In an era of growing demands on healthcare professionals, pharmacy burnout is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

According to the 2023 Pharmacy Times Burnout and Mental Health Survey, pharmacists reported an average burnout score of 5.89 out of 7.

The survey also identified the five leading causes of burnout:

• Workload (21.7%)

• Work-life balance (16.1%)

• Challenging or unreasonable performance metrics (15.2%)

• Management (14.3%)

• High patient and prescription volumes (13.1%)

The Impact of Pharmacy Burnout

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have highlighted several consequences of burnout. These include medical errors, patient harm, strained working relationships, and lower patient satisfaction.

In other words, pharmacist burnout does not affect employees alone. Its effects can extend throughout the pharmacy and ultimately reach the patients it serves.

Some pharmacies have introduced measures such as dedicated break times. However, 52% of pharmacists surveyed said these efforts had little or no impact.

So, how can pharmacy leaders create meaningful change? A good place to start is by addressing two of the biggest drivers of burnout: poor work-life balance and work overload.

Support a Healthier Work-Life Balance

Pharmacy leaders can take a proactive approach by investing in the well-being of both themselves and their teams. Consider starting with the following:

Ask for Employee Feedback

Regularly ask employees whether current work-life balance initiatives are helping. Be willing to adjust those efforts based on what your team shares.

Provide Mental Health Support

Offer access to mental health resources when possible. Counseling services, employee assistance programs, and stress-management workshops can provide valuable support.

Recognize and Reward Employees

Regularly acknowledge employees’ hard work and accomplishments. Rewards might include a team lunch, a paid day off, or another benefit your employees genuinely value.

Encourage Employees to Use Vacation Time

Encourage staff members to take their available vacation time. Just as importantly, respect their time away by avoiding work-related calls and messages whenever possible.

Strengthen Team Relationships

Organize occasional team-building activities that improve collaboration and make the workplace more enjoyable.

Show Appreciation in Simple Ways

Small gestures can also make a difference. Treating the team to lunch, for example, gives employees something to look forward to while showing that their work is appreciated.

Begin with actions you can implement immediately, then build from there. These measures demonstrate a real commitment to creating a healthier workplace. They also show employees that their well-being matters.

Reduce Work Overload Through Better Systems

Supporting employees is important, but appreciation alone cannot solve an unmanageable workload. Pharmacies must also examine the systems and repetitive tasks that consume staff time.

Technology and automation can reduce manual work, simplify daily processes, and help pharmacy teams operate more efficiently. When routine tasks require less time and effort, employees have more capacity for patient care and other responsibilities that require their expertise.

How Will-Call Automation Can Help

HangRx automates key parts of the pharmacy will-call workflow. These include prescription retrieval, patient messaging, return-to-stock procedures, and inventory management.

Because HangRx integrates directly with the pharmacy’s Pharmacy Management System (PMS), staff can manage will-call without adding another disconnected process. Light-guided prescription retrieval also helps employees locate filled prescriptions quickly instead of searching through bags or relying on staff memory.

Reducing this daily friction will not eliminate every cause of pharmacy burnout. However, it can ease repetitive work, reduce stress at the pickup counter, and give employees more time to focus on patients.

“Our will-call area is faster, more efficient, accurate, and enjoyable for the customer. I believe HangRx has made more difference in customer service than any other technology we have employed.”

—Drew Huggins, COO, DrugCo Pharmacies

Take the Next Step

Addressing pharmacy burnout requires both employee support and operational improvement. Pharmacy leaders can begin by listening to their teams, protecting time away from work, recognizing employees, and improving the workflows that contribute to daily stress.

For more information about how HangRx can simplify will-call and reduce repetitive work in your pharmacy, visit Suncrest Solutions.