The pharmacy industry is grappling with substantial challenges, as discussed in a recent panel at the Abarca Forward conference in Puerto Rico. The event, hosted by pharmacy benefit manager, Abarca Health, provided an insightful platform for experts, like John Colaizzi Jr., Vice President of Pharmacy Practice at Walgreens, to delve into the issues facing the pharmacy sector today.
Firstly, the regulatory environment was flagged as a significant roadblock. Colaizzi referred to pharmacy as “by far the most regulated medical profession.” He shed light on the laws and regulations being different in every jurisdiction where Walgreens operates. Detailed challenges were cited with reference to restrictions around centralized prescription filling services, a system where a central pharmacy location dispenses medications for multiple retail pharmacies, which is currently not legalized in five states.
The second and equally pressing issue is the workforce shortage in the pharmacy industry. Colaizzi claimed that pharmacists faced incredible operational strain due to the volume of Covid tests and vaccines, which led to a workforce depletion. Statistics showed an alarming decrease of around 35% in the number of pharmacists graduating from pharmacy school since 2018, which he argued, is occurring during a time of increasing demand for prescriptions and pharmacy services.
Addressing the workforce issue, Colaizzi explained that Walgreens is introducing automation in prescription drug filling and leverages pharmacy technicians more proactively. The company also initiated the Deans Advisory Council, comprising 17 colleges of pharmacy, to help motivate more individuals to join the pharmacy industry.
Alongside, efforts are being made to establish a national pharmacy union, in response to working conditions in large chains such as Walgreens and CVS. Issues such as pay, secure hours, and working conditions for pharmacy technicians have emerged at the forefront of the debate. Shane Jerominski, a pharmacist and co-founder of the union, argued that these conditions are contributing to the decreasing interest in joining the pharmacy industry. Consequently, there’s been a massive reduction in the amount of students wanting to go into pharmacy due to these negative aspects.
For an in-depth understanding of the issues discussed, you may read the full report on MedCity News.