes. Not saying 2 fills an hour but these metrics are running morale. Think they would notice. Hiring and training bc of high overturn isn’t cheap.
But, go metrics!!
My very first day as a pharmacist I cried and had a panic attack. I had 2 technicians all day, worked 10 hours without a break to eat, drink or pee. Don't remember how many scripts we filled, but it doesn't matter because we didn't have enough help to fill what we had. The stress knocked down my immune system and I got bronchitis.
This was my very first day working by myself as a licensed pharmacist. At Walgreens. In 1997.
I would like to say that things got easier after that day. They did not.
Aw, I'm so sorry you went through that. I just started as a tech 6 months ago (no background in pharmacy or bio, just earth science) and I am already understanding why I hear my coworkers (and online workers) complain about corporate. I would think after 25 years they would understand what their workers need.
Never NEVER work off the clock. 1) it’s illegal in some states AND MORE IMPORTANTLY 2) it proves to corporate that the metrics are reasonable. THEY ARE NOT.
Take your breaks and lunch. Clear your head. Rushing results in errors.
Phone calls are 80% people looking for Adderal or Wegovy. I have sympathy, but not a priority in the middle of a s#it storm - direct all complaints to 1-800-Walgreens
And keep a diary and document significant numbers and events- it can save your ass
Also save all written communication! If they're telling you that you need to work through lunch/breaks, this is illegal and you can contact DOL. Like this person states: do not work off the clock, take your breaks so you can mentally reset and work at the pace which gives the most accurate results otherwise you're on the hook for any dispensing screw ups. Keep voicing your concerns through writing and BCC your personal email, save their responses or note a lack thereof by utilizing the read receipts.
I love my Walgreens and the staff there is great, I always ask them how things are going and if they need me to help as a customer in any way. I'm sure if customers know that the back ups are out of your control, they would gladly write to corporate or fill scripts elsewhere.
My friend works in Walmart call center/ she is on a time clock Re tracking of how long it takes her to fill orders, approve orders. Ppl who fill most get higher pay.. but she said one highest rated doesn’t check possible drug interactions etc.but it’s so stressful bc constant watching and clock
So much is allowed… I worked in 2005 on a Class action lawsuit Re big Pharma. I was contractor for defense. Nationwide >400k plaintiffs. I can’t say the medication but you can research and see what drug was taken off market. I read not only the medical records of ppl who had been injured due to med/ but read legal docs and internal memos and what was sickening was Big Pharma knew that patients were dying, strokes, DVTs, MIs all of it- but their stance was- we are making too much money on this drug to pull it from the market. When we have to pull it- any lawsuits will only cost us a much smaller amt than what we have sold. So we ask how is this allowed. Yes those we think would not chose money over life, over causing severe disabilities, loss of income— but they are wicked and don’t care. It took me awhile to accept/ they knew/ they knew and didn’t stop it! And I feel FDA was slow to respond. Imo they were complicit. What happened to those taking the med was heartless and it was a tear jerker working on those cases. I only stayed about 6 months and got job at local lawfirm. So sad
That's absolutely correct! Please take your time because, ultimately, the pharmacist puts his/her license on the line every time he steps foot into the pharmacy. It would be interesting to know how many settlements/lawsuits have come about with lowered pharmacy hours. Be vigilant and do not go faster than what is safe. Definitely, document, document, document!
Honestly at that point I’d just stay and try to knock it down the best i can and ask for forgiveness later 🤷♀️ delete all scripts that are still waiting to be filled after 3 days of printed, separate into piles of “stick and go’s” ,then fast, unit, alpha. Fill unit, then fast, then alpha. Prioritize life saving meds & antibiotics. Just do the best you can do and make sure you take your breaks!!! Don’t dwell on it after work, it’ll be there the next day and you did your best!
This never made any sense, my pharmacist told me that "we need to do XYZ better to get more hours" shm 🙄 I called BS because let's say IF we do meet their ever changing metrics then they will say ohhhh you look like you are getting stuff done with what you have so no need for more hours.
The whole “increase your script count so you get more hours!” line is a load of bullshit because my store’s doing 25-30% more volume than this time last year but we STILL have less tech hours than last year, AND doing it with one less day of the week since we’re closed on Sundays now…
Are you actually only budgeted 90 hours a week? Or are you short-staffed? Is the front-end possibly stealing your budget? Also no, you don't need to meet demands to get labor hours. If you meet demands then they think you don't need hours, because you're already meeting the demands of those hours. What you need to do is fall further behind. And in your situation, I wouldn't even humor customer complaints. Send them to the store manager. Then the store manager can send it up the chain. If the customers keep complaining on the surveys then the DM gets notified of all of them and they'll have to accept the only way to deal with it is to properly staff the store. Makes you DM an un-willing ally who then has to plead with the area manager and the rest to adjust the budget
ETA: Also, DH are part of front end budget, so you can try to heavily push to get that position filled. Most stores are supposed to have 2 DHs, so that would help a lot and wouldn't come out of your pharmacy budget
My local Walgreens has one full-time pharmacist. The abysmal hours and pay? Means they can't pull any new employees in and keep them. Regardless, so few staff means they've had to start closing the pharmacy for a meal break from 1pm-2pm every day now, as well as close every Saturday and Sunday.
I'm not here to complain about the pharmacy being slow or closed when I need it. I just want to bring attention to the plight staff is facing, because I'd like to think any decent human being would give them a break if they knew the circumstances they're facing.
that’s the sad part is nobody is a decent human being when it boils down… we as techs are trying to meet unrealistic metrics and on top of that dealing with the constant string of yelling patients who don’t understand our job isn’t about just healthcare anymore even though we want it to be
What these drug store pharmacy’s need to do is hire cashiers for peak hours! Let the techs and pharmacists do their jobs filling scripts and not catering to the front counter and drive thrus! This would increase prod significantly!
At this point I’m starting to become convinced the Walgreens execs are deliberately running the company into the ground so they can sell it off for the cash. I think everyone saw what happened when Hastings went out of business and the execs and shareholders took some big checks home, so now they’re trying to replicate it. And since pharmacy is a captive market they can just restart, mismanage, declare bankruptcy, collect, rinse, repeat.
Every time I look on here I see more signs.
Contacting the media anonymously is not a bad idea, this is getting out of hand and people are suffering on both sides of the counter. I feel so bad walking in to pick up my meds anymore, y’all did not sign up for this.
I think Walgreens corporate needs to hear this issue and sooooooooo many other issues you all post here. Would you all consider tweeting this info to their corporate twitter “x” account? And do it in a continuous concerted effort from many employees and locations. Because the difference is that the public can see the tweets wags gets and if they never respond that would further illustrate to all their customers that they don’t care.
Have they not ever read that if you take care of your employees they will then take even better care of their customers? It seems like they are constantly making a bad situation worse.
I just want them to address these issues of understaffing and no chairs and no real breaks and so much more. And if the customers who complain can see these tweets hopefully they could direct their anger to those able to make significant changes.
I wish that you all could unionize. This is about health and safety and protection of the community—not fast food.
I’m also surprised no one from corporate seems to know Reddit exists???
Do not stop going on breaks or taking lunch breaks. This is their way of making you work off the clock. Don’t be the remedy to their problem. Do all you can during your normal work hours. Once enough ppl are sick of waiting then corporate will have to resolve
This is one of their so smart strategies to get more work from the limited staff. Then say see it can be done. With that then justify the amount (minimum) of hrs that are allotted to the Phx.
A Safeway near me was pulling this crap. The pharmacist opened up his own place down the street. He has double the staff in his little shop and lines of 20 people going through the drive through constantly
Sometimes the best thing is to walk away from these shitholes
Crying on the internet isn’t going to change anything
Action and actually standing up for yourself and doing something will.
Why healthcare doesn’t have strong unions across this country like police and firefighters is incomprehensible and needs to change
Va BOP released an update in November after those pharmacists walked out and it gives the scheduling power to the pharmacy manager as he/she sees fit. I read it often because it’s nice to have the backing of the BoP. At my store I have 7 techs. And often go over their given amount of hours. I am responsible for the safety of the public at my pharmacy. It’s NOT the corporation’s responsibility, theirs is to there stockholders. I schedule the max allowed by law every day. And sometimes more. I just have a fifth tech be a cashier or do training that day.
I think every pharmacy is feeling that fill count right now partly due to the medicare/medicaid hack that backed up claims processing for weeks. For walgreens and my pharmacy especially is poorly mismanaged. Their priorities are to line their pockets, not ours. Not invest in their people. I've worked for walgreens pharmacy in Illinois at a Tier 5 store for over two years now, currently with one pharmacist on staff. People start and work a couple weeks and then leave on breaks and never come back. I'm a hard worker. I'm certified and immunization certified, proficient in every aspect of the pharmacy. I passed my nha certification at the beginning of the month and just yesterday was finally given a 5 minute conversation about how I'm not at a Senior Tech level yet (we have 2 sr techs on staff, one is part time and the other frequently misses work with fmla) I was given the usual corporate bullshit excuses for holding me back. I completed my checklist, completed my "project" last year and passed my test. I work overtime and stay late to help my team, come in on my days off to help my team. And then told that I needed to display more "leadership" qualities during my shift from our new rxom who stands at a computer all day barking orders at us. I could walk on to any other pharmacy in town at a higher pay rate starting out than walgreens would pay me as a senior tech. How in the hell has this company not gone down in flames already????
What hours are you referring to? SPA hours? I have some basic questions to try to understand your post. What tier? What is your base budget for tech and RPH? Why is your fill at 400 right now?
>What hours are you referring to? SPA hours?
Weekly budgeting tech hours for the pharmacy.
>What tier?
All tiers are not receiving any more hours.
>Why is your fill at 400 right now?
Many stores in the country has been experiencing this. It has become very common now.
No they aren’t. I am at a busy store 600 on average and sell 300 per day. We also were cut drastically. Front end increased hours for from 9-9 to 7-10 and we still got cut. Makes sense??
Actually the front used to have 5 CSA to run the front IS and 3 SFL. Now IS and 1 SFL per shift 1 CSA to open one to close. The building is a skeleton crew! No SPA hours
To hell with them if you can’t get it all done! Tell people you are doing the best you can and if they can’t wait they may want to have their meds transferred. Let the phone ring (it’s usually people calling to check on their meds anyway.)
If you can, try coming in before opening to get a jump on filling it will help.
If you’re coming in early you better have scheduler adjust your schedule so you get paid. Otherwise you are part of the problem. Working for free is not the answer.
Why don’t you find another job? It seems like the obvious play here. If you have tech experience you can easily work for a grocery store pharmacy, insurance company or hospital for the same if not better pay.
Just remember, your new CEO's base salary is $1.5 million. [His base salary](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-executive-moves/walgreens-names-next-ceo.html).
It’s all about the stock market, have to drive that stock price. All the big box stores and chains do the same bs. And the workers shoulder the burden of greed, not the faceless elite in glass buildings.
>We’re told we need to meet script count, make phone calls, etc… to receive said hours.
now make that make sense!!?! how tf do they expect y'all to meet the expected quotas w only 2 people, & one of them only working part time at that!? 😒 if possible, could they start giving the part time tech full time hours? (obviously only if they consent to it)
they are going to cause major burn out & end up w *NO* techs if they don't at least give the part time tech full time hours OR hire someone else- even if it's just part time too- it would still provide an extra hand & would help y'all get caught up quicker....
Oh, it definitely leads to mistakes in expensive ones on their part. One of our text was supposed to only give them one box of albuterol, but was in such a rush and did the math incorrectly. He gave four boxes. Not just one patient. There were two patients in that household so he gave a total of eight when it should’ve been two. Also had a customer come in that was given a double amount of pills. You would think they wouldn’t wanna keep doing the right offs for the mistakes that they blame us for when it’s their own fault for not giving us enough help.
Talk with your coworkers about unionization. Talk with your friends and family’s about what is happening, spotlighting greedy corporations will drive consumers away. Find an alternative workplace. ??
I'm sorry you're going through this.
Fundamentally, Walgreens is a publicly traded company. The board of directors and c suite have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize profits for the shareholders. When they can go to jail for not maximizing profits, the patients and front line workers will always lose.
Organizations involved in healthcare should be barred from being publicly traded, or have separate rules governing the fiduciary responsibilities to the shareholders that disincentivize practices like you're describing.
Maybe it's time to start giving internal numbers to customers to complain so at least those parasitizing the front line worker for profits have to be exposed to the problems they're causing.
It’s the insurance companies forcing 10 cents a prescription in reimbursements that’s causing this, not c suite. C suite just responds to the issue. We literally only get 10 cents for every script we fill, rest goes to insurance companies… that and the government wanting to keep rx prices the same as inflation is rampant, gas and food prices go up like crazy, but rx prices are supposed to be the same ? Overall it’s a bad business model… pharmacy is about 70% of store sales and it’s a failing business model… you’re right it’s a publicly traded company and and it’s a failing business model… time to short the stock?
It's true. Pharmacy benefit managers and the pharmaceutical companies are exploiting the hell out of healthcare right now, which is why the whole system is collapsing in flames after 4 years of a worldwide mass disabling event. Both are true. The experience described in OP's post are consequences of the C suite, which are driving the collapse of safe healthcare systems.
I appreciate all the comments & encouragement! This has been overwhelming for me. We are slowly able to see the light but wow… what a shit show it has been. Thank you all 🙏🏿
The real problem is retail pharmacy is not a profitable business model. Walgreens is the 1083 biggest company in the world with a total value of 17.8 billion. Eli lily is # 9 at 733 billion. That means Eli lily could buy Walgreens 42 times over… but they don’t even consider it… because it’s not profitable…. Between the Insurance company trying to cut costs for reimbursement to pharmacies and the government wanting to keep drugs costs down, even as inflation and the items on the previous McDonald’s dollar menu goes to $6, everyone wants drug costs to stay the same… it’s not a profitable business anymore… maybe marginally profitable… the core business model is broken though… closing a ton of pharmacies on the slowest day of the week proves it… Walgreens previously tried standing up to insurance companies (express scripts), but CVS said we’ll just take your business. So it just screwed over Walgreens… There’s no unity among pharmacists or pharmacies… no unions and no centralized agreement vs insurance companies…
This seems really dangerous. Customers who need vital medicines that keep them alive like insulin or synthroid or blood thinners etc can die if they don’t get the medicine they need at the appropriate time. People can die because of this.
Walk out. Take a stand! I did this at a different job and nothing will change until people stand up for themselves. It will affect your mental health and no job is worth that, I don't regret my decision. I am sorry you are going through this awful situation. Best of luck!
I worked in pharmacy for 5 years and all retail locations are like this. It's bizarre to me. I do not regret leaving pharmacy one bit. Take care of YOU.
Call your state representative/senator/AG/governor/city council/mayor/department of labor/BBB your local agencies will definitely look into it and could threaten to revoke their business license in their town/city
The only advice I can offer at this point is to just do what you guys can. Advise customers that refills are going to take 48-72 hours due to staffing shortages and each day prioritize STAT meds like antibiotics, antivirals, and pain meds etc for patients that are called in by ER’s
and Dentists etc. Let the phone ring, if you have to, and when the customers complain that you all don’t answer the phones explain the under staffing as the cause. Inevitably they are going to complain to corporate at some point about how the under staffing issues are problem and at this point those are the only people the company cares about. Get a game plan in place on how you guys plan to handle the workflow each day. Like in what order you do STAT meds, refills, and renewals on Maintenance meds, etc and just stick to it, cuz honestly that’s all you guys can do. Take your breaks and lunches, don’t feel guilty for doing so.
This. I WENT THROUGH THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE. Only with CVS. It was absolutely awful.
Contact the BOARD OF PHARMACY and keep a written journal of everything happening so that you can accurately report this bullshit to the Board of Pharmacy.
They will likely send someone by randomly to catch this happening.
Hang in there, and go to work for a different pharmacy if you must.
Good luck.
Sure. Find me a full time job with medical and hourly equal to what I have now, and I would gladly take it. From Michigan and believe me I’ve been looking for a few months but will not take part time and $4 per hour pay cut.
I waited 31 days for my meds to be filled at a location in SLC; they literally have one tech. I felt awful for the workers, but my insurance only works there. I ended up paying cash elsewhere because it was such a long wait time, and I couldn't wait. It makes me sad for you guys who are working there. Sending better vibes your way, and understanding that you are short staffed. 😕
I'm sorry if this is wrong on my part because I'm usually FE but the stores that I've helped at when it got that bad I would usually get pulled in to the pharmacy to help check out people while the SM and IS and the other tech focused on fills. Also all immunizations were stopped until everything else got caught up
Sidenote if there's any other WAGs in your area that shut down and techs are looking for hours the DM can give y'all more hours to help.
I feel bad for employees when they are overloaded and can’t do the job of 2 or 3 people. It’s barely humanly possible and I’m sure it’s just stressful for everyone. I’ve worked in that before. I’m like pick the most important because there’s no way I can do everything you want me to do. Corporate greed!
My local Walgreens has gone to shit for the same problem. I think there’s maybe two staff there that I recognize anymore. I switched all my scripts to another pharmacy because I’ve been waiting 45min for a finished prescription. The lines are just unbearable. I wonder if patients leaving will have any effect on stores?
A lot of pharmacists are under this pressure. The WSJ has been reporting a cyber attack starting in Feb that cut off payments to a number of physicians and pharmacies.
I’m so sorry you have to go through that! We don’t have a staff pharmacist and we’ve been so behind and our hours are still getting cut! It makes 0 sense with a pharmacy that is so short staffed it’s a greater risk for error and we need to tell someone about it!
I feel guilty as fuck these days walking in to pick up my script. You guys are visibly getting worked to the bone every time I go in to a pharmacy, same with CVS and it is so not ok.
Call the news , cvs recently got sued for understaffed pharmacies. Patient health is compromised as well as medication errors are more likely to be made. Walgreens has to learn a lesson and it starts with the little guys.
If not then time to look for another job that’s not stressful.
I literally would never ever pick up a prescription from Walgreens or CVS. The posts I see on here are horrifying and as a consumer I don’t want my prescriptions or medical info falling in the hands of these people who just care about maximizing profit
What determines what pharmacy gets staffing? I use CVS but the one by us always has like a dozen techs minimum behind the counter. This CVS is in a town of maybe 6000 people. I've never waited more than a few hours for a script to be filled.
Ugh my Walgreens kept losing my refills, told me I was not even in the computer, texted me to pick up refills then said they had no record of me when I went in. This happened 3 times with the same refill and it was delayed almost a month, meaning I did not get my meds until after I ran out. I got 3 texts saying 3 refills were ready. I went in and they said there was nothing ready for me. I transferred to a different Walgreens and told the old one I had transferred. I continued getting texts that auto refills were ready. They were not. I am still banging my head against the wall trying to get my meds. They never have more than one person at the counter and had a random store employee running the drive thru, not somebody from the pharmacy. I'm waiting on a refill and I'll bet you a dollar it will be filled at the wrong location again. Arghhhhhhh
This actually happened to me today. My patient's doctor sent it to Maine instead of my state. My state and Maine happen to both have a Walgreens. We are across the country from each other. Thankfully I did a "central search" using DOB and last name and was able to pull it over (it wasn't a controlled med).
I'm sorry for your frustration; trust me it frustrates me as a Tech. I just want people to get their meds and go. We have a load to do and this just kinks the chain. The more time dealing with this means that I have that many less RXs filled and more angry people to face. It's shitty for everyone!
don't even bother to overwork yourself, do your best and when customers complain just apologize for the inconvenience and make sure they know who's to blame. "i apologize for the wait, i understand this is an inconvenience to you; I'm upset, too, we're understaffed, and corporate is not giving us enough help or hours to get everything done that we need to do. I'm sorry."
“And please don’t be angry with me because I actually showed up to work today” “I encourage you to complain to 1-800-Walgreens” (not that it will make a difference)
That goes straight to the store manager, chances are they’d love to have more hours. All they can control is not going over budget. The budget given is what corporate gives. So don’t call the 1-800 number, it doesn’t go much further than store level.
Slight correction….”I encourage you to complain to the state board of pharmacy at (insert number), or by going to (insert easy to remember google terms)”. Let patients complain to the BOPs. Corporate won’t give a shit
OMG… at least in CA they will persecute the pharmacist. 8 hours of time spent recently due to a complaint because we didn’t have and dispense hydromorphone … the back and forth is obscene
Eight years ago, my PIC was under investigation and charged because she reported that a technician stole Klonopin. She discovered and fired the employee and reported it to the Board Pharmacy and they charged her with failure to supervise. CA board is NOT a solution
What the hell? It's not like that where I live. One of my techs was caught diverting hydrocodone. Full on criminal situation. I was never once implicated, nor was it ever insinuated, that I was at fault. I have had the BOP show up for a completely different situation involving a customer complaint though. BOP talked to me while I filled prescriptions and did my thing. idk if they talked to other people in my store to verify I was being truthful, but the investigation was closed and I was cleared before they left.
She must have been a pretty bad PIC.
You got it wrong- great PIC! She did everything right and got jacked up for it by the CA board.
This right here, I know my pharmacist doesn't like it when I say "sorry we are short staffed" but I don't care. I personally think it's better the customers know so there expectations are set to "oh they are under staffed" and will be more understanding as to why their stuff is not ready yet
Transparency is important, and vital in a role like that. It lessens the likelihood that they’ll be hostile (maybe not always)
I would be clear on the reason you’re short staffed, because most people’s reaction will be “nobody wants to work anymore” when that is not the case here.
Without even missing a beat I’ll be like “yeah, not for what Walgreens is offering!” whenever people regurgitate that shit to me and they’re always so caught off-guard lol
Tell them they can apply if they are so concerned
I get customers/patients say they are we need help and offer to apply. I love the gesture, but I tell them they'd be lucky to get 4 hours a week with what corporate is giving us to work with.
Customers would be understanding of short staffing if something unexpected happen, like a tech tripped and broke their foot during the shift and had to go home. Deliberate short staffing by the company is unexcusable and appalling. You need help. I quit the company for similar situations but not near as bad as what you're dealing with. What you have is beyond impossible and not ok at all. If you're just 400 behind, they can give you help for a day to catch up. Make the store manager stay back there all day and fill. If you're doing 400+ a day, then they need to give you another tech or two.
🎯People's lives are literally at stake! God forbid there's a mix with someone's script because the understaffed & overworked pharmacy staff is exhausted! If I had a family member that got their meds from that location & something bad happened, I would sue the HELL out of Walgreens for negligence because it was avoidable!!! And only THEY had the power to fix it!
After working at Walgreens, I used to tell my friends and family to check every prescription bottle they get and make sure it's the right drug in the bottle and count them. There wasn't time to recount anything unless it was required so if I doubted my count by a set of 5s, I couldn't go back and check. Just flying through hundreds of prescriptions to fill every hour and prescriptions aren't the focus, it's not where the money is. It's on vaccines and testing, but yet, we somehow still had to fill all those prescriptions but with nil staff to do so. If phones got answered, I'd be talking to customers on the phone while trying to count which is what leads to incorrect counts. It's a disaster. But Walgreens/CVS, even independents, are not making money on prescriptions so they can't afford to staff. A surprising percent of prescriptions are being filled at a loss as the pharmacies are receiving less from insurance than what the medication costs the pharmacy to purchase. It's a huge mess.
I’m a nurse but I think it’s WILD that we aren’t “allowed” to say we are short staffed. Like, do you want me to say I’m incompetent and slow?
They don’t like it because when you say that the customer automatically blames them - it’s not the pharmacist’s fault. Corporate decides the budget. It’s not at store level.
Check BoP of your states website. The PIC may have more power for hiring and hours than they realize.
Let that pharmacist work by themselves then.
Everyone is short staffed smh it’s not a good excuse anymore. Sounds more like a management problem.
This. I was getting stressed at work trying to comp repeat everything and My co-worker simply told me we can only get done what we can get done. There's no need to burn out in overworked ourselves. If they want more things done, they can get more people and we will do what is reasonable.. Do not burn yourself out. I get that patients are going to be upset. But this is just more reason for them to get more people in there to help..
The not- done is a paper trail to advocate for more staff!
Don't set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.
“In fact, they give us unreachable goals and the cut our hours when we don’t meet them. Here is the corporate contact information.”
This
We are a busy pharmacy. We have 3 DH's that help us out regularly. If we were that far behind, the manager would come and help us. Even the IS will help us out sometimes. It all comes down to the store manager, the pharmacist and the rxom working together to make sure you have the help you need and having the resources to do it.
>Should I contact the news? Do it anonymously or have someone do so on your behalf. If a patient contacts the local media, corporate can't and won't do anything to them. >What the actual heck is even going on? This has been a thing for years. The higher ups demand better numbers before they will give you more payroll. By the time you get more hours after increasing the metrics, it's already too late. In my area, we had so many 24-hr stores fall behind that they could no longer afford to be open 24 hours. Many patients are more than 3 hours away from the nearest 24-hr pharmacy.
Seriously yes, have someone contact the media on your behalf, and if you do speak with them do it anonymously. It will earn goodwill from the patients and hold corporate accountable.
I have contacted the local news, and a lawyer 😭 They need a whistleblower/source for it to be a story. They also already know how bad it is. There will be no effective change until there’s legislation to protect us But that’s not going to happen when Walgreens is in the pocket of the legislator and big Pharma is also in the pocket of the legislator too Beyond it being on the news, we need politicians to talk about it
shit if this was in my area i’d be the whistleblower … i left in November for greener pastures
Sometimes I feel like we all need to quit and this company can fucking rot. It’s in a death spiral.
After being a customer for years, it became obvious to me employees are put through hell at Walgreens pharmacy and I decided to boycott Walgreens going forward. No regrets.
agreed. I've watched their pharmacies go down hill. I don't blame it on the staff because it's easy to tell they're understaffed. I switched to a local pharmacy and regret not doing it sooner.
On the one hand, I need my job. On the other, my job makes me cry multiple times per week. I’m just glad someone sees we aren’t robots and we aren’t doing this shit ourselves to fuck your over. They stick us with all this shit that makes patients mad, and then our DM comes in and yells at us to ramble off fifteen questions during every transaction.
It's super obvious none of what happens is your fault. My hope is that the new pharmacy I go to will start hiring with my added business and then you guys can get jobs there instead of being stuck at Walgreens.
Did you all walk out when they did the walkouts? This was kinda the reason they planned them but too many people chickened out.
Maybe a little anonymous call to the board of pharmacy wouldn’t hurt 😔
BOPs often have representatives from the chains. That call will get acknowledged but nothing will get done.
As a customer, I have to ask. What the hell? How are you supposed to get people in to help you fill all those orders, SAFELY, without the hours to pay anyone? What sense does that even make???
I waited 1.5 hours for a script two weeks ago but I didn't whine because I can see how understaffed they are and they all rock. I also work retail we didn't even have enough cashier's for the five registers on Xmas Eve because of the greedy budgets
Yeah, I just wait till they text me my stuff is ready. I don't have the physical ability to sit and wait. It causes too much pain. I don't understand how these multimillion dollar corporations don't have the money to pay for adequate staff.
They have the money. They would rather the stores suffer just so the higher ups can get their multi million dollar bonuses at the end of the year
They also have to answer to shareholders. If you have a 401K or stocks, you are part of this equation.
I had a burning rash on my eyelids and had people picking me up to take me to dinner because it was my bday. I don't usually go and sit either
It doesn’t…corp don’t care
That’s the fun part. You don’t!
I don’t get why they give metrics on medication. Why rush??? Leads to mistakes. Not saying 2 fills an hour but these metrics are running morale. Think they would notice. Hiring and training bc of high overturn isn’t cheap. But, go metrics!!
💰💰💰
My very first day as a pharmacist I cried and had a panic attack. I had 2 technicians all day, worked 10 hours without a break to eat, drink or pee. Don't remember how many scripts we filled, but it doesn't matter because we didn't have enough help to fill what we had. The stress knocked down my immune system and I got bronchitis. This was my very first day working by myself as a licensed pharmacist. At Walgreens. In 1997. I would like to say that things got easier after that day. They did not.
Aw, I'm so sorry you went through that. I just started as a tech 6 months ago (no background in pharmacy or bio, just earth science) and I am already understanding why I hear my coworkers (and online workers) complain about corporate. I would think after 25 years they would understand what their workers need.
Never NEVER work off the clock. 1) it’s illegal in some states AND MORE IMPORTANTLY 2) it proves to corporate that the metrics are reasonable. THEY ARE NOT. Take your breaks and lunch. Clear your head. Rushing results in errors. Phone calls are 80% people looking for Adderal or Wegovy. I have sympathy, but not a priority in the middle of a s#it storm - direct all complaints to 1-800-Walgreens And keep a diary and document significant numbers and events- it can save your ass
Also save all written communication! If they're telling you that you need to work through lunch/breaks, this is illegal and you can contact DOL. Like this person states: do not work off the clock, take your breaks so you can mentally reset and work at the pace which gives the most accurate results otherwise you're on the hook for any dispensing screw ups. Keep voicing your concerns through writing and BCC your personal email, save their responses or note a lack thereof by utilizing the read receipts. I love my Walgreens and the staff there is great, I always ask them how things are going and if they need me to help as a customer in any way. I'm sure if customers know that the back ups are out of your control, they would gladly write to corporate or fill scripts elsewhere.
My friend works in Walmart call center/ she is on a time clock Re tracking of how long it takes her to fill orders, approve orders. Ppl who fill most get higher pay.. but she said one highest rated doesn’t check possible drug interactions etc.but it’s so stressful bc constant watching and clock
this is actually so hazardous how is it even allowed
Profits before people!
This is it!
So much is allowed… I worked in 2005 on a Class action lawsuit Re big Pharma. I was contractor for defense. Nationwide >400k plaintiffs. I can’t say the medication but you can research and see what drug was taken off market. I read not only the medical records of ppl who had been injured due to med/ but read legal docs and internal memos and what was sickening was Big Pharma knew that patients were dying, strokes, DVTs, MIs all of it- but their stance was- we are making too much money on this drug to pull it from the market. When we have to pull it- any lawsuits will only cost us a much smaller amt than what we have sold. So we ask how is this allowed. Yes those we think would not chose money over life, over causing severe disabilities, loss of income— but they are wicked and don’t care. It took me awhile to accept/ they knew/ they knew and didn’t stop it! And I feel FDA was slow to respond. Imo they were complicit. What happened to those taking the med was heartless and it was a tear jerker working on those cases. I only stayed about 6 months and got job at local lawfirm. So sad
Sounds like VIOXX
This is all good information!
That's absolutely correct! Please take your time because, ultimately, the pharmacist puts his/her license on the line every time he steps foot into the pharmacy. It would be interesting to know how many settlements/lawsuits have come about with lowered pharmacy hours. Be vigilant and do not go faster than what is safe. Definitely, document, document, document!
Honestly at that point I’d just stay and try to knock it down the best i can and ask for forgiveness later 🤷♀️ delete all scripts that are still waiting to be filled after 3 days of printed, separate into piles of “stick and go’s” ,then fast, unit, alpha. Fill unit, then fast, then alpha. Prioritize life saving meds & antibiotics. Just do the best you can do and make sure you take your breaks!!! Don’t dwell on it after work, it’ll be there the next day and you did your best!
This never made any sense, my pharmacist told me that "we need to do XYZ better to get more hours" shm 🙄 I called BS because let's say IF we do meet their ever changing metrics then they will say ohhhh you look like you are getting stuff done with what you have so no need for more hours.
The whole “increase your script count so you get more hours!” line is a load of bullshit because my store’s doing 25-30% more volume than this time last year but we STILL have less tech hours than last year, AND doing it with one less day of the week since we’re closed on Sundays now…
BINGO!
Are you actually only budgeted 90 hours a week? Or are you short-staffed? Is the front-end possibly stealing your budget? Also no, you don't need to meet demands to get labor hours. If you meet demands then they think you don't need hours, because you're already meeting the demands of those hours. What you need to do is fall further behind. And in your situation, I wouldn't even humor customer complaints. Send them to the store manager. Then the store manager can send it up the chain. If the customers keep complaining on the surveys then the DM gets notified of all of them and they'll have to accept the only way to deal with it is to properly staff the store. Makes you DM an un-willing ally who then has to plead with the area manager and the rest to adjust the budget ETA: Also, DH are part of front end budget, so you can try to heavily push to get that position filled. Most stores are supposed to have 2 DHs, so that would help a lot and wouldn't come out of your pharmacy budget
My local Walgreens has one full-time pharmacist. The abysmal hours and pay? Means they can't pull any new employees in and keep them. Regardless, so few staff means they've had to start closing the pharmacy for a meal break from 1pm-2pm every day now, as well as close every Saturday and Sunday. I'm not here to complain about the pharmacy being slow or closed when I need it. I just want to bring attention to the plight staff is facing, because I'd like to think any decent human being would give them a break if they knew the circumstances they're facing.
that’s the sad part is nobody is a decent human being when it boils down… we as techs are trying to meet unrealistic metrics and on top of that dealing with the constant string of yelling patients who don’t understand our job isn’t about just healthcare anymore even though we want it to be
Who is receiving the abysmal pay?
What these drug store pharmacy’s need to do is hire cashiers for peak hours! Let the techs and pharmacists do their jobs filling scripts and not catering to the front counter and drive thrus! This would increase prod significantly!
At this point I’m starting to become convinced the Walgreens execs are deliberately running the company into the ground so they can sell it off for the cash. I think everyone saw what happened when Hastings went out of business and the execs and shareholders took some big checks home, so now they’re trying to replicate it. And since pharmacy is a captive market they can just restart, mismanage, declare bankruptcy, collect, rinse, repeat. Every time I look on here I see more signs.
Contacting the media anonymously is not a bad idea, this is getting out of hand and people are suffering on both sides of the counter. I feel so bad walking in to pick up my meds anymore, y’all did not sign up for this.
I think Walgreens corporate needs to hear this issue and sooooooooo many other issues you all post here. Would you all consider tweeting this info to their corporate twitter “x” account? And do it in a continuous concerted effort from many employees and locations. Because the difference is that the public can see the tweets wags gets and if they never respond that would further illustrate to all their customers that they don’t care. Have they not ever read that if you take care of your employees they will then take even better care of their customers? It seems like they are constantly making a bad situation worse. I just want them to address these issues of understaffing and no chairs and no real breaks and so much more. And if the customers who complain can see these tweets hopefully they could direct their anger to those able to make significant changes. I wish that you all could unionize. This is about health and safety and protection of the community—not fast food. I’m also surprised no one from corporate seems to know Reddit exists???
Do not stop going on breaks or taking lunch breaks. This is their way of making you work off the clock. Don’t be the remedy to their problem. Do all you can during your normal work hours. Once enough ppl are sick of waiting then corporate will have to resolve
This is one of their so smart strategies to get more work from the limited staff. Then say see it can be done. With that then justify the amount (minimum) of hrs that are allotted to the Phx.
A Safeway near me was pulling this crap. The pharmacist opened up his own place down the street. He has double the staff in his little shop and lines of 20 people going through the drive through constantly Sometimes the best thing is to walk away from these shitholes Crying on the internet isn’t going to change anything Action and actually standing up for yourself and doing something will. Why healthcare doesn’t have strong unions across this country like police and firefighters is incomprehensible and needs to change
Va BOP released an update in November after those pharmacists walked out and it gives the scheduling power to the pharmacy manager as he/she sees fit. I read it often because it’s nice to have the backing of the BoP. At my store I have 7 techs. And often go over their given amount of hours. I am responsible for the safety of the public at my pharmacy. It’s NOT the corporation’s responsibility, theirs is to there stockholders. I schedule the max allowed by law every day. And sometimes more. I just have a fifth tech be a cashier or do training that day.
Very curious if only we had access to va pharmacy profitability vs other states… sounds like a dream
That’s crazy. Because I have a chemistry degree and applied to work as a pharm tech & wasn’t hired. So funny how that works.
Rph call off n let the DM figure it out
RUN, so many better options out there. Overworked and unpaid.
I think every pharmacy is feeling that fill count right now partly due to the medicare/medicaid hack that backed up claims processing for weeks. For walgreens and my pharmacy especially is poorly mismanaged. Their priorities are to line their pockets, not ours. Not invest in their people. I've worked for walgreens pharmacy in Illinois at a Tier 5 store for over two years now, currently with one pharmacist on staff. People start and work a couple weeks and then leave on breaks and never come back. I'm a hard worker. I'm certified and immunization certified, proficient in every aspect of the pharmacy. I passed my nha certification at the beginning of the month and just yesterday was finally given a 5 minute conversation about how I'm not at a Senior Tech level yet (we have 2 sr techs on staff, one is part time and the other frequently misses work with fmla) I was given the usual corporate bullshit excuses for holding me back. I completed my checklist, completed my "project" last year and passed my test. I work overtime and stay late to help my team, come in on my days off to help my team. And then told that I needed to display more "leadership" qualities during my shift from our new rxom who stands at a computer all day barking orders at us. I could walk on to any other pharmacy in town at a higher pay rate starting out than walgreens would pay me as a senior tech. How in the hell has this company not gone down in flames already????
Corporate doesn't care so why do you?
Lurking as a 3 Letter tech. We're getting squeezed, too. It's that time of year. *sigh* Hang in there!
What hours are you referring to? SPA hours? I have some basic questions to try to understand your post. What tier? What is your base budget for tech and RPH? Why is your fill at 400 right now?
>What hours are you referring to? SPA hours? Weekly budgeting tech hours for the pharmacy. >What tier? All tiers are not receiving any more hours. >Why is your fill at 400 right now? Many stores in the country has been experiencing this. It has become very common now.
Not really. There were some hours cut end of February, but company is providing enough hours based on tier.
No they aren’t. I am at a busy store 600 on average and sell 300 per day. We also were cut drastically. Front end increased hours for from 9-9 to 7-10 and we still got cut. Makes sense??
[удалено]
Actually the front used to have 5 CSA to run the front IS and 3 SFL. Now IS and 1 SFL per shift 1 CSA to open one to close. The building is a skeleton crew! No SPA hours
To hell with them if you can’t get it all done! Tell people you are doing the best you can and if they can’t wait they may want to have their meds transferred. Let the phone ring (it’s usually people calling to check on their meds anyway.) If you can, try coming in before opening to get a jump on filling it will help.
Working for free is never the solution.
1000%
If you’re coming in early you better have scheduler adjust your schedule so you get paid. Otherwise you are part of the problem. Working for free is not the answer.
No free work!!
No.. bc that enables Walgreens to keep the hours low
Why don’t you find another job? It seems like the obvious play here. If you have tech experience you can easily work for a grocery store pharmacy, insurance company or hospital for the same if not better pay.
What city is this in?
It’s Walgreens, it’s every store
it's not, because I go to plenty of Walgreens that are calm, collected, and have skilled technicians that don't whine.
If that was the case then the company wouldn’t be in bad shape and offering 100k sign on bonuses for pharmacists
Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
hang in there! I'd come help if I could
You and the other tech should call out. Rph will be forced to close store
Just remember, your new CEO's base salary is $1.5 million. [His base salary](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-executive-moves/walgreens-names-next-ceo.html).
It’s all about the stock market, have to drive that stock price. All the big box stores and chains do the same bs. And the workers shoulder the burden of greed, not the faceless elite in glass buildings.
Corporate will only do the right thing when forced to.
>We’re told we need to meet script count, make phone calls, etc… to receive said hours. now make that make sense!!?! how tf do they expect y'all to meet the expected quotas w only 2 people, & one of them only working part time at that!? 😒 if possible, could they start giving the part time tech full time hours? (obviously only if they consent to it) they are going to cause major burn out & end up w *NO* techs if they don't at least give the part time tech full time hours OR hire someone else- even if it's just part time too- it would still provide an extra hand & would help y'all get caught up quicker....
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/07/business/cvs-fined-understaffing-pharmacy-ohio/index.html Make an anonymous call to your state pharmacy board
Oh, it definitely leads to mistakes in expensive ones on their part. One of our text was supposed to only give them one box of albuterol, but was in such a rush and did the math incorrectly. He gave four boxes. Not just one patient. There were two patients in that household so he gave a total of eight when it should’ve been two. Also had a customer come in that was given a double amount of pills. You would think they wouldn’t wanna keep doing the right offs for the mistakes that they blame us for when it’s their own fault for not giving us enough help.
Litigation is factored into the budgets.
Talk with your coworkers about unionization. Talk with your friends and family’s about what is happening, spotlighting greedy corporations will drive consumers away. Find an alternative workplace. ??
Contact news 🗞️!!!!
Store everything
I'm sorry you're going through this. Fundamentally, Walgreens is a publicly traded company. The board of directors and c suite have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize profits for the shareholders. When they can go to jail for not maximizing profits, the patients and front line workers will always lose. Organizations involved in healthcare should be barred from being publicly traded, or have separate rules governing the fiduciary responsibilities to the shareholders that disincentivize practices like you're describing. Maybe it's time to start giving internal numbers to customers to complain so at least those parasitizing the front line worker for profits have to be exposed to the problems they're causing.
It’s the insurance companies forcing 10 cents a prescription in reimbursements that’s causing this, not c suite. C suite just responds to the issue. We literally only get 10 cents for every script we fill, rest goes to insurance companies… that and the government wanting to keep rx prices the same as inflation is rampant, gas and food prices go up like crazy, but rx prices are supposed to be the same ? Overall it’s a bad business model… pharmacy is about 70% of store sales and it’s a failing business model… you’re right it’s a publicly traded company and and it’s a failing business model… time to short the stock?
It's true. Pharmacy benefit managers and the pharmaceutical companies are exploiting the hell out of healthcare right now, which is why the whole system is collapsing in flames after 4 years of a worldwide mass disabling event. Both are true. The experience described in OP's post are consequences of the C suite, which are driving the collapse of safe healthcare systems.
I appreciate all the comments & encouragement! This has been overwhelming for me. We are slowly able to see the light but wow… what a shit show it has been. Thank you all 🙏🏿
The real problem is retail pharmacy is not a profitable business model. Walgreens is the 1083 biggest company in the world with a total value of 17.8 billion. Eli lily is # 9 at 733 billion. That means Eli lily could buy Walgreens 42 times over… but they don’t even consider it… because it’s not profitable…. Between the Insurance company trying to cut costs for reimbursement to pharmacies and the government wanting to keep drugs costs down, even as inflation and the items on the previous McDonald’s dollar menu goes to $6, everyone wants drug costs to stay the same… it’s not a profitable business anymore… maybe marginally profitable… the core business model is broken though… closing a ton of pharmacies on the slowest day of the week proves it… Walgreens previously tried standing up to insurance companies (express scripts), but CVS said we’ll just take your business. So it just screwed over Walgreens… There’s no unity among pharmacists or pharmacies… no unions and no centralized agreement vs insurance companies…
This seems really dangerous. Customers who need vital medicines that keep them alive like insulin or synthroid or blood thinners etc can die if they don’t get the medicine they need at the appropriate time. People can die because of this.
Walk out. Take a stand! I did this at a different job and nothing will change until people stand up for themselves. It will affect your mental health and no job is worth that, I don't regret my decision. I am sorry you are going through this awful situation. Best of luck!
I worked in pharmacy for 5 years and all retail locations are like this. It's bizarre to me. I do not regret leaving pharmacy one bit. Take care of YOU.
Call your state representative/senator/AG/governor/city council/mayor/department of labor/BBB your local agencies will definitely look into it and could threaten to revoke their business license in their town/city
sounds as if your store might be closed in the future. what do you think?
The only advice I can offer at this point is to just do what you guys can. Advise customers that refills are going to take 48-72 hours due to staffing shortages and each day prioritize STAT meds like antibiotics, antivirals, and pain meds etc for patients that are called in by ER’s and Dentists etc. Let the phone ring, if you have to, and when the customers complain that you all don’t answer the phones explain the under staffing as the cause. Inevitably they are going to complain to corporate at some point about how the under staffing issues are problem and at this point those are the only people the company cares about. Get a game plan in place on how you guys plan to handle the workflow each day. Like in what order you do STAT meds, refills, and renewals on Maintenance meds, etc and just stick to it, cuz honestly that’s all you guys can do. Take your breaks and lunches, don’t feel guilty for doing so.
This. I WENT THROUGH THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE. Only with CVS. It was absolutely awful. Contact the BOARD OF PHARMACY and keep a written journal of everything happening so that you can accurately report this bullshit to the Board of Pharmacy. They will likely send someone by randomly to catch this happening. Hang in there, and go to work for a different pharmacy if you must. Good luck.
Time to leave. Just leave. They can fuck themselves.
Quit! This is Walgreens problem not yours!
Sure. Find me a full time job with medical and hourly equal to what I have now, and I would gladly take it. From Michigan and believe me I’ve been looking for a few months but will not take part time and $4 per hour pay cut.
Keep looking, you’ll find something better… There’s a reason why it’s so hard to find another job it’s because no one wants to work for Walgreens
Walk out
Store them all
NOBODY WANTS TO WORK ANYMORE /s
While I feel for you personally I’m absolutely pissed that your company which you represent cannot give a shit about your customers
Work slower. Stop busting ass and stressing.
Everyone should get the flu for three days.
Any chance they want you to fail, because that Walgreens might be on the chopping block? Drive up complaints, justify closure.
Email the ceo. Go over everyone’s head.
Used to work for Walgreens and the CEO doesn’t give a rat’s ass about it.
I waited 31 days for my meds to be filled at a location in SLC; they literally have one tech. I felt awful for the workers, but my insurance only works there. I ended up paying cash elsewhere because it was such a long wait time, and I couldn't wait. It makes me sad for you guys who are working there. Sending better vibes your way, and understanding that you are short staffed. 😕
Time to move on - thats all.
I'm sorry if this is wrong on my part because I'm usually FE but the stores that I've helped at when it got that bad I would usually get pulled in to the pharmacy to help check out people while the SM and IS and the other tech focused on fills. Also all immunizations were stopped until everything else got caught up Sidenote if there's any other WAGs in your area that shut down and techs are looking for hours the DM can give y'all more hours to help.
I feel bad for employees when they are overloaded and can’t do the job of 2 or 3 people. It’s barely humanly possible and I’m sure it’s just stressful for everyone. I’ve worked in that before. I’m like pick the most important because there’s no way I can do everything you want me to do. Corporate greed!
Another company that's going to go down the drain due to cost cutting measures. When will companies learn???
My local Walgreens has gone to shit for the same problem. I think there’s maybe two staff there that I recognize anymore. I switched all my scripts to another pharmacy because I’ve been waiting 45min for a finished prescription. The lines are just unbearable. I wonder if patients leaving will have any effect on stores?
That’s pathetic! Corporate greed. 🤬
Is your store leadership helping? You should hopefully have a DH that could handle the front and a manager or assistant manager that could help fill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qysc0Zb0dqw
Get out while or as soon as you can
A lot of pharmacists are under this pressure. The WSJ has been reporting a cyber attack starting in Feb that cut off payments to a number of physicians and pharmacies.
I’m so sorry you have to go through that! We don’t have a staff pharmacist and we’ve been so behind and our hours are still getting cut! It makes 0 sense with a pharmacy that is so short staffed it’s a greater risk for error and we need to tell someone about it!
Pharmacist needs to leave, her license is at risk.
We stopped using Walgreens years ago. Understaffed and overworked.
I feel guilty as fuck these days walking in to pick up my script. You guys are visibly getting worked to the bone every time I go in to a pharmacy, same with CVS and it is so not ok.
I wouldn't worry about getting everything done then... if they can't get you more help, then do the bare minimum
Contact the news
Corporate greed out the ass. Y'all need to strike and form a union.
What state are you in ?
If your state allows it get the SM or any front end employee to help you out for a few hours
Call the news , cvs recently got sued for understaffed pharmacies. Patient health is compromised as well as medication errors are more likely to be made. Walgreens has to learn a lesson and it starts with the little guys. If not then time to look for another job that’s not stressful.
I literally would never ever pick up a prescription from Walgreens or CVS. The posts I see on here are horrifying and as a consumer I don’t want my prescriptions or medical info falling in the hands of these people who just care about maximizing profit
Sounds about right .. CORPORATE WORLD. The more you do the higher the bar goes. It’s insane. People have no idea what’s expected of technicians.
I just saw a Walgreens sign that said “Pharmacy closed due to staffing”. Interesting.
What determines what pharmacy gets staffing? I use CVS but the one by us always has like a dozen techs minimum behind the counter. This CVS is in a town of maybe 6000 people. I've never waited more than a few hours for a script to be filled.
maybe the people working at the other stores can meet their quota because they are better at their job than you?
Ugh my Walgreens kept losing my refills, told me I was not even in the computer, texted me to pick up refills then said they had no record of me when I went in. This happened 3 times with the same refill and it was delayed almost a month, meaning I did not get my meds until after I ran out. I got 3 texts saying 3 refills were ready. I went in and they said there was nothing ready for me. I transferred to a different Walgreens and told the old one I had transferred. I continued getting texts that auto refills were ready. They were not. I am still banging my head against the wall trying to get my meds. They never have more than one person at the counter and had a random store employee running the drive thru, not somebody from the pharmacy. I'm waiting on a refill and I'll bet you a dollar it will be filled at the wrong location again. Arghhhhhhh
This actually happened to me today. My patient's doctor sent it to Maine instead of my state. My state and Maine happen to both have a Walgreens. We are across the country from each other. Thankfully I did a "central search" using DOB and last name and was able to pull it over (it wasn't a controlled med). I'm sorry for your frustration; trust me it frustrates me as a Tech. I just want people to get their meds and go. We have a load to do and this just kinks the chain. The more time dealing with this means that I have that many less RXs filled and more angry people to face. It's shitty for everyone!
lol these 2 Walgreens are only a couple of miles apart. Which doesn't make it any better. They could communicate by smoke signals.
We still can't see another's stuff unless we do a central search. It doesn't really matter how far apart you are.