June Calls for a Biannual Staffing Strategy Check-In
Pharmacies face unique staffing challenges, from fluctuating patient volumes to regulatory requirements and the need for coordination among technicians, pharmacists, and support staff. A mid-year staffing strategy session offers the perfect checkpoint to assess operations, address inefficiencies, and plan for the months ahead. Here’s how to make it effective.
Review Current Staffing Metrics
Start by analyzing key data points from the first half of the year. Examine workload statistics, prescription volume trends, overtime hours, absenteeism, and turnover rates. Are pharmacists and technicians keeping up with demand? Highlight any stress points or bottlenecks that may be caused by a lack of staffing or resources.
Identify Skill and Role Gaps
Pharmacy roles are increasingly specialized. Use this session to assess whether you have the right mix of skills on staff, for example, compounding expertise, immunization certification, or experience with specialty medications. Ask supervisors to highlight any gaps that have limited service delivery or affected patient care.
Optimize Scheduling Practices
Scheduling in a pharmacy must balance efficiency with compliance guidelines, such as required pharmacist presence during all operating hours. Evaluate your current shift patterns to spot inefficiencies, such as overlapping roles or gaps during peak times.
Consider using scheduling software to track coverage trends and identify areas for improvement, ensuring the right mix of staff is on hand throughout the day.
Prepare for Upcoming Demands
Look ahead to upcoming seasonal changes, like flu season, or planned service expansions, such as new clinical services or vaccination drives. Build staffing projections that anticipate these changes and create contingency plans for unexpected absences or surges in patient volume.
Explore Training and Development
Invest in your current team by planning cross-training activities. For example, developing more technicians who can handle sterile compounding or training pharmacists in emerging areas like point-of-care testing not only fills immediate gaps but also strengthens long-term flexibility.
Align Staffing with Compliance and Budget
Ensure your plan meets state and federal staffing regulations and stays within budget. Review licensure and certification statuses to avoid compliance lapses and consider whether adjustments, such as part-time hires, could improve both coverage and cost-effectiveness.
Communicate Clearly
Document the strategy and share key updates with your team. Clear communication about goals and expectations builds confidence and acceptance for upcoming changes.
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