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- Title
Building a pharmacy technician structure for the future: A lesson from a multihospital academic health system.
- Authors
O'Neil, Daniel P; Henderson, Jennifer M; Gifford, Hannah R; Karpinski, Todd A; Kaminsky, Leeann
- Abstract
Purpose Over the past decade there has been increased attention on the need for highly skilled and trained pharmacy technicians; however, few best practices to assist health-system pharmacies in meeting technician workforce challenges have been identified. These challenges have been further revealed since 2019 through rising inflation, increased cost of living, and competing opportunities for skilled technical workers. This article describes an 18-hospital academic health system's experience implementing an innovative pharmacy technician career structure focused on increasing pharmacy technician engagement as well as improving recruitment and retention. Methods Prior to creating a new career structure, the department of pharmacy had one development track for pharmacy technicians, which included only 2 nonsupervisory job titles. Due to recruitment, retention, and employee engagement challenges, the department of pharmacy, in collaboration with the human resources department, developed a new pharmacy technician structure that included 3 pharmacy technician tracks and 4 nonsupervisory levels. Outcomes collected to determine the success of the program included pharmacy technician engagement survey scores, annual voluntary turnover rate, rolling 12-month voluntary turnover rate, monthly vacancy rate, and average years of service at termination. The monthly discharge prescription capture rate was also measured to support efforts to keep the cost of the new structure budget neutral. Conclusion The change in career structure assisted in the improvement of each outcome identified. The close collaboration of the departments of pharmacy and human resources can lead to positive solutions of national problems and have a sustained impact on department operations.
- Subjects
OCCUPATIONAL roles; DISMISSAL of employees; ACADEMIC medical centers; VOCATIONAL guidance; EVALUATION of human services programs; HOSPITAL health promotion programs; EMPLOYEE recruitment; COST control; LABOR demand; MEDICAL personnel; HUMAN services programs; LABOR turnover; LABOR supply; QUALITY assurance; WAGES; MEDICAL prescriptions; MULTIHOSPITAL systems; DIFFUSION of innovations; EMPLOYEE retention; DISCHARGE planning; PERSONNEL management
- Publication
American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 2023, Vol 80, Issue 5, p304
- ISSN
1079-2082
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/ajhp/zxac338