Assessment of pharmacy manpower and services in West Virginia

Abstract 

Background

The shortage of pharmacists across the nation has been much publicized and has been identified as one of the reasons for new schools of pharmacy to open or for existing colleges and schools of pharmacy to increase their class sizes. This article represents the assessment of a new school of pharmacy's evaluation of staffing and practice in its geographic area.

Objective

This survey represents the first data point within the School of Pharmacy assessment plan and will be repeated at several intervals after the program opens to longitudinally evaluate its impact on pharmacy staffing and services within West Virginia.

Methods

Using a modified Dillman survey methodology a random sample of 548 pharmacists in West Virginia, approximately one-third the active roster, were surveyed regarding staffing and services in West Virginia.

Results

A response rate of 32.78% was achieved and findings indicated that there is a staffing shortage of pharmacists within West Virginia, that staffing impacts the services pharmacists provide, and that more pharmacists would be willing to offer disease management services if staffing levels were at appropriate levels.

Conclusions

A shortage of pharmacists does exist in West Virginia and it has implications on patient care. Longitudinal evaluation of the impact of a new pharmacy program will be conducted and the staffing and services within West Virginia should be continued to be studied.

Keywords: Pharmacist staffing, West Virginia, New schools of pharmacy