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Looking for Solutions Amidst Pharmacist Shortages and Burnout
Amidst pharmacist shortages, fueled by burnout and the COVID-19 pandemic, retail and community pharmacists are looking for solutions, including shortened operating hours.
Recent commentary from CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and other retail pharmacies has included discussions of shortened operation hours as a potential solution for the current pharmacist shortage and burnout. The excessive pressure on the global and United States healthcare system throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted the pharmaceutical workforce. While increasing industry growth for researchers and manufacturers, the pandemic has caused a significant decline in the number of pharmacists working in pharmacies.
Even before the pandemic, many pharmacists were overworked. Data from an article in Drug Topics suggests that 71% of pharmacists in 2019 stated that they had a high or excessive workload. Additionally, in 2016, 61.2% of hospital pharmacists reported feelings of burnout. According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, these feelings were only exacerbated by the pandemic, which led to a 6% decline in pharmacists working in pharmacies between 2019 and 2021.
Furthermore, sources expect this shortage of providers to continue well into the next decade. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the projected growth of pharmacy employment between 2021 and 2031 will be 2%, significantly slower than the projected growth for other industries. The slow growth is expected to leave many pharmacies in a lurch, looking for more employees or solutions to continue providing patients with care.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes, “Despite limited employment growth, about 13,600 openings for pharmacists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.”
Many pharmacies — especially large retail pharmacies — are left wondering what to do next. According to an article published by CBS News, CVS plans to cut operating hours in roughly 9,000 locations upon the start of spring, claiming that it will ensure that it can assist patients better during working hours.
Other pharmacies, such as Walmart, plan to combine reduced hours with better pay to incentivize pharmacists to work there. Walgreens has worked to adjust hours, raise wages, and actively seek more pharmacists to reduce the workload for existing pharmacists.
From a business standpoint, these decisions may make sense, ensuring that the pharmacy can continue functioning despite less-than-ideal hours. However, more needs to be reported on how these changes may practically impact patients. Depending on new hours of operation, patients may be inconvenienced by time constraints for picking up prescriptions and getting vaccinated.
As pharmacies, patients, and healthcare industry members wait to see the long-term impacts of these adjusted hours, pharmacies may consider other solutions. For example, increased automation has been known to alleviate some of the workloads for pharmacists, reducing the number of administrative tasks and increasing the time spent on patient care. Additionally, the healthcare system and government organizations may consider providing incentives for those going to school to become clinical, community, or retail pharmacists. While not an immediate solution, this may prevent threats from impending future shortages.
