Rx for Relief: Tackling Pharmacy Burnout

Welcome to The Weekly Fill! 🎉

Here’s to another week of insights designed to keep you informed and inspired in your pharmacy career!

This week, we’re shining a light on an issue that affects us all: Reducing Pharmacy Burnout. As the demands on pharmacy professionals grow, it’s essential to prioritize well-being—not just for the sake of the profession, but for the patients and communities we serve. In this edition, we’ll explore what burnout looks like in the pharmacy world, how we can tackle it together, and the role of technology and education in creating a more human-centered workplace.

💊 The Big Fill: Putting People First to Combat Pharmacy Burnout

What's happening?

High workloads, long hours, and administrative pressures are leaving many feeling overwhelmed. Organizations like the NABP are stepping up, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, education, and technology to create a more sustainable, people-first approach.

Key points:

• Burnout affects not just pharmacy professionals but also the quality of care patients receive.

• Shifting the focus from "getting more done" to "doing what matters most" can improve workplace satisfaction.

• Technology is a tool, not a replacement—it can take over routine tasks, giving pharmacy teams more time for meaningful patient interactions.

What this means for you: It’s time to focus on what makes pharmacy a human profession: the relationships we build, the trust we earn, and the difference we make. By addressing burnout, we can protect those values and make every day a little brighter—for ourselves and our patients.

Looking ahead: Expect to see more conversations around redefining success in pharmacy. Leaders are advocating for work-life balance, smarter workflows, and mental health support. Together, we can reimagine a healthier, more supportive future.

Pharmacy dad joke of the week: Why did the pharmacist take up yoga? To find their inner calm-press! Ba dum dum tss.

👨⚕️ Pharmacists: The Heart of the Profession

What's Changing: Pharmacists are more than dispensers—they’re educators, advisors, and often the first point of care. But the weight of these responsibilities can take a toll.

Why It Matters: When pharmacists feel supported, they can deliver the compassionate care that patients need most. Prioritizing mental health and professional growth isn’t just good for pharmacists, it’s good for everyone!

Pro Tip: Take time to connect with peers, share experiences, and lean on your community. Sometimes, just knowing you’re not alone can make all the difference.

👩⚕️ Technicians: The Backbone of Pharmacy Teams

What's Changing: Technicians are stepping into expanded roles, which is both exciting and challenging. Balancing new responsibilities with existing workloads can feel overwhelming without the right support.

Why It Matters: When technicians are empowered, they bring more to the table—not just in tasks completed but in the care and attention they offer to patients and teams.

Tech Tip: Use available tools to streamline repetitive tasks. More efficiency means more energy for what truly matters—people.

💉 Patients: A Partner in Care

What's Changing: Patients need more personalized care, which requires pharmacy teams to stay focused and present. Burnout can create barriers to these meaningful interactions.

Why It Matters: When pharmacy teams are supported, patients see the difference. Trust grows, outcomes improve, and communities thrive.

Patient Reminder: Your pharmacist is here to listen and guide you. A simple thank-you or kind word can go a long way in brightening their day.

🏪 Independent Pharmacy Owners: Leaders in Wellness

What's Changing: As community hubs, independent pharmacies have a unique opportunity to set the tone for a balanced, people-first approach to healthcare.

Why It Matters: Fostering a workplace culture that values well-being isn’t just a business decision—it’s a commitment to your team and your community.

Owner Insight: Take the lead in creating a healthier work environment by organizing team check-ins, celebrating small wins, and implementing technologies that reduce stress.

🔮 Keeping an Eye Out: Addressing Burnout

As the demands of the pharmacy profession grow, addressing burnout has become a top priority. Organizations like the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) are stepping up to provide resources and strategies to support pharmacy professionals. By focusing on education, collaboration, and innovative practices, these organizations aim to equip pharmacists and technicians with tools to create a healthier work environment and improve patient care.

Through ongoing training and access to mental health resources, pharmacy teams can tackle burnout head-on and build a sustainable future for the profession.

💡 ShiftRx Tip: Optimize Your Pharmacy Workflow

As the demand for pharmacy services continues to grow, now is the perfect time to evaluate and optimize your pharmacy workflow. Streamlining processes can improve efficiency and better patient care, allowing staff to manage the increasing workload. 

📅 Need a per diem pharmacist or technician? By utilizing the right staffing solutions, you can maintain quality service and ensure operations run smoothly. ShiftRx finds qualified professionals who can help fill in gaps and support your team, allowing you to focus on patient care. Check out the latest on ShiftRx!

🗞 Quick Scripts: Other Industry News

• Where’d All the Pharmacies Go? The Great Retail Retreat: Nearly a third of U.S. retail pharmacies have closed since 2010, leaving many communities with limited access to essential healthcare services. The trend highlights the urgent need to rethink pharmacy models and explore innovative solutions to ensure patients get the care they need.

• CVS Shakes It Up: New Leaders, New Goals: CVS Health is switching gears with fresh leadership appointments aimed at transforming pharmacy and wellness services. It’s all about embracing change, improving patient care, and staying ahead in a competitive healthcare landscape.

• Time for a Pharmacy Glow-Up?: With major pharmacy chains scaling back, it’s clear the traditional retail model needs a reboot. The focus is shifting to patient-centric care and new approaches to meet healthcare demands while staying sustainable.

• Vitamin C for the Win: A Bright Spot in Cancer Care: High doses of vitamin C are showing promise in improving outcomes for patients with late-stage pancreatic cancer. This innovative approach offers hope for patients and highlights the potential of creative treatment strategies.

🌟Pharma Stars

Pharma Stars is our new weekly spotlight for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Techs! Each week we will be shining a light on pharmacy professionals and industry leaders who inspire us. 

This week we’re introducing Bryce Platt PharmD, a licensed pharmacist specializing in managed care through population health and performance improvement strategies. His expertise focuses on using patient data to track performance and drive strategy, evaluating opportunities for tactical improvement in healthcare models, and working with healthcare startups to navigate and take on financial risk in the US healthcare system through knowledge of the financial relationships across systems.

What motivated you to pursue a PharmD?

“The initial motivation was my interest in health and supplements. While I still have those interests, my plan for how to use my PharmD has dramatically shifted over the time I was in school, in my fellowship, and now in consulting. The PharmD is much more flexible in career options than I ever heard in school.”

What was the most pivotal moment in your pharmaceutical career?

“I was able to have a rotation in my final year of pharmacy school with Pfizer about managed care. The rotation included a trip to the AMCP conference that year. It really opened up the nontraditional options in pharmacy for me and got me started in finding a fellowship in population health management. I still had to reach out and make connections with people, but the fellowship (my first step into a nontraditional career) never would’ve happened without the Pfizer rotation.”

How did your PharmD education prepare you for consulting in the pharmacy industry?

“The high-level skills for what I do:

• Building and maintaining relationships

• Diving into new/unknown things and becoming an expert

• Determining what skill/knowledge is actually valuable

• Finding the patterns for what works

While a PharmD isn’t required for any of those, the details I’m helping with absolutely require a PharmD.

Two detailed examples:

When Wegovy was approved for heart disease, I found the information or determined the process to answer the questions below:

• What kind of financial impact would this have for payers?

• Which exact ICD 10 codes/disease states should qualify?

• How are other payers handling this approval?

• What are some strategies to maximize value and minimize waste?

• Will there be other disease states approved in the future for GLP-1s?

Help employers/payers visualize and understand their pharmacy spending (aka what should be the foundation of pharmacy benefits):

• Aggregate pharmacy claims into Excel exhibits or PowerBI dashboards

• Identify opportunities for savings, reducing waste, or poor performance compared to benchmarks

• Evaluate historic pharmacy spend and predict future trends

• Do deep dives on specific drugs (like GLP-1s above)

Some other quick examples:

• When a new drug is released or loses patent exclusivity, where will utilization shift?

• Evaluate the healthcare and financial model of a healthcare startup

• Review a formulary compared to competitors

• How can pharmacists be better utilized in the system? “

That’s it for today’s fill!

Stay tuned for next week’s issue. If you enjoyed this, please share it with your pharmacy friends. Until then, keep filling those scripts and making an impact!

Doses and mimosas, ShiftRx Team

Redefining staffing for pharmacy professionals, one shift at a time.

Have feedback? Send it our way at [email protected] with the subject: Weekly Fill Feedback.

Sources:

'We Need to Educate': NABP Seeks to Address Pharmacy Workforce Burnout Through Collaboration, Education

Humanizing Pharmacy: Shifting From Volume to Value for Improved Care and Reduced Pharmacist Burnout

How Technology Can Reduce Pharmacy Staff Burnout