‘How is that acceptable’: New Jersey woman was on hold for over an hour with CVS Pharmacy, so she drove there only to find it wasn’t busy

Melissa Bini recently found herself stuck on hold with her local, North Caldwell CVS Pharmacy for over an hour. In frustration, she drove to the store only to be shocked that it was empty of customers. The New Jersey resident then shared her experience on the platform. The video, which has racked up over 683K views in just two days, highlights a massive disconnect between patient expectations and the reality inside retail pharmacies today.

In her video on TikTok, Bini shows her phone screen displaying an active call time of 1 hour 7 minutes. The on-screen text reads, “CVS ignoring pharmacy calls then claims pharmacy is “really busy” so I drove over after 1 hour of waiting on hold.” She then pans her camera around the store to show an empty lobby with no customers in sight. 

The TikToker later claimed in the comments that she spoke to corporate and discovered a technical glitch with the voicemail automation system, which prevented her from receiving a callback option. However, she then alleged that the lack of phone support for both patients and doctors remains a persistent issue at that location.

Overworked and overwhelmed

The community quickly became embroiled in a debate in the comments. Some saw it as poor service, but many more pointed out that it was a symptom of a much larger, systemic problem within the pharmacy industry. 

One commenter wrote, ““Omg we’re so busy” They were on hold for an hour??? Who has time to be on hold for an hour??? And then drive??? How is that acceptable no matter how busy the pharmacy is???” Another user added, “Being on hold for an hour is still unacceptable guys….” In the broader service industry, one McDonald’s was so understaffed that customers stepped up to help them. Similarly, a former Wendy’s worker was a hero when he helped during rush hour.

Other users were quick to defend the staff, noting that the absence of customers in the front doesn’t mean the pharmacy isn’t swamped in the back. One TikToker who identified as a pharmacy technician commented, “Not sure how to answer the phone when it’s just me and 2 other techs and we’re 200 Rx’s in the hole. 1 stuck at drive thru, 1 up front, & one that needs to be filling.”

The argument brings to light the harsh realities described by Chris Eggeman, a CVS pharmacist based in Wakefield, Rhode Island, in an opinion piece for Stat News. Eggeman explains that the public often sees a pharmacist verifying orders or a technician multitasking at the drive-thru, but they don’t see the immense pressure behind the scenes. 

According to Eggeman, pharmacists are expected to process hundreds of prescriptions daily with staffing levels that often leave a single pharmacist essentially managing an entire clinical operation. He notes that the workload hasn’t decreased, and in many cases, it has intensified at a rate that outpaces any technology meant to help. 

Per Stat News, the demands on these professionals have grown significantly. Eggeman points out that since the pandemic, pharmacists have taken on an influx of immunization responsibilities, including flu, RSV, and Covid-19 boosters. These duties are often prioritized alongside verifying prescriptions, counseling patients, and answering phones. 

As Eggeman describes, each distraction is a potential error, and the pressure to perform at high speeds while maintaining safety is crushing. He emphasizes that the current system is not sustainable, stating, “We cannot help people if we are stretched thin to the point of breaking.”

The outlet noted that this environment led to the 2023 national uprising known as Pharmageddon, where thousands of pharmacy professionals walked out to protest unsafe staffing. Eggeman, who helped organize a union election at his store, believes the solution lies in giving staff a voice and a seat at the table to negotiate staffing levels. He argues that corporate executives must prioritize patient safety over profits.

While Bini’s experience highlights a clear breakdown in communication for the patient, the commentary on her video shows just how divided people are on the cause. One user stated, “It doesn’t matter how you spin this. This isn’t acceptable customer service.” 

Conversely, another worker argued, “what you don’t see is 10+ pages of 15 scripts each, 10 voicemails that have to be done in an hour, 20 pages of QT, delivery that needs to be checked in, cycle count that needs to be done before that, 5 pages of RTS scripts that need to be put back, OV that needs to be put away..”