Pharmacy Technician Efficacies and Workforce Planning: A Consensus Building Study on Expanded Pharmacy Technician...

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Health Services Research
• Workforce Studies

Background:

• Pharmacy technician scope of practice has expanded, creating new opportunities for assistance.
• Previous research often focused on predetermined tasks, lacking pharmacist input on desired expansions.
• Understanding pharmacists' perspectives on technician roles is crucial for effective workforce development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine which expanded tasks pharmacists believe pharmacy technicians should increasingly perform.
• To identify areas where increased technician involvement would best support pharmacy operations and pharmacist roles.

Main Methods:

• A consensus-building methodology using modified Delphi techniques was employed.
• Practicing hospital and community pharmacists participated in panels to discuss 20 setting-specific tasks.
• The study focused on gathering pharmacist consensus regarding desired technician role expansion.

Main Results:

• Both hospital and community pharmacists favored increased technician involvement in operational tasks.
• Pharmacists indicated a preference for technicians to manage tasks related to pharmacy operations over clinical duties.
• A significant portion of pharmacists believe expanded technician roles should alleviate managerial burdens.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacists perceive an expanded role for technicians primarily in operational and managerial functions.
• This perspective suggests that optimizing technician roles can free up pharmacists for enhanced clinical responsibilities.
• The findings highlight a need for aligning pharmacy technician scope expansion with pharmacist-identified operational needs.