Still more Ohio CVS pharmacies accused of staffing-related problems

Still more Ohio CVS pharmacies accused of staffing-related problems

Ohio Capital Journal

November 30, 2023

In hearings into conditions at one of its Ohio stores, lawyers for pharmacy giant CVS last month told regulators that problems were due to understaffing and extra tasks imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. But the Ohio Board of Pharmacy continues to find such problems—which could threaten patient safety—at CVS stores across Ohio. Some were found as recently as late September. The board on Tuesday issued notices of possible violations against two additional CVS stores and at one where it previously found problems. They come in addition to citations against about a dozen other CVS stores. The most recent citations accuse CVS of improper handling of dangerous drugs, dirty conditions and six-day backlogs in filling prescriptions. As it has previously, CVS called the findings “isolated incidents.” “We are working cooperatively with the Board of Pharmacy to resolve these isolated incidents,” spokesman Matt Blanchette said in an email. ... Current and former employees have told the Capital Journal that CVS management didn’t increase staff enough at those stores to handle the new prescriptions, creating miserable working conditions and massive turnover. Regulatory inspections obtained earlier this year found a lack of controls over dangerous drugs—including opioids—expired and adulterated drugs on shelves, and at least one instance of an improperly filled prescription that harmed a patient. At one store, there was a month-long backlog to fill prescriptions.

[Editor’s Note: To view a five-minute Boston Globe video report, “CVS pharmacists are burned out and frustrated. What’s being done?,” click here.]