WASHINGTON, D.C—The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is committed to facilitating meaningful dialogue between pharmacy management, pharmacy team members, and other stakeholders that result in improved workplaces, well-being, and ability to meet ethical obligations to patient safety. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified workplace and well-being issues, and the needs of community pharmacy teams that must be addressed.
A first step in the process was the APhA Community Pharmacy Workplace Summit, held in late February 2022, which brought together 46 diverse pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, employers, stakeholders, and organizations representing more than 30,000 community pharmacy practice sites. The stakeholders identified practical approaches to improve the community-based pharmacy workplace, practitioner well-being, and patient care expectations as well as to address challenges in meeting health care needs.
“There is no magic wand to quickly fix all the root causes. We must maintain our focus on supporting a resilient and productive workforce in community pharmacies that meets patient care needs and operates under a sustainable business model, without stress and burnout in the workplace,” according to Scott J. Knoer, MS, PharmD, FASHP, executive vice president and CEO of APhA. “Pharmacy team members want to safely take care of patients with a work-life balance and—most of all—feel appreciated.”
Summit participants explored general observations prompted by APhA-provided resources and approaches used within their practices. APhA resources included
A report summarizing the issues and ideas identified during the summit for stakeholder consideration will be released shortly.
About APhA
APhA is the only organization advancing the entire pharmacy profession. Our expert staff and strong volunteer leadership, including many experienced pharmacists, allow us to deliver vital leadership to help pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians find success and satisfaction in their work and advocate for changes that benefit them, their patients, and their communities. For more information, please visit www.pharmacist.com.
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