IL pharmacist strike over, but safety issues remain
Patient Safety Monitor Alert
September 1, 2005
Walgreens pharmacists returned to work last month after a 19-day strike, but the union claims that patient safety issues have not yet been resolved. A company spokesman, meanwhile, said the pharmacy's practices are safe and that the entire issue is a red herring, according to an article in the Chicago-area based Pioneer Press.Walgreen pharmacists say they fill more than 20 prescriptions per hour, and that kind of volume can lead to medication errors. With so many scripts to fill, pharmacists have very little time to check medications for negative interactions, medical histories or for patient consultations.
Walgreens, meanwhile, maintains that it uses state-of-the art pharmacy equipment and do not overwork their pharmacists. The safety issue was never on the table until the union went public with its complaints, according to a Walgreens representative.
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