USA Today, December 15, 2022, Bailey Schulz
Major chains like Walgreens and Rite Aid say they’ve had to curb operating hours due to a national labor shortage. Experts say this shift – along with retail pharmacy closures – can hinder access to prescriptions, especially for low-income patients.
Reduced operating hours at pharmacies can be more than just an inconvenience, according to Dima Qato, an associate professor of pharmacy at the University of Southern California.
“It’s kind of akin to a pharmacy closing for some people,” she said. “A pharmacy is no good just to consumers that can only go to the pharmacy after five or six if it suddenly shortens its hours.”
“There are multiple stories about pharmacists just getting overwhelmed. The stress level and burnout is high,” Qato said. “So pharmacists leave, and stores have to shorten” their hours.