Organizational Overview
Walgreens is committed to establishing a better world through health and wellness. Founded by Charles R. Walgreen on December 29, 1901, Walgreens is one of the largest pharmacy chains in the United States (Walgreens, 2020). Walgreens employs over 253,000 members, including pharmacists, technicians, nurse practitioners, and other health-related professionals (Walgreens,2020). With their corporate office in Deerfield, Illinois, Walgreens operates over 9,600 stores. Most of these stores are freestanding, have drive-thru pharmacies and in-store clinics (Walgreens, 2020).
“Operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, Walgreens is a United States subsidiary of Walgreens Boots Alliance, one of the world’s largest dispensers of prescription drugs”. (Walgreens, 2020). The company has stores in more than 25 countries around the world (Walgreens,2020). Team 2’s role will focus on the store in Chicago, Illinois, in its effort with the Federal government to administer free COVID-19 vaccines to the local population.
Organizational Challenge
The world is currently experiencing the most extensive and overwhelming pandemic of our lifetime. The impact has resulted in over 301,278 lives lost, and millions of companies and individuals in financial ruins (World Health Organization, 2020). As COVID-19 implications continue to affect many sectors of the economy and society, a vaccine for the virus has become crucial. The Federal government has partnered with Walgreens to distribute a vaccine when it becomes available (2020). The current news indicates two drug manufacturers, Moderna and Pfizer, have developed a vaccine that is likely to be authorized by the end of the year (Salzman, 2020). When the vaccines become available, Walgreens will need to take the necessary steps to prepare for the new vaccines’ arrival, distribution, and storage.
The organizational problem that our team is presenting is how to distribute the COVID19 vaccine from Moderna or Pfizer safely. What plan of action must Walgreen’s take to safely implement procedures at the Chicago store for distribution of the new COVID-19 vaccines? In this simulated report, we propose to clarify the facts and processes on how to confirm the project’s sustainability at all levels, from ordering, storing, and supplying the vaccine to our customers at Walgreens. Our focus is to coordinate and collaborate with pharmaceutical companies, providers, and health care departments to distribute the vaccine safely and efficiently.
Challenges with current ongoing drive-thru testing, improving dual delivery services present many questions our facility must answer. Remaining aware of community needs, offering customers various shopping options, and vaccine distribution. Our goal is to maintain excellent quality of service for our customers they have come to expect. Consideration of adjusting operating hours and offering additional products for purchase at our drive-thru pharmacy are some of the items we will focus on.
The store focus will continue theenforcement of social distancing, mask-wearing, increased cleaning, and the resolution of customer frustration if they are unable to move freely while shopping. We will address the need for remodeling aisles and adopting new policies for employees and management while working on the sales floor. Improving time management, efficiency, sales, and customer satisfaction should remain our focus. Arriving at a solution, we must be cognizant of proper protocols from Federal, State, and Local government regulations.
Federal, State, and Local Guidelines
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) continues to monitor and establish criteria to slow the spread of Covid-19. According to the CDC, wearing a mask, maintaining six-foot social distancing from others, and washing hands often effectively slow the spread of the virus (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). Knowing and understanding coronavirus symptoms is difficult because they are remarkably like having influenza or the common cold. Symptoms identified to watch are fever, cough, headaches, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, and nausea (CDC, 2020).
The CDC has guided pharmacies to minimize the risk of exposure by implementing infection protection controls. Recommendations include providing hand sanitizers to customers and personnel, encouraging the use of telephone or electronic prescription services, directly hand prescriptions to customers, avoid handling of insurance cards, identification, or benefits cards, avoid touching objects that have been handled by customers, and avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands (CDC, 2020). Immunocompromised patients are encouraged to utilize home delivery service, drive-through services, curbside pickup, or have someone pick them up for them (CDC, 2020).
The state of Illinois requires employers to maintain a safe and healthy work environment (Illinois Department of Labor, 2020). The governor has implemented a phased approach to tackling the current pandemic. The current phase encourages working from home, enforce mask-wearing, social distancing, and enforce minimum workplace safety requirements (Illinois Department of Labor, 2020). Walgreens will execute mandatory face coverings, temperature checks, monitoring symptoms, and advising employees to stay home if sick, and establish protocols for prescription services by limiting close contact between customers and employees.
Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, the city of Chicago recently imposed mitigation measures to slow the current spread by implementing all retail stores to maintain store capacity at 50 percent (Chicago.gov, 2020). The city also implemented a stay-at-home advisory, asking residents to remain at home unless they go to work, school, or life essentials (Chicago.gov, 2020).We have educated our employees that the city of Chicago provides many resources to frontline healthcare workers during this pandemic free of charge. Resources include Mental Health Services, Childcare, Transportation, and Housing if a worker cannot go home if the potential exists of exposing others (Chicago.gov, 2020).
Employees are required to conduct daily pre-screening with temperature checks, self-monitoring with employer supervision, and the wearing of face coverings. Management will minimize close contact between individuals in the workplace by assigning work tasks that maintain six feet of separation from other workers or customers. Also, telework will be implemented for employees who can effectively perform their duties virtually. Employees exhibiting symptoms should notify management as soon as possible and stay home. Those individuals should seek the advice of a medical professional and proceed to have a test for COVID-19. According to the CDC, individuals who are positive or in contact with a person who has COVID-19 will be required to self-isolate for 10 days (CDC, 2020).
Current news from the Food and Drug Administration has established a date to approve two new vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna December 8-10, 2020 (Cao, 2020). The CDC has identified Walgreens as one of the pharmacies to work with the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Implementation Committee (COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook, 2020, p. 10). Walgreens will work with state and local authorities to ensure the vaccination program is following proper protocols in accordance with federal requirements. It is fair to say there will be challenges in preparation for the vaccine distribution.
Illinois State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) will monitor and support vaccine distribution (Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), n.d.). Distribution planning will include three phases: Phase 1 will focus on the delivery of critical populations, Phase 2 will continue to deliver to essential people who were not vaccinated, and Phase 3 will focus on the entire population (COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook, 2020, p. 11).Walgreens must enroll in the federal COVID-19 Vaccination Program Administer and administer following the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook, 2020, pp. 21).
Walgreens must establish protocols to ensure proper storage and handling of the vaccines and document patient records of vaccination. Walgreens will report irregularities, errors, or additional adverse events to the Food and Drug Administration (COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook, 2020, p. 21). Walgreens will manage employees, contractors, and pharmacists to ensure the vaccine’s distribution through drive-thru or onsite services.
To achieve organization and effectiveness, Walgreens will require populations to utilize their online appointment scheduling system and have customers complete a comprehensive medical questionnaire. After exploring the guidelines and requirements for distributing the new COVID-19 vaccines, we must align our human resource goals to meet the challenges of distribution of the vaccines forsuccessful implementation.
Human Resources/Management/Onboarding
Our goal in terms of Human Resources is to implement new recruiting methods in our store that will initially support our customer base and keep providing our services. The staffing and recruiting strategy will be in a different scope; unlike the traditional face to face interviews, the HR team will be conducting interviews virtually. For day-to-day operations to be completed promptly, more pharmacists will be needed at the store.
Furthermore, we will require contractors since our store focuses on the retail nexus in some grocery products and mainly in the drug store industry and well care products. As a massive competitor in the retail and pharmacy industry, our store provides top customer service, high-quality products, and pharmacy support. We consider Walgreens a vital business. Therefore, our strategy needs to focus on keeping our business running while operating a plan to ensure employee and customer safety.
Continuing to retain customers and preserve business longevity will help improve our sustainability strategy as a company. With the distribution of vaccines, communication across all departments is our top priorities. Store and employee safety at work is essential; therefore, temperature screening is critical for safely implementing the process. The store requires full-time contractors who will be temporarily hired for six to nine months, with their primary task monitoring our store’s capacity to meet the governmental guidelines. For our process of vaccine providing to succeed, our immediate hiring process should focus on Pharmacists and Pharmacy technicians.
Therefore, our recruiting should list the job postings on the company website and via job postings websites like CareerBuilder or Indeed. The task of vaccine distribution is roughly new, so finding the right candidates with sufficient experience is our primary goal.
According to Brandi Frattini, a talent acquisition manager at CareerBuilder, “Even during this time, companies should keep looking to stay connected with top-tier talent.” (Pradhan, N. 2020). Our job posting should list all tasks required to be performed by a potential candidate and record the position as onsite and temporary. We will need to include all the necessary information for the hiring and interviewing process, including the date, time, and video meeting link. Our Pharmacy technicians will also be entering online appointments for vaccine applications. They will be responsible for reviewing responses and making sure patients meet the required criteria for receiving the vaccine.
A COVID-19 screening will be implemented in the application process. Policy enforcement about safety guidelines for COVID response is crucial and must apply with our vendors, personal shoppers, and staff. Understanding an organization’s culture and hiring for cultural fit has been one of the most challenging parts of the interview process going virtual for both job seekers and employers (Jacobson, L. 2020).
Marketing/Testing/Vaccine Distribution
As one of the major drugstore chains that will be administering the vaccine to the U.S. population, they have begun to “ramp up marketing of their ability to administer vaccines against Coronavirus once they become available” (Japsen, 2020). Walgreens sent an email to customers, President John Standley confirmed that Walgreens “plans to expand access to vaccines through their more than 9,00 stores in 2021 (Japsen, 2020). The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States continues to increase rapidly.
The social distancing guidelines and suggested “Stay Home Orders” have not effectively contained the virus and prevented it from spreading. As the approval of a long- awaited vaccine moves closer, medical experts warn that Americans need to know the coronavirus vaccine side effects (Farber, 2020). These side effects of the vaccine can include body aches and headaches. Volunteers who tested the vaccine have reported these side effects and the injection site and fatigue, lasting 3-4 days. “I took some Advil, and they cleared up,” said a volunteer from Austin, Texas (Farber, 2020). Since the vaccine requires a second dose, the public must know the side effects and how to alleviate them. Taking over the counter pain and fever reduction medication will offer relief and ensure that the patient returns for the second shot.
The need for medications like Advil and Tylenol will increase once people know that they will help ease the vaccine’s adverse reaction. Inventory levels will need to improve before administering the vaccine to the community to be an adequate supply to satisfy the demand.
Logistics/Resources
In preparation for the receipt of the vaccine in stores, Walgreens will invest in the proper cold storage units that are recommended to house the vaccine safely. Currently, Stirling Ultracold freezers are the only commercial grade freezers that can meet the required temperature range of -20 Celsius to -86 Celsius (sdcexecs.com, 2020). These units “will be an integral asset in safely storing and administering COVID-19 vaccines once available (sdcexecs.com, 2020). Walgreens anticipates needing 800 – 1000 units across the entire fleet of stores (Walgreens/LinkedinLive, 2020).
To keep employees safe when the vaccine becomes available to the public, Walgreens will implement their “off-site” immunization procedures. Stores chosen to administer the vaccine initially, will be equipped with tents set up in their parking lots. The tents will be used to house pharmacists, technicians, tables chairs, and all supplies needed to administer vaccines. Social distancing will remain in place and patient screening will commence before vaccine is given.
This “off-site” program will help alleviate the excess number of customers entering the store and will allow for adherence to maximum capacity guidelines. This option will also help protect employees from possible exposure to the virus by keeping interaction with the public minimal. Vaccines will be given at these locations during normal business hours between 9:00a.m. and 6:00p.m., Monday through Saturday. A Registered Pharmacist must be on duty when vaccines are given.
Training will be provided to Pharmacists and technicians who will be responsible for administering the vaccine. It will be crucial that management ensures all training is complete and that staff has a solid awareness and understanding of all guidelines and procedures contained in the COVID-19 Playbook that is available through company resources. Information will be updated and communicated daily. The safety of customers and staff will rely on adherence to all regulations and guidelines being implemented in the store.
Reflection
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has challenged humanity on all fronts, including healthcare, economics, and politics. Vaccines that are being developed by a number of pharmaceutical companies are providing people with hope. However, additional challenges will emerge as the vaccine will be ready to be distributed. The effects of COVID-19 were disproportionate between varying populations, which is why it is necessary to develop appropriate immunization strategies.
Vaccination will take place in three phases – first, vulnerable people will receive the immunization. During the second phase, individuals essential for the operation of critical sectors will be vaccinated. The last step will target the population as a whole. All pharmacies through which the vaccine will be distributed should take the appropriate steps in order to be ready for the massive immunization campaign.
In this research paper, the authors discussed a potential approach to distribution in the context of Walgreens, which is one of the largest pharmacies in the United States. To handle the massive load of consumers willing to be immunized, Walgreens will have to alter its recruitment strategy. More people will be needed, but the talent acquisition team should be interested in only qualified and competent individuals. Also, Walgreens should invest in its marketing department because massive immunization is not possible until people have trust in the vaccine. Another significant investment is related to the storage of COVID-19 vaccines.
Cold storage units recommended by the government should be acquired in necessary quantities. Lastly, to ensure employee safety and prevent the spread of COVID-19, the immunization process should be conducted outside of Walgreens stores. One option is to use tents that will house medical personnel and all the necessary equipment.
References
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Things to Know about the COVID-19 Pandemic. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.
COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM INTERIM PLAYBOOK FOR JURISDICTION OPERATIONS C. CDC. (2020). Web.
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Farber, M. (2020). Americans should be warned of coronavirus vaccine side effects, medical experts say. Fox News. Web.
Illinois Department of Labor. (2020). GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ON WORKERS’ RIGHTS AND SAFETY DURING PHASE 4 OF THE RESTORE ILLINOIS PLAN. Illinois. Web.
Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). (n.d.). SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Planning Guide | IDPH. Web.
Jacobson, L. (2020). 4 Tips for Sustaining Hiring Momentum through COVID. Web.
Japsen, B. (2020). Walgreens: COVID-19 Vaccines to Be Available At 9,000 Stores In 2021. Forbes. Web.
Pradhan, N. (2020). 15 Tips to Hire Talent Post the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. Web.
Salzman, S. (2020). Pfizer and Moderna: How 2 very different companies developed a COVID vaccine. ABC News. Web.
Walgreen co. (2020). Fort Mill: Mergent. Retrieved from ProQuest One Academic. Web.
World Health Organization. (2020). WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard. WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard. Web.
Trump Administration Partners with CVS and Walgreens to Provide COVID-19 Vaccine to Protect Vulnerable Americans in Long-Term Care Facilities Nationwide. (2020). Web.
Sdcexec. (2020). Stirling Ultracold Offers Commercially Available Freezers Capable of Storing COVID-19 Vaccines. Web.