Giant Eagle explains how it's dealing with influx of prescriptions from dozens of Rite Aid stores
After acquiring the prescription files from nearly 80 Rite Aid stores, Giant Eagle acknowledges it's at a pinch point right now, but the company hopes it'll only get better from here on out.
Photos show long lines of customers weaving through store aisles, waiting to pick up their prescriptions. It's the reality right now at some higher volume Giant Eagle pharmacy locations.
"Even some of our stores that do have a more substantial pharmacy area within the store, they only have so many registers to be able to be using, so we're looking at expanding those opportunities to even bring more people in and help the flow of traffic go even more smoothly," said Giant Eagle public relations manager Jannah Drexler.
Drexler says customers should anticipate some store remodeling and expanded pharmacy hours at some locations. Plus they're actively looking to fill 200 pharmacy jobs, with 92 posted on the website already, including 38 full-time and 54 part-time.
"It's atypical that wait times are so long, even with increased traffic. But it's just, I think, a lot of the novelty for folks that are coming over from Rite Aid," Drexler said.
Giant Eagle purchased the prescription files from 78 Rite Aid pharmacy locations, so that's a big influx of new customers.
They hired 190 Rite Aid team members, but many can't start yet because they're working through the closure of their Rite Aid store and then training at Giant Eagle.
"So we're really just now starting to have some of those folks join in the store rotations and then the schedules. So we do anticipate that making a pretty big impact over the coming weeks as we start to work these newly hired and trained team members in," Drexler said.
Customers both new and old should give the pharmacies as much heads-up as possible, and when you're filling a medication that requires an insurance reauthorization, like for any controlled substance like AHDH medication, keep in mind it could take longer.
Drexler says while they're beefing up the staff, pharmacists remain focused.
"We want to make sure that our pharmacists are not in a position to be rushing through anything, to make sure that patient safety is at the forefront. So unfortunately, in this situation, that does sometimes mean that there is just a little bit longer of a wait, but ultimately we think that the patient safety piece of this needs to always be the top priority," Drexler said.
Giant Eagle says to give as much lead time as you can, but if you do need a prescription filled same day or on the spot, engage in a conversation with the pharmacy.
She also said to call the customer care line or talk to the store's leadership team if you see anything happening in the store, good or bad, as they work through this increased workload.
