If a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, what happens when it gets shorter? Unfortunately, pharmacy managers must confront that riddle as they enter the new year.
Pharmacy staffing shortages are all too real and on the rise. But they go hand-in-hand with increased burnout among pharmacy teams. Plus, numbers from pharmacy schools show there’s a shrinking talent pool.
We all want to keep our teams happy and make their jobs easy. It’s the right thing to do. But it’s now imperative for pharmacies to keep providing high-quality patient care and remain solvent. In this blog post, we’ll examine the causes of this industry-shaking challenge. Then, we’ll highlight what pharmacies can do to take the pressure off their teams.
Overworked Staff, Fewer Candidates and Higher Burnout
Statistics about pharmacy school admissions provide useful but troubling insights. A recent study conducted by the University of Washington’s Center for Health Workforce Studies points to a 35% reduction in applications to pharmacy schools and colleges over the last decade. At the same time, the average enrollment is shrinking: down from approximately 226 students per incoming cohort in 2008-09 to just 131 in 2017—a nearly 60% dropoff. In 2019, 83% of pharmacy schools couldn’t fill all seats in their entering cohort.
Declining college enrollment and high tuition at pharmacy schools were some of the factors cited as driving these trends. Regardless of the reasons, it’s uncertain whether these trends will stabilize or reverse. Pharmacies waiting it out must contend with increased burnout and a shrinking workforce.
A significant rise in burnout is no surprise. Staff workload continues to grow. Filling prescriptions and administering vaccines while advising patients onsite and remotely is hard enough. But patient care keeps getting more complex as pharmacy professionals are called upon to meet the needs of a growing aging population. There are also administrative tasks, procurement, inventory management and other responsibilities.
According to a 2023 Pharmacy Times survey using self-reported data from pharmacy professionals, burnout more than doubled after the COVID-19 pandemic. On a scale of one to seven, with seven indicating extreme burnout, respondents reported an average rating close to six. Nearly 76% said that burnout contributed to understaffing at their organization.
Alongside the rise in burnout, the pharmacy industry has also seen pharmacists leaving their role at significant rates. The University of Washington study cites one survey reporting a change in employment status among 37% of respondents in 2022 alone.
Pharmacies will feel the impact of fewer team members doing more of the work. Even at our best, we all make occasional mistakes. However, an exhausted staff member is more likely to order the wrong item or, still worse, dispense the wrong medication. Patients will also feel the impact as they wait longer to speak to a team member or receive their medication.
Rushed to replenish stock and get back on the floor, pharmacy managers may purchase what they need without looking for savings opportunities. While those lost savings chip away at margins, the pharmacy loses patients as they find other providers to get their products faster and cheaper. A burnt-out workforce also leads to paying for overtime and employee turnover, more significant expenses straining everyone’s bottom line and patience.
The Need to Support Teams With the Right Tools
With The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis projecting a shortage of 4,980 pharmacists over the next 15 years, pharmacies have to ease the burden on overworked staff so they’re ready and able to meet patients’ increasingly complex needs.
Technology that drives efficiency and reduces tedious, time-consuming tasks is no longer a luxury; it’s how pharmacy leadership can lighten the load for their teams and ensure job satisfaction. Streamlining purchasing alone can save staff hours otherwise lost to tedious procurement processes (while making it easier for them to ensure compliance and find better purchasing options). By harnessing accurate real-time data, it’s easier (and more efficient) to compare and receive items.
Automation that streamlines workflows and reduces tedious processes eases the burden on staff. With purchasing, inventory, primary vendor compliance, receiving, vendor accountability and DSCSA verification consolidated into a single interface, teams can focus on serving patients and other high-value work. Plus, by leveraging technology to drive savings and efficiency, pharmacies can mitigate the impact of staffing shortages, drug shortages and other challenges.
SureCost will dive deeper into these and other challenges in the coming year at our webinar, Navigating 2025 Pharmacy Procurement Trends.
