Ohio fines CVS $1.5 million over safety and personnel issues
CVS Health, the nation’s largest pharmacy chain with more than 9,000 locations, has been fined more than $1.5 million by Ohio regulators over issues related to understaffing and patient safety, officials said.
The fines are part of a settlement of 27 cases involving various safety issues uncovered during the operation a series of inspections of 22 pharmacies between 2020 and 2023, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy said in a statement on Thursday.
The board said it found improper drug security, errors in dispensing medications, delays in prescribing, lack of general hygiene, understaffing and failure to report losses of controlled substances, among other issues.
The settlement comes as pharmacies across the country are plagued by labor issues. In November, some pharmacy workers called in sick or left their jobs to draw attention to what they say is understaffing and growing work demands.
The Ohio government has fined CVS $1.25 million. Over the next three years, the company will also pay about $250,000 to cover the costs of “enhanced monitoring” by the board.
In addition, eight stores will be given a probationary period of three years, according to the board.
At a store in Toledo, Ohio, inspectors last year found drug shelves were dusty and cluttered and pharmacy counters were dirty, according to state records. At the same outlet, inspectors reported finding unlabeled amber bottles of medication.
That store also reported a complaint about an error in dispensing a brand versus generic prescription and a complaint about dispensing medication to the wrong patient.
CVS will appoint an Ohio compliance liaison, who will be a licensed Ohio pharmacist, to communicate between the company and the board of directors regarding compliance with state and federal pharmacy regulations.
“By entering into this settlement agreement, the board is committed to immediate and systemic changes to protect patients and address critical understaffing,” Steven W. Schierholt, director of the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, said in the statement.
“We believe this agreement is an acknowledgment by CVS that significant changes are warranted to ensure the safe practices of pharmacies in their stores,” he added.
CVS Health has approximately 350 locations in Ohio and more than 9,000 retail locations nationwide, according to the board and company.
In 2020, CVS Health was fined $125,000 by state regulators in Oklahoma for conditions found at four of its pharmacies, including understaffing and errors in filling prescriptions.
In a statement on Sunday, a CVS Health spokeswoman, Amy Thibault, said the company “is pleased to have reached an agreement with the Ohio Board of Pharmacy regarding years-long allegations involving some of our pharmacies in Ohio.”
She added: “We look forward to working with the board on these matters in the future, including improving our positive identification systems and continuing to provide safe, high-quality pharmacy care to our patients.”
In addition to the settlement, the pharmacy board said it recently submitted a set of rules to the State Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review to strengthen regulations on working conditions in pharmacies.
The rules, most of which CVS has voluntarily agreed to comply with, include requirements for pharmacies to develop a process to address staffing issues and provide mandatory rest breaks for pharmacy workers.