Nadia Ahmad on LinkedIn: After witnessing some turbulence in the pharmacy world on my #linkedin… | 20 comments (2025)

Notice any changes in the quality of service at CVS or Walgreen Pharmacy’s lately? I’ve used CVS in a Target store near my home for years. Not any more. The professional staff who called most of their customers by name and delivered timely and professional service walked out a month ago. The entire team. I had wondered why they had left enmasse. I spoke to disgruntled staff who said that CVS would reduce hours to make budget.Suddenly, long lines formed, untrained replacements, less staff hired, and mistakes in my medications. It took them 5 days to get my prescription filled for a serious condition. I asked to see the manager. “There is no manager,” they said. That explained a lot. But it didn’t explain everything. It’s a common problem these days. I wrote a book about the same harm to consumers by the generation of wealth in the hospice space.So I hunted down the District Manager by phone to no avail. So poorly organized. So clueless. Careless. But managers and well-compensated pharmacists and well-trained techs cost money. I didn’t blame the employees behind the counter. I blame the people in the expensive suits and sporting Italian-leather wingtips and heels sitting in corporate offices in their catbird seats. Smug with pleasure and luxury up to their eyeballs.Grumbling customers standing in line with me said, “Don’t bother going to Walgreens, it’s just as bad there.”Consequently, I started digging. It took all of ten minutes. Almost a year ago, on October 30, 2023, “employees at some of the largest CVS chains in the U. S. staged a series of walkouts to demand that CVS fix harsh working conditions that made it difficult to safely fill prescriptions and could put the health of their customers at risk.” You could also add low pay, long hours, and understaffing to the gripes. Recently, CVS and Walgreen’s pharmacists finally fought for a thirty-minute lunch hour so they could shutter the counter and endulge in a mini-break and actually shove down a meal. I envision them hunkered down in a back room clearing off tables with unopened shipments eating PB&J sandwiches. Imagine that, time to self-nourish. Pharmacists have four years of training beyond a bachelor’s degree in a PharmD Program. They definitely need to unionize. Who would want to go into this field being treated like this? So where does all of the corporate money go? Certainly, not to employees or federal taxes.The problem here lies at the feet of their CEOS, their institutional owners, their executives, shareholders, and their investors. CVS Health Corp is worth $73.40 billion. The most recent data for Walgreens is $27.63 billion. The scenario here is clear: Greed. Lack of empathy. And immorality. That equals a toxic work culture. They really don’t care about their employees or their customers. It’s about the money.And this post doesn’t even take into account the price of prescription drugs. At least, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking aim at lowering our costs.

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This is heartbreaking, but a reality we know all too well. My mother worked as a pharmacist for nearly three decades, and the way customers, managers, and coworkers treated her was absolutely horrendous. The companies she worked for never had her back -- constantly making her work 12+hr days in a culture of fear and punishment to serve corporate greed. She never took a lunch break. She was constantly on her feet because people would be demanding her attention from the moment she walked in the store, to the moment she left. Thankfully, she is out of the business now and rightfully enjoying her retirement, but we should never be so cruel to the people who provide -- quite literally -- life-saving services to the public. These companies should be ashamed and held accountable for their deadly actions, and pharmacists and techs should be better supported unilaterally throughout this industry. And if you are a customer, treat your pharmacists with dignity and respect -- that means not demanding they work outside normal hours because *you* have somewhere to be. Even the smallest acts you consider "minor inconveniences" are someone's day to day. #stress #pharmacy #pharmacist #riteaid #walgreens #cvs #toxicworkplace #accountability

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A heartbreaking yet grim reality of the DANGEROUS retail pharmacy climate. Pharmacists & co. are overwhelmed, overworked, understaffed and forced to cut corners. Both staff and patients are suffering the brutal consequences of unsafe working conditions. Continuing to give our business to retail pharmacies only postpones, at best, reformation. Prescribers and attorneys: if your loved one was injured at work, would you feel confident sending them into the lions den that is retail pharmacy? Especially knowing the uphill battles your teams fight daily within the (fatally flawed) work comp carrier system? Injured workers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have the right to choose their pharmacy, regardless of carrier recommendation. As patient advocates, it’s all of our responsibility to educate on the safest options available.IWP - the work comp pharmacy expert - offers safe, uninterrupted, red-carpet service to vulnerable injured workers. All while taking the paperwork load off medical and legal staff - a no brainer!

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Not everyone will agree with my statements below.This story is not unique. Citing academic research doesn't necessarily improve reader comprehension, particularly when the research relies on comparisons and assumptions that may not align with real-world relevance.The article references a study from the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, which points out the difficulties of working in chain pharmacy settings. This study exemplifies how statistical models can yield results irrespective of data quality and underlying assumptions. Fred Canning, a past president of Walgreens, frequently remarked that statistical averages might suggest normalcy - like an average temperature of 98.6 degrees in a scenario where one's head is in an oven and feet in an icebox - but the reality can be quite dire.Employment in drug chain stores differs markedly from working in independent pharmacies or hospital healthcare. There are notable differences in workload and clinical tasks. The retail framework prioritizes efficient, high-volume prescription processing. Pharmacists in these settings are equipped with tools to handle high volumes and assist with certain pharmacist duties. However, this does not necessarily imply that the approach or technology used is optimal.In a conversation with a pharmacy manager, formerly with Walgreen, about his transition to a less performing outpatient pharmacy, he expressed his preference for the reduced workload and slower pace. This observation underscores the benefits of working in an under-performing pharmacy without stringent goals. No statistics required.Tim Wentworth faces the challenge of redefining the role of the drug chain pharmacists to support the Company's foray into healthcare, with a business model that is designed for delivery and not clinical work. The real question is whether the future state finds a place for pharmacists or if the predictable nature of pharmacology will be relegated to AI.Finally, I agree with the editors of the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association who reportedly resisted singling out the pharmacy sector. The pursuit of both internal and external rewards is a universal aspect of professional life. However, the issue arises because not everyone can or should aspire to be in leadership positions.https://lnkd.in/gQGnsc7Z

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Food for thought: Future of Pharmacy In current environment many Pharmacists are encountering overwhelming challenges in their daily jobs- long hours, inadequate staffing, dealing with disgruntled customers, and fearful of their own, and most importantly Pharmacist burnout. Leaders need to find solutions for these acute challenges happening right now as well as the long-term strategies to ensure industry success and better Pharmacist & Customer safety. Future of Pharmacy: Technology, Automation and AI: The U.S. market for automation in pharmacy is expected to grow exponentially throughout the next decade. The automated dispensing cabinet market, alone, is expected to grow to $7.95 billion by 2030. To make the most of technology, pharmacy leaders should prepare and train staff how to use and leverage technology for patient care and pharmacy services.

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Remembering Ashleigh Anderson (04/07/1980 – 09/10/ 2021)I'm stepping out of my comfort zone with this post, as I avoid criticizing organizations or industries. Yet, today, I'm overwhelmed with sadness recalling the tragedy of Ashleigh Anderson, a 41-year-old dedicated pharmacist, who passed away in 2021 under heart-wrenching circumstances. In the prime of her life, Ashleigh faced a dilemma many in our profession can relate to - caught between her health crisis and her commitment to her job. Despite suspecting she was suffering a heart attack, she chose to prioritize her patients, colleagues, and responsibilities over her well-being. She sent a text to her boyfriend explaining her fears of a heart attack but also her reluctance to leave without a replacement. Tragically, that text was the last one she ever sent.My experience as a second-generation pharmacist, once working under the immense pressures of large chain retailers, gives me insight into the dilemma Ashleigh faced. She likely feared the consequences of closing the pharmacy, which by law cannot operate without a pharmacist. If I were to guess, Ashleigh probably feared disappointing her patients, colleagues or risking her job security. This story hits close to home as my father, a retired retail pharmacist, also faced a severe health crisis. He suffered from a life-threatening bowel obstruction due to an incarcerated hernia. Unable to find a replacement for his shift, his condition worsened to a critical state. It's a stark reminder of the relentless demands placed on individuals in this field.This tragic loss of Ashleigh Anderson should serve as an urgent wake-up call for the retail pharmacy industry. However, the response to this incident seems lacking in urgency. We must use Ashleigh's story to ignite a much-needed conversation and drive change across social media platforms and within the industry, honoring her memory and protecting future pharmacists from similar fates. Pharmacists Lives Matter! #shewaited #AshleighAnderson #pharmacies #pharmacists #healthcarecrisis #retailpharmacy #change #pharmacyreformhttps://lnkd.in/gYJUghsH

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https://lnkd.in/gvDafT-YSafety first 👍 (remember…Healthcare 101 lol) good job Ohio BOP on sending out an important message and consequences to the **poor** decision makers inside their corporate bubble. I can’t stress enough how dangerous of an environment this company’s decision makers put their front-line workers in day after day, season after season. I hope this puts a new focus on SAFETY for our healthcare professionals and patients and less about profits and shareholders. #saynotocvs

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💊 This week has been insanely busy on a Pharmacy front - all of the changes happening right now within the industry has had subsequent ripples across community. Businesses are needing to adapt.One thing that's clear though is that the service demands community Pharmacists are now needing to keep up with requires an extra level of support in branch with checking. ACT's are one option for that, Pharmacists another. As a business owner it leaves you with a predicament, funding issues means less income and more emphasis on services, but to do that - more staff. One option to combat rising costs without the need of employing a second Pharmacist is bringing a Pharmacist in on a long-term locum contract - guaranteeing yourself x days per week, a certain notice period and all with the locum being self employed so saving yourself on certain things such as employers NI etc. Just this week I've had 11 Pharmacists across the country get in touch asking for help to find them work - 6 looking for employed jobs, 5 looking for long-term locum contract. If you're a business owner and struggling to meet the rising costs then this is a potential option to consider. If you need help weighing up options then reach out and I can help you go through them.#pharmacy #pharmacist

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Pharmacist Ghassoub El Assaad calls out #loneliness in patients. “ I have elderly patients that come by on a daily basis not to buy anything, they just want to have a chat.. It might be the only genuine social interaction that they may have on that day!So today when you clock into work, forget about the prescriptions, forget about business “KPIs” and “targets” (just for a moment 🤣) and remember what pharmacy is!”There is a growing movement of #pharmacists recognising the importance of addressing loneliness. Let’s learn more about loneliness so we can speak about it confidently, help reduce the stigma associated with loneliness and move toward helping address (and prevent) loneliness in our patients. #watchthisspaceReach out to pharmacist and founder Jenny Kirschner if you would like to share what you are doing in your roleas a pharmacist to address loneliness. "PharmacyDownUnder"

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How are your pharmacy's staffing levels? Inadequate? Just right? We're-a-unicorn-everyone-loves-it-here-perfect? Whatever your answer, we want to hear from you for our newest research endeavor – a survey to gauge staffing levels at pharmacies across the United States. Whether you work in a hospital, closed-door fulfillment center, drive-thru retail pharmacy or independently owned shop, your experience matters. Whether you're a pharmacist, a tech or a cashier, we need your input.This survey is completely anonymous. We don't need your name or any personally identifying information. We do need your honest feedback. The fine print:- Respondents should work in the United States.- Pharmacy employees only (The type of pharmacy doesn't matter, but if your job is not filling prescriptions for patients, the questions may not apply to you.) - One submission per individual (multiple individuals from the same pharmacy may participate separately)#pharmacy #pharmacystaff #pharmacystaffing #healthcare #patientsfirst #pharmacyresearch #survey #pharmacists #understaffed #overstaffed

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