Chain pharmacies like Rite Aid and Walgreens have provided more than 180 million COVID-19 vaccines through federal programs at over 20,000 testing sites across the country since the vaccine became available.
This expanded role is part of the reason why the National Association of Chain Drug Stores is calling on the federal government to make that role permanent moving forward.
The N.A.C.D.S. released three reports outlining chain pharmacies importance as the nation continues to adapt to the virus and its various mutations.
N.A.C.D.S. Senior Vice President Sara Roszak believes chain pharmacies are well equipped to handle an increased workload.
“The government should permanently expand pharmacy scope of practice across all states to improve care,” she said.
But how will an expanded role for retail pharmacies affect smaller local pharmacies?
Brighton Eggert Pharmacy Owner Don Arthur said the initial release of the vaccine was frustrating for him since federal and local governments handled the rollout but he’s been better able to serve his community now having access to the vaccine.
“Where we were frustrated as providers and where our community was frustrated is that in the beginning we just weren't part of that distribution process,” he said. “We recognized that there weren't enough vaccines. It wasn't about giving us extra vaccines, it was about giving us any vaccines.”
Arthur, who has two other pharmacies in the Buffalo-area, questioned if communities wouldn’t be better served with community pharmacies handling COVID care.
“We're able to adjust much, much more quickly than our Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS competition,” he said. “And what I mean by that is we had 30 employees 90 days ago, we had 50 employees last winter when testing was at its peak. We adjusted to 30 employees two months ago and we now are approaching 70 employees and what the difference is, the vaccination program is a little more labor intensive.”
This includes adding 25 nurses and other staff as the workload requires.
Arthur believes the N.A.C.D.S. recommendations would overburden those chain pharmacists.
“That's what our country has been facing; workforce issues,” he said. “Not a shortage of licensed pharmacists. But again, it's the workload. It's the large employers, the chain pharmacies, adding workload to these individual chain stores. Both vaccinations and testing, where their current staff absolutely cannot handle that edit workflow.”
Arthur said his pharmacies administer between 200 and 250 vaccines per day total.
“I just don't think you can, on that level, large corporations of that size I just don't think you can quickly add 40 to 50 employees per store as I have at the Brighton Eggert pharmacy to address the needs of the community in terms of testing and vaccination,” he said.
Other than primary care physicians Arthur said community and chain pharmacies are the best places for patients to go for care and is hopeful chains will be able to adapt to be able to take care of more patients.
