CVS and Walmart cut pharmacy hours, close some locations earlier, citing staffing shortage

[mahatmakanejeeves]

CVS and Walmart cut pharmacy hours, close some locations earlier, citing staffing shortage

CNN

January 27, 2023, 10:56 AM

An apparent shortage of pharmacists is forcing CVS and Walmart to reduce the hours of its pharmacies, as they close earlier in thousands of locations.

Beginning in March, both retailers will either cut or shift the hours that their pharmacies operate in response to staffing shortages and waning consumer demand as the height of the Covid-19 pandemic recedes. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news.

Walmart, which has pharmacies in most of its 4,600 US locations, will close them two hours earlier, at 7 pm. CVS will shift or cut hours at about 6,000 US pharmacies.

For CVS, adjusting its hours is an attempt to ensure its “pharmacy teams are available to serve patients when they’re most needed,” the company said in a statement to CNN. The changes are part of its “regular course of business,” it added, so its hours meet customer demand.

{snip}

[thinkingagain]

1. My local Walgreens

Has done the same thing they have no weekend hours and are only open 10 to 6 Monday through Friday
Making picking up prescriptions difficult if you work

[CharleyDog]

2. our rural town has Rite Aide; the pharmacy was closed for a month because they had no pharmacist.

This was back in November. Our town has two pharmacies, one was closed.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Our local WalMart pharmacy already closes at 7 and has for a long time.

They also discontinued curbside pickup of Rx. Tough luck if you're in a vulnerable population and want to stay out of WalMart.

I don't like WM in general, but their low-cost Rx program is a big boon for seniors on fixed income.

[Meadowoak]

4. Amazon is getting into the prescription drug business.

They will take a huge chunk of business from CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart.

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. The local Kroger

has been in trouble for months because they can't find a permanent pharmacist or techs. Apparently the pharmacist quit in August or September and the techs all walked out in solidarity. There is now one tech and a rotating bunch of pharmacists that the regional Kroger sends. I switched Medicare Part D and they are no longer on my plan.

I am now getting my regular meds delivered by mail and anything I need immediately goes to the Walgreens in the little village next door. Interesting thing about that place--it was a great big mega-drug store but apparently couldn't make it and moved down the road to a building about a quarter the size it was. Now it's a bare-bones pharmacy doing mostly drive-through.