There’s no denying the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down. The average person has a completely different agenda than they did at the beginning of 2020, and workplace environments have drastically changed over the last few months with no signs of heading back to the place they once were. In the world of long-term care pharmacies, management and their staff members are taking serious precautionary measures as they transition to this “new normal” in the workplace.

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated in the past and continue to stress, older adults and those with serious underlying conditions are at higher risk of developing COVID-19 and the complications that come with the virus. That means staff workers in the LTC space have to be more cautious than ever as they resume working in public.

Recently, we spoke with some of our customers about the measures they are taking to ensure they keep themselves, their staff members and patients as safe as possible during this transitional period:

Taking the ultimate precautionary approach

Staff members of LTC pharmacies are going about their daily routines in a way that most workplaces have been encouraged if they want to continue business in a public setting. Some of those precautionary measures include:

• Keeping as many staff members as possible home to limit exposure to essential in-person staff.

• Issuing PPE to employees to wear at all times.

• Taking temperature checks at the start of each shift.

• Cleaning pharmacies thoroughly throughout the day.

• Suspending all company travel until further notice.

In terms of reducing contact with patients and other visitors, many LTC pharmacies have suspended in-person visits to facilities unless it’s essential to conduct business, according to Garry Kelly, the chief information officer at Skilled Care. 

“External support and delivery staff follow the same guidelines as staff members and all deliveries are met at the facility front door - not taken inside the facility,” Kelly said. “Customer service staff who schedule any visits are required to wear masks and gloves and have temperatures checked by facility staff upon arrival at the facility.”

Keeping staff well-informed

Beyond taking the previously mentioned common precautionary measures, higher administrative staff of LTC pharmacies are making it a top priority to keep all staff members well informed as safety recommendations continue to change on a regular basis. Updates from the CDC, , Occupational Safety and Health Administration and guidance and regulations from a state-specific level are taken into consideration every day among LTC staff.

Jerry N. Liliestedt, the VP of Operations at Absolutely Pharmacy stressed the importance of communication among staff members and providing them with the context needed to stay well-informed during these trying times.

“We hold regular Zoom meetings to update staff on recent developments and provide communication - this has been a situation that changes almost daily, so regular communication is essential,” he said. “We also have an Employee Assistance Program that individual employees can access if they are having personal issues with the pandemic situation.”

Advice for other LTC pharmacies

While states are currently in the process of reopening at different phases, it’s difficult to tell when we may be back in a place of normalcy. Taking the right precautions now can help flatten the curve and reduce exposure so the country - and the rest of the world - can get back to a comfortable and healthy place. Now, more than ever, LTC pharmacies should be taking maximum precautionary measures and making mitigation plans to prepare for a second outbreak wave, as Alex Black, the director of controlled substances at PharmScript, LLC explained.

“Always over-plan,” Black said. “Before we make a sweeping decision we talk through it and any potential ramifications multiple times to ensure we have all basis covered and have considered all alternatives.”

According to Kelly, communication among staff and customers should be the top priority now and in the near future.

“Communication is extremely important at this time,” he said. “If for nothing else than the tracking component but also making customers aware of facilities serviced by key individuals and then when those staff members return to the pharmacy. Don’t take today’s issues lightly. Things are not going to change for a while. Be prepared to be flexible.”

From Liliestedt’s perspective, it’s important to be realistic about what’s going on and remember that while these new normal tasks seem minimal, they’re making a major difference and need to be taken seriously until advised otherwise.

“Stay the course,” he said. “At this point, many people are becoming jaded about wearing their face covering, washing their hands thoroughly, and social distancing. It’s not time to forget how to do these things effectively just yet!”