I know that everyone – both Pharmacists, technicians and pts would like for things to run smoother. A Pt might be amazed if they took a few minutes to talk to the lead tech or the Pharmacist and just ask them is there anything that I can do that will make YOUR JOB easier so that I can get my necessary medication when it is due. Our PCP office functions on the EPIC EMR system and there is a pt portal called MY CHART. If the refill that we need has no refills on it and/or the refills have expired. I go into MY CHART and request a refill thru that portal. That means that the pharmacy staff doesn’t have to handle the refill first, send it to the practitioner’s office for refills. When I enter it into MY CHART it is easier/quicker for the practitioner to authorize the refill with just a couple of keep strokes and send the new refills back to the pharmacy.
If your pharmacy has a methodology to entire your refills that has authorized refills on them, you will save the pharmacy staff time, but putting your refill numbers in via whatever automated process they have. That is a minute or two that they can continue to focus on filling everyone Rxs instead of taking down refill numbers over the phone.
Try to avoid walking in with your bottles and wanting them filled, while you wait. They could be a hour or two behind from Rxs needing refilled that pts have entered into their automated system. Doing this, you are basically asking them to put you ahead of all the people they may have promised to have their refills ready at a specific time.
Whenever possible we get all refills for 90 day supply. That mean that we don’t have to worry about refills but FOUR TIMES A YEAR, instead of EVERY MONTH. Request your refills at least 7 days ahead of when you will need them. If they tell you it is too early, just ask them to put in their queue, so that they will fill it when they can.
Generally, the pharmacy staff will be more than happy to help you, if you have a problem, if you help them make their work life easier by using the automated system on refills when you can.
Pharmacists’ suicides in Pennsylvania spark concerns
Multiple pharmacists’ suicides in Lancaster spark concerns over workload, patient safety
Updated: 7:08 PM EDT Jul 28, 2025
LANCASTER, Pa. —
A pharmacist does more than just dispense medications. They also give immunizations, handle patient questions, and talk to other healthcare professionals.
A national pharmacist workforce study done last year showed a majority of pharmacists rated their workload level as “high” or “excessively high,” especially those at chain and mass merchandiser pharmacies.
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News 8 On Your Side’s Susan Shapiro looked into it after several recent suicides among pharmacists in the Susquehanna Valley and elsewhere, and how it impacts patient safety.
A now-vacant apartment was home to Mason Porta in the two years he lived in Lancaster.
In his off hours, the 28-year-old from Kentucky played music in a makeshift studio on the second floor.
“He loved music. He loved singing and playing and writing songs. He’s a good boy,” said Mason’s dad, Michael Porta.
That good boy, who graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy in 2023, took his own life here on June 15.
“He spent eight years of his life to get to this point, just starting to benefit from some of the rewards. It doesn’t make sense,” Michael said.
Mason was one of two CVS pharmacists in Lancaster who died by suicide in June. A third CVS pharmacy technician in Chester County was found dead in June, but there has not yet been a ruling in his case.
CVS Statement
CVS said in a statement to News 8:
“We were devastated to learn about the recent deaths of two CVS Pharmacy colleagues. Both men were well-respected pharmacists and valued members of our Lancaster, PA-area CVS Pharmacy team. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. Counseling and support services are being offered to all colleagues.
“Out of respect for these colleagues and their families, we will not speculate on the factors that may have led to their deaths.”
WGAL News 8 also learned a fourth pharmacist in Montgomery County died by suicide in April.
But these deaths have some people concerned about the high-stress levels experienced by many pharmacists in the industry.
In the 2024 National Pharmacist Workforce Study done by the Pharmacy Workforce Center, 73 percent of pharmacists working full-time rated their workload as “high” or “excessively high.”
Ninety-one percent of pharmacists with that response worked in chain or mass merchandiser pharmacies.
“I was at my breaking point,” said pharmacist Kati Forbes.
Kati Forbes was a pharmacist at a high-volume 24-hour CVS store in Indianapolis for more than two years before she quit.
On social media, she blames unmanageable metrics pharmacists must meet and a lack of support for the staff. She e-mailed her concerns to the Indiana Board of Pharmacy and Professional Licensing Agency but never filed a formal complaint.
“I was drowning every day, and I was begging for support and I was just pushed and pushed further under,” Forbes said.
CVS says it is committed to ensuring there are appropriate levels of staffing and resources at stores and pharmacies. The pharmacy giant also tells News 8 in recent years it has reduced the number of metrics it uses to measure performance and that they regularly make investments to help ensure teams are supported.
The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association is aware of the recent suicides. It says pharmacy professionals face demanding workloads, increasing administrative burdens, and at times difficult interactions with patients, all of which contribute to high levels of stress and burnout.
“The Pharmacist Activist”
Dan Hussar is a retired professor at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. He now writes a newsletter, “The Pharmacist Activist.” The most recent issue addressed the suicides.
“There have been isolated suicides among pharmacists before but the suicide rate among pharmacists is higher than general population,” Hussar said.
The most recent study in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association says the suicide rate among pharmacists is almost 20 for every one hundred thousand, compared to 12 for every one hundred thousand in the general population.
“There needs to be investigation by the board of pharmacy,” Hussar said.
Hussar filed a formal complaint with the Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy calling on the board to investigate the workload and staffing at two Lancaster CVS stores where the men worked. Currently, Pennsylvania has no staffing ratio requirements.
In his complaint, Hussar notes that difficult working conditions for pharmacy staff in retail chains could lead to an increased risk of prescription errors.
“That risk just increases as the stress and the demands of the workplace increase,” Hussar said. “This is a matter of public safety, not just the working environment of pharmacists.”
Michael Porta and his youngest son Levi came from Kentucky to clear out Mason’s apartment and try to make sense of what happened here. While Mason experienced depression, the family is now wondering if the stress of being a retail pharmacist contributed to his struggle.
“I’m not bad-mouthing anyone. I just want light to be shed. I don’t want another family to go through this. It’s not right,” Michael said. “We are struggling day by day. He touched a lot of people.”
WGAL
Michael Porta.
“I don’t even know what to think about it because I never lost anybody like that,” Levi said.
Levi sang a song that Mason wrote at his memorial service, dedicated to the older brother who gave him his first guitar and got him into music.
CVS: More pharmacy team members hired
CVS has acquired the prescription files from Rite Aid after that chain filed for bankruptcy and planned to close or sell its remaining stores.
CVS says it is confident its teams will be able to handle prescriptions moving to its Pennsylvania pharmacies from closing Rite Aid locations. It says it has hired more than 1,500 pharmacy team members this year in Pennsylvania, including nearly 50 in the Lancaster area.
CVS shared additional information with WGAL about investments it is making, support for colleagues and the acquisition of Rite Aid prescription files. We’ve posted that information here.
Study examined pharmacist suicides
In 2022 researchers published a paper that concluded pharmacists commit suicide at a higher rate than the general population. We’ve posted a summary of those findings and a link to the full report here.
By the numbers
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.
WGAL analyzed the latest available information to reveal patterns, explore trends, and provide support resources. That information is here.
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