What happens to patient phone calls when the pharmacy is closed?

When a pharmacy is closed, directing calls to an after-hours voicemail is a common practice. This option allows the pharmacy to capture important patient inquiries and messages even when staff is unavailable. The voicemail ensures that patients can leave their concerns or questions, which can then be addressed when the pharmacy reopens. This setup helps maintain communication with patients and ensures that their needs are not neglected during closure times.

In contrast, redirecting calls to a nurse service might not always be available, as the resources and structure of a pharmacy typically do not include nursing staff. Directing calls to a pharmacist while the pharmacy is closed is generally not feasible, as they are not present to answer. Lastly, having calls answered by a different pharmacy could lead to confusion regarding patient information and prescription details, which is not a standard practice.