Unit dose pharmacy workload forecasting: validation of the pharmacy service unit model

Area of Science:

• Hospital Administration
• Pharmacy Management

Background:

• Departmental efficiency is crucial for hospitals facing reduced reimbursement rates from third-party payers.
• Optimizing pharmacy operations is essential for maintaining service quality and financial viability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the PHASU (PHArmacy Service Unit) model for predicting workload and productivity in unit dose pharmacies.
• To establish a reliable instrument for pharmacy managers to forecast staffing and resource needs.

Main Methods:

• Development of a PHASU equivalency system to create a comparative standard for pharmacy procedures.
• Identification of unit dose orders as the primary indicator of workload.
• Comparison of PHASU-predicted productivity and staffing with management engineering assessments.

Main Results:

• The PHASU model demonstrated favorable comparisons with management engineering determinations for productivity and staff requirements.
• The PHASU equivalency system provided a standardized method for evaluating pharmacy procedures.
• Unit dose orders were confirmed as the most significant workload determinant.

Conclusions:

• The PHASU model is a validated and reliable tool for workload forecasting in hospital pharmacies.
• Pharmacy managers can utilize the PHASU model to prospectively support current and future pharmacy services.
• Implementing the PHASU model can enhance departmental efficiency and resource management.