Evaluating hematology/oncology clinical pharmacist activities via self-reported work sampling

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Oncology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Previous literature described hematology/oncology clinical pharmacist activities but lacked detailed time characterization.
• Random work sampling (WS) is a method to assess time allocation for various work tasks.
• Prior WS evaluations informed changes to maximize clinical activity time for pharmacists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct updated random work sampling (WS) evaluations in 2019 and 2020.
• To characterize the time spent on different work activities by hematology/oncology clinical pharmacists.
• To assess the impact of previous workflow adjustments and evolving work environments.

Main Methods:

• Personal digital assistant (PDA) devices were used for data collection.
• Data captured onsite/remote location and work activity.
• Observations were recorded 8 times per hour, classified as clinical, professional, or technical.

Main Results:

• In 2019, 31 onsite pharmacists yielded 9,079 observations; in 2020, 28 pharmacists (onsite and remote) yielded 8,803 observations.
• Work activity distribution remained stable (89% clinical/professional) between 2019 and 2020.
• Remote work in 2020 showed increased chart review and text communication, with onsite pharmacists reporting more clinical activities and remote pharmacists more professional activities.

Conclusions:

• Continued WS assessment is crucial for identifying workflow optimization opportunities.
• Maximizing pharmacist engagement in clinical activities remains a key objective.
• Findings will inform the development of effective remote work policies for pharmacists.