Staff shortages have been felt in almost every industry since the beginning of the pandemic, but shortages in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries have been especially hard to deal with. Being short-staffed means more jobs to be done with less people and puts more stress on the people who are still working which can mean more mistakes being made. This isn’t fair to the staff or to the patients and customers they are providing service to, so what is the reason behind these shortages and what is the solution? Pharmacy automation is here to fill a critical role.
One of the largest factors that is contributing to less staff is that healthcare workers are retiring faster than new recruits can be trained. By 2026 more than 6 million healthcare workers will leave, but only 2 million new workers will be available to fill their positions. Hospitals and healthcare facilities are reporting increasing their wages and benefits to attract new workers, but this is still not bringing in the people they need. Nearly 80% of pharmacies report struggles trying to fill open positions!
The best solution would be for more young people to enter the healthcare field and take up jobs as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and pharmacy techs, but that could take years to find enough people to fill all those open positions–we need solutions now.
The most efficient solution that can be implemented right away is automated technological processes in pharmacies. These automated processes can make it possible to take inventory, refill prescriptions, and track patient medical history along with many other tasks without putting added stress on staff. Automated processes also reduce the amount of human error while improving patient care. Healthcare and pharmacy workers are essential in providing the care that we need, so it is imperative that we implement these processes in order to improve their work experience while also improving the care that they give to patients.
Learn more about pharmacy automation in the infographic below:
