MILWAUKEE — In the past few days, a major pharmacy shut down both in Shorewood and Racine. The problem is a shortage of pharmacists.
Pharmacist Kyle Beyer usually has a steady stream of customers at the North Shore Pharmacy on Capitol Drive in Shorewood. But on Friday, Aug.26 he saw some new faces. They were people who normally go to Walgreens in Shorewood.
"We had several patients looking to get their prescriptions filled but they were unable to get it because their pharmacy was closed. So tried our best, called neighboring stores, we were on hold for a while, so it created a little bit of chaos,” said Beyer.
Walgreens told TMJ4 its Shorewood location was closed on Friday from eight to noon. It also said its store in Racine and Durand and Lathrop closed after four on Friday, Aug. 26 and all day Saturday, Aug. 27.
A Walgreens spokesperson said in a statement, “Generally speaking, what we have been seeing in some areas is consistent with what many other healthcare entities have been experiencing – staffing challenges due to the ongoing labor shortage and ongoing demand for COVID-related services. As a result, there are some instances in which we’ve had to adjust or reduce pharmacy operating hours, as we work to balance staffing and resources in the market to best meet customer demand.”
University of Wisconsin Pharmacy professor David Krelig says pharmacist burnout is real. The universities have increased their programs to try to combat staffing shortages before the pandemic. The Bureau of Labor Statistics had forecasted a four to six percent growth rate for pharmacists between 2019-2021. But that was pre-COVID.
"The new phenomenon is that Covid sent an extra shock to the system that makes some work environments, and maybe a lot of work environments, challenging. Staffing issues, customer complaints, extra duties,” said Knelling.
Kreling says that has caused some people to leave the profession and fewer people to go choose to go into it. Now the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a two percent decline in pharmacists over this decade. The owner of Hayat pharmacy Hashim Zaibak says he is dealing with the issue.
"We are looking for eight pharmacists today,” said Zaibak.
He says he knows burnout is a major issue and he is trying to hire more people so everyone can have a break.
"I haven't had a day off for a couple of months. Honestly, just working continually. Weekends forget about it. Weekends, if I am not here, we would have to close one of the stores,” said Zaibak.
The issue of burnout is one of the reasons Maureen McGuire left her retail pharmacy job for an independent pharmacy. Monday was her first day of work at her new job at Ye Olde Pharmacy in Cedarburg.
"In retail or community pharmacies, most of us work 11 or 12-hour shifts as the only pharmacist and every other weekend. Having done that for how many years, I'm just exhausted and tired of it,” said McGuire.
Independent pharmacies like Hayat try to recruit through word of mouth and job postings. Walgreens says it is relying on bonuses and that amount varies. although sources tell CNN that amount is as much as $75,000.
