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Pharmacist's time spent: Space for Pharmacy-based Interventions and Consultation TimE (SPICE)-an observational time and motion study
journal contribution
posted on 2023-02-10, 03:11 authored by A Karia, R Norman, Suzanne RobinsonSuzanne Robinson, E Lehnbom, TL Laba, I Durakovic, C Balane, R Joshi, R WebsterObjectiveTo describe the pharmacists’ workflow, including tasks and time spent, to better understand their work capacity.DesignCross-sectional, observational, time and motion study.SettingCommunity pharmacies in Western Australia and New South Wales, Australia.ParticipantsCurrently registered and practising pharmacists were approached using snowball sampling and selected using purposive techniques to obtain balance representation of metropolitan and rural pharmacies, as well as high and low script volumes where possible.ResultsTwenty-four pharmacists across 15 pharmacies participated during the 135 sessions totalling over 274 hours of observation. Dispensing (30%), indirect patient services (17%), counselling (15%) and professional management activities (15%) were the top four duties pharmacists performed, while only 2% of time was spent on professional services such as pain clinics and influenza vaccinations. Tasks were frequently interrupted and often performed simultaneously. Breaks and consumer-contact times were limited. More time was spent on professional service activities in non-metropolitan pharmacies, in pharmacies with greater daily prescription volumes and those with one or more support pharmacists.ConclusionsThis is the first study to quantify the pharmacists’ tasks in Australian community pharmacies. Much time is being spent on dispensing, supply and management activities with little time for providing additional professional services. An extra supporting pharmacist is likely necessary to increase professional services. These findings could support future research around barriers and enablers of conducive workflows and of extended professional services.
History
Journal
BMJ openVolume
12Article number
ARTN e055597Pagination
e055597-Location
EnglandPublisher DOI
ISSN
2044-6055eISSN
2044-6055Language
EnglishPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalIssue
3Publisher
BMJ PUBLISHING GROUPUsage metrics
Categories
Keywords
Science & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicineMedicine, General & InternalGeneral & Internal Medicineprimary careorganisation of health serviceshealth services administration & managementquality in health carechange managementDRUG-RELATED PROBLEMSCOMMUNITY PHARMACISTSWORKIMPACTAustraliaCommunity Pharmacy ServicesCross-Sectional StudiesHumansPharmaciesPharmacistsPharmacyProfessional RoleReferral and ConsultationTime and Motion StudiesPublic Health and Health Services not elsewhere classifiedMedical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classifiedClinical Sciences not elsewhere classified
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