CVS and Walgreen’s pharmacy chains are in the news again concerning prescription drug mistakes. were investigated concerning their policies to fill prescriptions. The study, conducted by USA Today, showed that the chains focus heavily on filling prescriptions as fast as possible. This focus, however, causes them to have a less than necessary focus on patient safety. The study found the following problems:
1. Too many prescriptions, too few pharmacists
2. An emphasis on speed (vs. safety)
3. A heavy reliance on technicians (vs. pharmacists)
4. Pharmacists incentive awards (again, too focused on speed vs. safety)
5. Counseling gaps with patients filling prescriptions
All of the above show that Walgreens and CVS are focused on filling as many prescriptions as quickly and as cheaply as possible.
With this type of corporate mentality, more prescription errors are highly likely in Kentucky and throughout the United States.