The single positive thing I can say for the Ohio State Legislature is that they've been grilling these companies, especially CVS, on their terrible business practices. Whether that will do anything remains to be seen, but at least it's now on the public record.
For the last 6 months or so, our local grocery in-store pharmacy has been closing at 2:00 for a half hour so the pharmacist can get a lunch break. At first I found this slightly inconvenient, but I just take that into account now and work around the gap without problem. Better than having the person in charge of my (many) medications being unable to focus due to overwork!
One of my goals is to never set foot in any of my local CVS pharmacies again. Even before the pandemic, stores were dirty, there were ridiculously long lines even for prescription pickups, and I lost my temper at least once because the pharmacy had not only filled the wrong prescription, but also got pissy with me when I arrived five minutes early to pick it up. I think they make most of their money selling liquor.
Also, when discussing health-care professionals and shortages, medical lab professionals are often left out of the conversation, but without labs you really can't have hospitals. Our nation is facing a massive shortage of lab pros that is getting worse daily as a big chunk of us (including me) are at or approaching retirement age. Not really a comment on this article, I just get a little cranky that lab doesn't get mentioned in these discussions, but even if you have allll the nurses and doctors you're sunk if you can't run lab tests.
Ours is a smol rural hospital, and all but the easiest lab work has been subbed out to LabCorp. Shit that used to be routine now takes a day or two to get back to the docs and at least another day before the patient hears the news. Murrica.
Regarding the pharmacy tuition prices: It's the supply and demand issue. The schools are gatekeeping based on grades already, due to the limited number of slots. Acceptance rates are low - there's usually 2-3 (or more) applicants for each spot at a PharmD program.
So the next level of gatekeeping is to just charge at will to try to discourage those applications to go anywhere else.
I honestly agree that tuition for most medical programs should be covered, in exchange for the recipient of the tuition payment agreeing to work within the state for a certain number of years. We need doctors and nurses and pharmacists and dentists in rural places? Pay the locals to go to an in state school and stick around, instead of going $200,000 in debt and then having to chase the biggest paycheck possible in another state.
I visited the Orlando area many years ago and asked about the preponderance of Walgreens. I was told that the company mandated that they be built no closer than a mile apart. With lots of retirees, that makes some sense.
I've been to a couple of local CVSes, including one inside a Target, that had one pharmacist running the place entirely alone. They don't answer the phone because who is there to answer the phone? They've stopped monitoring people after vaccinations because who has time to sit there for 15 minutes? They can't fill prescriptions because there's a line of people at the desk.
I have drugs that I need to survive, and I fully support this walkout.
I noticed that my grocery store pharmacy (HEB) has 2 pharmacists and at least 4 techs working during the day. My local CVS- 1 pharmacist and maybe 2 techs on a good day. This is the problem- they are understaffed, overworked and underpaid.
But if we pay people enough so they can afford food and rent, the billionaire class might make 1-2% less through their stock options. How will could stimulate the economy then?
Yes, I know the answer is by having a middle class that can buy goods and services, thereby increasing demand. I don’t get why so many masters of the universe types don’t understand this basic principle of economics.
You have to assume that some bean counter did the calculus and decided that it would be cheaper to pay out lawsuits caused by pharmacist error, than to pay enough workers enough money to do a good job.
Ever since our local Winn Dixie closed their pharmacy after 5 years of the convenience of having them in walking distance, all of my rx were transferred to Walgreens. Words cannot describe how much I hate them. I was put on pain meds about 7 years ago after a car accident and they treated me like a criminal every month. I will never get over how rude they were, as though I was faking it. Every store I went into. I'm thankful not to need those medications anymore and as soon as the Publix down the road opens their new pharmacy, I will be transferring everything to them. Now it's fingers crossed that they don't close my Winn Dixie and replace it with Aldi's as some have done. I get the best deals at WD and of course, like everyone in Florida, l love Publix.
The single positive thing I can say for the Ohio State Legislature is that they've been grilling these companies, especially CVS, on their terrible business practices. Whether that will do anything remains to be seen, but at least it's now on the public record.
For the last 6 months or so, our local grocery in-store pharmacy has been closing at 2:00 for a half hour so the pharmacist can get a lunch break. At first I found this slightly inconvenient, but I just take that into account now and work around the gap without problem. Better than having the person in charge of my (many) medications being unable to focus due to overwork!
There are luxury pharmacies for the rich. I wish I didn't know that.
https://www.cedrapharmacy.com/welcome
Hah! Rich people just have their staff wait in line for them. They almost never set foot in an actual store.
One of my goals is to never set foot in any of my local CVS pharmacies again. Even before the pandemic, stores were dirty, there were ridiculously long lines even for prescription pickups, and I lost my temper at least once because the pharmacy had not only filled the wrong prescription, but also got pissy with me when I arrived five minutes early to pick it up. I think they make most of their money selling liquor.
So weird to live in a time where Go Fund Me is the safety net for society.
The CVS near me just closes the pharmacy down from 12:30-1:00 so they can have a lunch break.
Also, when discussing health-care professionals and shortages, medical lab professionals are often left out of the conversation, but without labs you really can't have hospitals. Our nation is facing a massive shortage of lab pros that is getting worse daily as a big chunk of us (including me) are at or approaching retirement age. Not really a comment on this article, I just get a little cranky that lab doesn't get mentioned in these discussions, but even if you have allll the nurses and doctors you're sunk if you can't run lab tests.
Ours is a smol rural hospital, and all but the easiest lab work has been subbed out to LabCorp. Shit that used to be routine now takes a day or two to get back to the docs and at least another day before the patient hears the news. Murrica.
Regarding the pharmacy tuition prices: It's the supply and demand issue. The schools are gatekeeping based on grades already, due to the limited number of slots. Acceptance rates are low - there's usually 2-3 (or more) applicants for each spot at a PharmD program.
So the next level of gatekeeping is to just charge at will to try to discourage those applications to go anywhere else.
I honestly agree that tuition for most medical programs should be covered, in exchange for the recipient of the tuition payment agreeing to work within the state for a certain number of years. We need doctors and nurses and pharmacists and dentists in rural places? Pay the locals to go to an in state school and stick around, instead of going $200,000 in debt and then having to chase the biggest paycheck possible in another state.
You think rich people go to Walgreens? Oh you poor naïf…
They use mail order so their CVS investments earn them more money?
Do we really need a CVS (or Walgreens, etc) on every corner?
I visited the Orlando area many years ago and asked about the preponderance of Walgreens. I was told that the company mandated that they be built no closer than a mile apart. With lots of retirees, that makes some sense.
Due to the lack of public transit in many parts of the country...... yes.
I've been to a couple of local CVSes, including one inside a Target, that had one pharmacist running the place entirely alone. They don't answer the phone because who is there to answer the phone? They've stopped monitoring people after vaccinations because who has time to sit there for 15 minutes? They can't fill prescriptions because there's a line of people at the desk.
I have drugs that I need to survive, and I fully support this walkout.
"This includes rich people, who as far as I know, have to use the same pharmacists as the rest of us."
Do they? Many doctors in my area have moved to "concierge care", unaffordable to a prole like me. Is there not a pharmacological equivalent?
There is.
I noticed that my grocery store pharmacy (HEB) has 2 pharmacists and at least 4 techs working during the day. My local CVS- 1 pharmacist and maybe 2 techs on a good day. This is the problem- they are understaffed, overworked and underpaid.
"shocker: pay people a living wage and have them work reasonable hours."
But if we pay people enough so they can afford food and rent, the billionaire class might make 1-2% less through their stock options. How will could stimulate the economy then?
Yes, I know the answer is by having a middle class that can buy goods and services, thereby increasing demand. I don’t get why so many masters of the universe types don’t understand this basic principle of economics.
Even the otherwise awful Henry Ford understood that much
Yep. It was his one good quality.
the pure existential dread of it all!
I mean it sounds so simple when you put it like that but capital doesn't seem interested until the guillotines and tumbrels come out.
yeah, because there is no incentive to do otherwise. profits must be optimized after all.
You have to assume that some bean counter did the calculus and decided that it would be cheaper to pay out lawsuits caused by pharmacist error, than to pay enough workers enough money to do a good job.
same as with security in retail. yeah.
COMMUNISM!
end of western civilization and whatnot
Ever since our local Winn Dixie closed their pharmacy after 5 years of the convenience of having them in walking distance, all of my rx were transferred to Walgreens. Words cannot describe how much I hate them. I was put on pain meds about 7 years ago after a car accident and they treated me like a criminal every month. I will never get over how rude they were, as though I was faking it. Every store I went into. I'm thankful not to need those medications anymore and as soon as the Publix down the road opens their new pharmacy, I will be transferring everything to them. Now it's fingers crossed that they don't close my Winn Dixie and replace it with Aldi's as some have done. I get the best deals at WD and of course, like everyone in Florida, l love Publix.