National survey of hospital pharmacy facilities: adequacy of facilities and changes planned

The adequacy of existing space allocations for hospital pharmacy facilities and planned changes are described. A 12-page questionnaire was sent in July 1982 to the chief pharmacists in a random sample of 1846 hospitals in the United States stratified by 10 hospital types. The respondents in each hospital type and size were categorized by their perceived adequacy of existing space for pharmacy facilities and their plans for adding pharmacy functions and staff. Changes in pharmacy facilities that would improve pharmaceutical services were identified, as were planned changes in facilities. The amount of proposed space approved and not approved for pharmacies in hospitals of each type were determined. The response rate was 45.6%, and the respondents were representative of the population. Forty-nine percent of the respondents reported having adequate space. Only 35% of the respondents indicated that no changes could be made in facilities to improve pharmaceutical services. Forty-one percent of respondents planned one or more changes of some kind in pharmacy facilities; this ranged from 14% for long-term, nonprofit hospitals to 50% for long-term, for-profit hospitals. Sixty-six (8%) of the 843 hospitals had additional floor space approved and funded for the pharmacy; 71% had proposed space that was not approved. Sixty-three percent of all respondents planned new pharmaceutical functions; 56% and 42% planned an increase and no change, respectively, in the number of pharmacy staff members. Adding more space may be one way to improve hospital pharmacy facilities, but more attention also should be directed toward better use of existing space, equipment, and fixtures.