Ranks of Pharmacists Shrink as Job Demands Grow
The U.S. pharmacy profession could face a
worsening shortage of pharmacists in the next decade
as more men prepare to retire and more men and women
opt for part-time work, according to a new study
released today by the Pharmacy Manpower Project,
Inc. (PMP). The National Pharmacist Workforce Study
finds the potential worsening shortfall coming at a
pivotal time with pharmacists wanting to spend less
time dispensing drugs and more time providing
patient-centered services such as immunizations and
counseling seniors on proper medication usage and
the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. The study was
released today at the American Pharmacists
Association’s Annual Meeting & Exposition and will
be published in the May/June 2006 issue of the
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association
(JAPhA).
The number of practicing women pharmacists
increased from 31 percent in 1990 to 46 percent in
2004. The study finds a large percentage of male
pharmacists nearing retirement, with more than four
in 10 (41.2 percent) age 55 and over, compared with
only about 10 percent of women. Meanwhile, more men
and women are working part time—27 percent of women
and 15.5 percent of men in 2004 (compared to 23.4
percent and 11.6 percent, respectively, in 2000).
“The changing face of pharmacy will be
increasingly evident in the next five to 10 years
with more women in the workforce, the potential for
more part-time work by pharmacists, and the desire
of pharmacists to spend more time on counseling and
other patient services,” says David A. Mott, Ph.D.,
the study’s project director and associate professor
and Hammel/Sanders chair in pharmacy administration
at the University of Wisconsin.
Although the trend of part-time work is
increasing for both men and women pharmacists, the
study finds the trend toward more part-time work is
being fueled by women. For women age 31-50, more
than 30 percent are working part time.
Pharmacists’ roles are very diverse. In 2004
pharmacists spent 49 percent of their day dispensing
drugs and 32 percent of their time on activities
such as advising patients on drug therapies,
evaluating the safety of drug therapy, administering
vaccines, and counseling patients on services
ranging from self-care to disease management. The
results suggest pharmacists would like to spend only
39 percent of their day dispensing drugs and
increase the time spent providing services to
patients to 48 percent of their day.
“The roles of pharmacists continue to expand to
meet the growing and diverse needs of patients,”
says Lucinda L. Maine, Ph.D., PMP President and
Executive Vice President of the American Association
of Colleges of Pharmacy. Maine cited the critical
role that pharmacists have played this year in
administering the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
Consistent with the growing number of
prescriptions dispensed in community pharmacies, the
workload for pharmacists has increased between 2000
and 2004. Pharmacists report the high workload can
negatively affect their work, including activities
such as ability to take a break (48 percent),
opportunity to reduce errors (36 percent), time
spent with patients (35 percent); and ability to
solve drug therapy problems (33 percent).
The most stressful events for pharmacists include
inadequate pharmacy technician staffing levels (38
percent), phone interruptions (37 percent), and
inadequate pharmacists’ staffing (34 percent).
“Dealing with difficult patients” and “dealing with
difficult co-workers” are cited by 33 percent of
pharmacists.
Despite the high workload, the study finds a high
level of job satisfaction. More than three-quarters
(77 percent) of pharmacists in 2004 report a “high
level” of job satisfaction compared with 66 percent
in 2000.
“This study shows the need for pharmacy schools
to produce the best and brightest to meet these new
health care challenges and provide patients with the
highest level of quality care,” says Maine.
Results of the National Pharmacist Workforce
Study were compiled by a questionnaire completed by
1,470 practicing pharmacists.
The study was commissioned by the PMP. The PMP is
comprised of Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy,
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy,
American College of Apothecaries, American College
of Clinical Pharmacy, American Pharmacists
Association, American Society of Consultant
Pharmacists, American Society of Health-System
Pharmacists, Bureau of Health Professions, National
Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Community
Pharmacists Association, National Council of State
Pharmacy Association Executives, National
Pharmaceutical Association, Pharmaceutical Research
and Manufacturers of America and Pharmacy Technician
Certification Board.
The Pharmacy Manpower Project, Inc. is a
nonprofit corporation consisting of all major
national, pharmaceutical professional and trade
organizations. Its mission is to serve the public
and the profession by developing data regarding the
size and demography of the pharmacy practitioner
workforce and conducting and supporting research in
areas related to that workforce. |
In the following pages, you will find brief
information useful to overseas pharmacists that want to
work in the United States, Canada, the United
Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia and New
Zealand.