Retail Pharmacy Safety Concerns

[FunnyPharm2019]

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I have been working as a tech in a small, independently-owned retail pharmacy for about a year while applying to PharmD programs. We're located in one of the safest towns in the nation, but we've had 3 burglaries in the past 5 years--the latest incident occurred a few months after I started working there. Luckily it always happens late at night when no one is around, so it seems the intent is not to harm anyone, but it is still quite unnerving. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with either burglary or robbery (there's a difference, look it up if you're unaware) and has suggestions for how to deal with it. I'm especially interested in the best thing to say to the patients who ask about it--withhold info in case they were involved in the crime, or explain added safety measures for their peace of mind and confidence in us?

 

[zelman]

Try chatting with a bank teller about them being robbed and let us know how that turns out.

Say nothing. It's none of their business. If they ask, you don't know.

 

[FunnyPharm2019]

Try chatting with a bank teller about them being robbed and let us know how that turns out.

Say nothing. It's none of their business. If they ask, you don't know.

Coincidentally, we're next store to a bank and they've never been robbed. They're as baffled about that as we are.

And in my opinion, it is their business. The day after the burglary we had lots of CII pain scripts that we couldn't fill, which was a big problem for those patients who choose not to fill their scripts early. You might say "just send them to CVS" but it's not that simple--we all know what happens when a new patient walks in with a CII script. And our patients know that filling at multiple pharmacies could raise red flags in the future.

 

[zelman]

Coincidentally, we're next store to a bank and they've never been robbed. They're as baffled about that as we are.

And in my opinion, it is their business. The day after the burglary we had lots of CII pain scripts that we couldn't fill, which was a big problem for those patients who choose not to fill their scripts early. You might say "just send them to CVS" but it's not that simple--we all know what happens when a new patient walks in with a CII script. And our patients know that filling at multiple pharmacies could raise red flags in the future.

My friend worked at a bank. They got robbed pretty often, but didn't publicize it. I think your perception may be off unless you've asked them and gotten a truthful answer (which I doubt you would as a random inquirer).

And tell those patients "someone just picked up the last of what we had in stock yesterday." It's the truth and no other answer will get them their meds faster.

 

[FunnyPharm2019]

My friend worked at a bank. They got robbed pretty often, but didn't publicize it. I think your perception may be off unless you've asked them and gotten a truthful answer (which I doubt you would as a random inquirer).

And tell those patients "someone just picked up the last of what we had in stock yesterday." It's the truth and no other answer will get them their meds faster.

Yes, a good friend of mine works at this bank and he's the one who mentioned how strange it was that we've had multiple burglaries and they haven't.

Unfortunately, that answer wouldn't hold up because we get new shipments every morning. Again, we're a small pharmacy so our patients (especially our CII patients) know very well that if we run out of stock, we'll have more at 10am.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

In my town, a pharmacist died two years ago... http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/n...ads-guilty-in-li-drugstore-killings.html?_r=0

and then the CVS down the block got robbed a week later...

 

[FunnyPharm2019]

In my town, a pharmacist died two years ago... http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/n...ads-guilty-in-li-drugstore-killings.html?_r=0

and then the CVS down the block got robbed a week later...

That is truly terrifying. Do you have any idea what happened after the incident? Did the pharmacy stay open?

 

[Ackj]

Banks are obvious targets for robberies, and have been targeted for 100s of years. They plan accordingly now, and have extensive training, protocols, anti-theft systems, tons of cameras, and of course a very secure vault. What about a pharmacy? A few cameras and an easy to open control safe, staff with little to zero training on what to do in a robbery. As time goes on I'm sure pharmacies will become more secure. I wouldn't think about robbing an independent though, since they are much more likely to be armed than a big chain.

 

[FunnyPharm2019]

While I appreciate all the insight into bank robberies, the intent of my original post was to gain a better understanding of the ways techs and pharmacists deal with pharmacy robberies/burglaries. I realize bank robberies happen more frequently and can be more dangerous, but I posted in the "Pharmacy" forum for a reason. Has anyone experienced a break-in while working in a pharmacy?

 

[ytrewq34333]

If you pharmacists out there don't mind taking a minute to take this safety/security survey. I'm trying to get an idea of how safe we feel and if there is a need for additional safety training in our profession. Here is the link to the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3V6XNVK

 

[fewaopi]

I've heard more pharmacists are shot and killed than cops, not sure of the accuracy of this assertion. Recent media reports might make people think otherwise but when looking at actual numbers, it's possible that pharmacists can actually have a more dangerous job than police officers