The Canadian hospital pharmacy workload measurement study

"One pharmacist for every 100 beds" has been the traditional rule of thumb used in determining hospital pharmacy staffing requirements in North America. Hospital pharmacy practice has undergone profound changes over the past 20 years. Staffing requirements for contemporary hospital pharmacy practice determined by the traditional guideline are outdated and of limited value. The Canadian government, through its National Health Research and Development Program, funded a $225,000 study to develop a Canadian Hospital Pharmacy Workload Measurement System which would provide a data base for a more accurate determination of staffing requirements for hospital pharmacies. Time studies were carried out to measure the personnel time required to perform defined activities that collectively formed a pharmacy service or function.