Pharmacists do so much more than just refill prescriptions. They offer general advice to customers, discuss medication usage with customers, and will occasionally offer vaccines. As such, coming up with solutions for how to reduce the workload for pharmacists is important.
Making everyday processes easier, implementing thoughtful planning, and setting up a workspace to allow for more efficient time management are all just a few ways to make things easier for pharmacists. All of this can be accomplished without pushing pharmacists too hard and causing burnout.
Reducing the workload for pharmacists can allow these important medical personnel to reduce their workplace-related stress, increase their confidence, and reduce potential errors.
Organize Workstations More Efficiently
The setup of the pharmaceutical area could have pharmacists having to walk back and forth constantly in order to refill a prescription. With having to stand on their feet for long hours, this can cause strain and unnecessarily tire pharmacists out.
If a plan to make workstations flow from step to step more easily is put in place, it can help reduce the amount of time and physicality required to complete this process.
Have Stations, And Rotate
When multiple pharmacists are working, having each pharmacist be responsible for one to two tasks can reduce how often pharmacists have to stop what they’re doing, do something else, and then have to spend more time on their original task.
For example, have one or two pharmacists filling prescriptions, and have one responsible for customers. Rotate these roles so that one pharmacist doesn’t get bored. Pharmacists can also avoid feeling like they are trying to handle too much at once.
Contactless Card Machine
Equipping pharmacists with a contactless card machine would make for a more seamless transaction. While transactions don’t always last very long on average, the amount of transactions done throughout the day can add up quickly.
Embrace Technology
Some pharmacies have smartphone apps where an individual can refill their prescription and send in a request for a renewal. This can reduce the amount of customers who need to be dealt with in person to refill a prescription, while also reducing the stress of trying to refill that prescription within a designated time frame.
As a result, customers would simply work with the app, and only have to come into the pharmacy to pick up their prescription. If they have to pay, having that contactless card machine mentioned above could make the process that much faster.
Implement Time Management Tips
Time management is a skill, and it doesn’t come to everyone naturally. As such, having someone who is proficient in time management design the day before it starts can ensure the most important tasks are taken care of first, and various job duties are prioritized in terms of importance.
It can also ensure that everyone has a role during the day, and everyone’s strengths are taken into account. When playing into a pharmacist’s strengths instead of expecting them to be a jack of all trades, they are more likely to take pride in their work.
Allow For A Feedback Process
Since pharmacists are working their role more than anyone else, they often develop fantastic ideas to help improve working conditions and reduce their own workload. It’s important for pharmacists to have an open outlet to discuss solutions to make work more seamless and less stressful.
When a pharmacist finds a way to make a task easier without diminishing quality of service, it should be taken into account when processes are reviewed for efficiency. They are experts in their own job, and so they know how to make their workload easier to manage.
Have Enough Pharmacists
Some pharmacies operate on strict budgets that don’t allow for additional personnel, and yet pharmacists are continuously having duties added to their role. There needs to be a balance struck between these two factors, or more pharmacists will become burnt out. Less people will also be attracted to the industry if workplace conditions don’t improve.
Final Thoughts
Much of the burden placed on pharmacists revolves around the increasing demand placed on them without adequate staff to get things done. While hiring more pharmacists would be the best solution, when that’s not possible, there are other ways to reduce the workload for pharmacists until more staff can be acquired.
