Governor Cuomo's Emergency Flu Response

Because of the increased rate of influenza in New York, Governor Cuomo has issued a state of emergency for the next 30 days that allows pharmacists to administer flu vaccinations to anyone over 6 months old. While normally I appreciate any advancement of pharmacy practice, this sort of action could be putting community pharmacists at risk. 

Legislation such as this could cause a dramatic increase to a community pharmacist's daily workload. Without an accompanying increase in pharmacist coverage/overlap, this is a dangerous situation and has an incredibly negative impact on the health and safety of all pharmacy patients. An overstressed pharmacist is an absolute danger to his or her patients.  

The best way for community pharmacies to respond to this temporary change is legislation is to increase pharmacist coverage.  Organize flu clinics and schedule a pharmacist who will focus only on administering vaccines during that time.  Have the information advertised on the local news.  Radio, television, and websites can disseminate this sort of  news incredibly fast. This course of action would not only be quick and easy to execute, but also the responsible reaction to such a sudden situation.

Because I know that the average corporation running community pharmacies is slightly less focused on the stress levels of it's pharmacists and a little more towards the bottom line, I know that such a scenario is unlikely to occur.  Getting corporate approval would probably take longer than this emergency will last.  And spending extra cash on an additional pharmacist to cover a four hour clinic (probably about $250 in wages) would be deemed an unnecessary expense.

Such a response would be a great advertising opportunity for most companies, considering the potential for community outreach and awareness.  I can only hope that some of the more customer-oriented companies might have this thought process.  If a company was willing to address this issue quickly, it would prove that they were truly responsive to the needs of the public and willing to quickly execute plans that effect on their communities at a very local level and in a positive way. I look forward to seeing what company, if any, grabs this opportunity.

Beyond the business aspect, a response such as this would ensure that the public will have access to the appropriate vaccines but still maintain a less stressful working environment for community pharmacists.  Such a response would greatly reduce the potential of adversely impacting the other areas of patient care being offered by community pharmacists today. Patient safety should be the main goal of any pharmacy at all times, and this is the perfect opportunity to prove how pharmacists and their companies are dedicated to the care, safety, and well-being of all of their patients every day.