CVS in Jackson Township gets probation, $250K fine over inspection violations
JACKSON TWP. − The Ohio Board of Pharmacy has issued a $250,000 fine against the CVS store at 7292 Fulton Drive and placed it under probation after an inspection found risks to patient safety.
The state board issued its decision Tuesday in the case stemming from a Sept. 13, 2021, visit by inspectors that identified numerous problems related to understaffing and drug security. Agents observed a closed pharmacy lobby, 10 vehicles in the drive-thru and a backlog of prescriptions.
“We hope that this decision will send a strong message to Ohio pharmacies that they have an obligation to serve their patients by ensuring appropriate staffing levels,” Ohio Board of Pharmacy Executive Director Steven W. Schierholt said in a prepared statement. “The Board will continue to inspect and hold those accountable for working conditions that endanger patients and pharmacy staff.”
It's one of at least 15 CVS stores now cited by the state board for safety issues, according to reports by the Ohio Capital Journal. CVS attorneys blamed the coronavirus pandemic and a labor shortage during disciplinary hearings for the Jackson Township store.
But CVS employees told the Ohio Capital Journal that managers refused to increase staff hours and the company pushed revenue-generating vaccine services.
"We’re aware of the Ohio Board of Pharmacy’s decision regarding our Fulton Drive NW pharmacy and will continue to work with the board collaboratively," CVS said in a prepared statement. "The allegations stem from BOP inspections in 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’ve made great strides to improve the conditions there in the years since, including putting a strong pharmacy team in place that continues to provide high-quality care to patients. We’re committed to ensuring there are appropriate levels of staffing and resources at our pharmacies."
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy recently filed rules with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review to enhance regulations of pharmacy working conditions that would mandate rest breaks and the dispensing of medications without "significant delay."
The board's order against the Jackson Township store places it on probation for at least three years and involves a list of operating requirements. The CVS store must:
Schedule "sufficient personnel" to minimize fatigue, distractions and safety risks to the public.
Develop a process for pharmacy staff to request additional staff or report concerns in writing.
Refrain from retaliating against employees who request additional staff or report concerns.
Process all new and refill prescription requests within three business days and process prescriptions generated by an auto-refill program within five business days.
Not administer vaccines when only a single pharmacist is on duty and that person determines that it cannot be safely administered.
Be responsible for any costs associated with the state board's terms and conditions.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: CVS Pharmacy in Jackson Township Ohio put on probation, fined $250,000
