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NCPA polled 85 community pharmacies in 26 snow-plagued states over a seven-day period in February, while much of the East Coast was still digging out from "Snowmageddon" and some areas braced for additional winter precipitation.
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"Like many Americans, community pharmacists are anxious to put this long winter season in the rear-view mirror," said Joseph H. Harmison, PD, President of NCPA and an Arlington, Texas pharmacist. "Parts of the country experienced record snowfall. Certainly, that exacerbated the winter problems that community pharmacists experienced."
The survey findings reveal a deep commitment to continue serving patients despite the trying circumstances:
"These community pharmacists truly stepped up when the patient need was greatest," Harmison added. "That commitment is one reason why pharmacists are consistently among the public's most-trusted professions."
The survey included open-ended, descriptive pharmacist responses:
The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA®) represents America's community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 22,700 independent community pharmacies, pharmacy franchises, and chains. Together they represent an $88 billion health-care marketplace, employ over 65,000 pharmacists, and dispense over 40% of all retail prescriptions. To learn more go to www.ncpanet.org or read NCPA's blog, The Dose, at http://ncpanet.wordpress.com.
-- 79% managed to maintain normal business hours, with some pharmacies opening early or staying late as necessary. Some used generators to supply power and remain open. Others extended phone services to meet emergency needs. -- 36% expanded their pharmacy's home delivery service area to accommodate additional patients. Sometimes this included traversing unplowed roads in four-wheel-drive vehicles or picking up groceries for homebound patients. -- 45% witnessed an increase in the number of patients needing emergency fills due to the lack of mail service. Meeting this need usually required either contacting the physician or a lengthy phone call to the insurance company or pharmacy benefit manager for an override. In other cases, pharmacists provided a short-term supply at no cost to the patient and without reimbursement to the community pharmacy.
SOURCE National Community Pharmacists Association
