VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Walgreens is dealing with a massive influx of prescription orders.
Rich Rosa: Empty shelves and empty coolers. This is the scene at many Rite Aid stores across Central New York. According to court documents filed in late May, five stores are closing, including locations in Syracuse, North Syracuse, Utica, Rome, and Baldwinsville. Many customers are turning to Walgreens for their prescription needs. Aaron DiMezzo, a pharmacist at the Walgreens on James Street in Syracuse, says some people are struggling to find a new pharmacy with Rite Aid closing its doors.
Aaron DiMezzo: The patients in this area are definitely going to be inconvenienced by this, especially since this area is mostly insured by Fidelis and Molina. And both of those insurances do not have a contract with Walgreens. So those patients, even though I have their prescriptions starting on Tuesday, I’m unable to bill their prescriptions to their insurance. So they will basically have to find a different pharmacy.
Rosa: J’Brielle Bullock, a former pharmacy technician at Rite Aid in Maryland, started as a technician at Walgreens last week. She says she is focused on one day at a time.
J’Brielle Bullock: I would say I just treat it like a regular day. Obviously, it is a little more busier going back and forth from the register to find prescriptions. People have a lot of questions. I would say that the hotline that Walgreens has set up for Rite Aid patients, I think that is very helpful because we can always just direct them to that hotline.
Rosa: DiMezzo says this is a stressful time for Walgreens.
DiMezzo: I’m mildly overwhelmed, but mildly. They are hiring a third pharmacist for us. So generally stores are operating with two pharmacists trading off and overlapping one day a week, so they can communicate and get what needs to be done. But we will now be a three-pharmacist store.
Rosa: DiMezzo says other reinforcements include hiring more pharmacy technicians. The pharmacy is also extending their business hours to deal with the massive influx of prescription orders. In Syracuse, Rich Rosa, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — A nationwide pharmacy chain has filed for bankruptcy, leaving customers scrambling to find new pharmacies to pick up their prescriptions.
Customers visiting Rite Aid stores across Central New York will find empty shelves and coolers.
According to court documents filed in late May, five stores are closing, including locations in Syracuse, North Syracuse, Utica, Rome, and Baldwinsville.
Many residents are turning to Walgreens for their prescription needs.
Aaron DiMezzo, a pharmacist at the Walgreens on James Street in Syracuse, said many people are struggling to find a new pharmacy with Rite Aid closing its doors.
“The patients in this area are definitely going to be inconvenienced by this, especially since this area is mostly insured by Fidelis and Molina. And both of those insurances do not have a contract with Walgreens. So those patients, even though I have their prescriptions starting on Tuesday, I’m unable to bill their prescriptions to their insurance. So they will basically have to find a different pharmacy,” DiMezzo said.
DiMezzo said the pharmacy has seen an uptick in prescriptions over the last few weeks.
J’Brielle Bullock, a former pharmacy technician at Rite Aid in Maryland, started as a technician at Walgreens last week. She said she is focused on one day at a time.
“I would say I just treat it like a regular day. Obviously, it is a little more busier going back and forth from the register to find prescriptions. People have a lot of questions. I would say that the hotline that Walgreens has set up for Rite Aid patients, I think that is very helpful because we can always just direct them to that hotline,” Bullock said.
Bullock started working at Rite Aid in February. A month later, the chain filed for bankruptcy for the first batch of stores across the country. She was going to transfer to a Rite Aid in Central New York when she returned home to the area.
She was wondering if she would find a job with a different company.
“I would say the grace of God, I was able to get a job, but I kind of went into a little bit of a panic,” Bullock said.
DiMezzo said this is a stressful time for Walgreens.
“I’m mildly overwhelmed, but mildly. They are hiring a third pharmacist for us. So generally stores are operating with two pharmacists trading off and overlapping one day a week, so they can communicate and get what needs to be done. But we will now be a three-pharmacist store,” DiMezzo said.
DiMezzo said other reinforcements include hiring more pharmacy technicians.
The pharmacy is also extending its business hours to deal with the massive influx of prescriptions.
Customers should expect longer wait times for their orders as Rite Aid stores are closing in the city. The store in Shop City Plaza on Teall Avenue in Syracuse is closing on Tuesday.
