Staffing Issues Are Hitting Pharmacies, too—and with Flu Season Here, the Timing Couldn’t Be Worse

We’re all well aware that urgent care centers are wrestling with shortages of clinical staff, x-ray technicians, and various other essential positions. It’s especially challenging when patient visits start to swell, such as during flu season. Be aware that the situation could get dire as the weeks roll on, however. According to an article just published by Becker’s Hospital Review, drugstores are having their own troubles with pharmacist staffing—and it’s starting to hinder their ability to keep up with demand for flu shots. Compliance with recommendations to get vaccinated has been low this year, to date, which at least some experts are saying could be explained by short staffing in drugstores. This could all have significant downstream effects on urgent care visits if patients give up and ultimately forego getting a flu shot this year. The JUCM archive includes a pair of articles that could be helpful in assessing your readiness to help patients avoid influenza infection or to treat patients who are infected. Head there now to read An Urgent Care Approach to Influenza—Before Onset and Treating Patients Infected with Influenza Virus in the Urgent Care Setting.