Pharmacists are a vital part of improving patient safety, optimizing medication management, and maintaining regulatory standards in healthcare facilities. With the increasing demand for pharmacy professionals to supplant staffing shortages, the decision to use Temporary vs. full-time Pharmacist Staffing is directly related to patient outcomes as well as daily operations.
In this blog, you will learn about the pros and cons of both temporary staffing vs full-time pharmacist staffing as well as considerations for determining what is best for your healthcare facility. Making the best decision will ensure that your facility can continue to provide dependable and high-quality care while remaining financially viable.
Why hire pharmacists in today’s healthcare landscape
Healthcare facilities across the nation are facing increasing prescription volume and increasing expectations on their care teams. Having enough pharmacists to properly practice can be crucial to maintaining safety, compliance, and streamlined performance. So, when you hire pharmacists, they are solely focused on medication distribution.
However, as they reduce medication errors, increase workflow efficiencies, and provide assistance to physicians and nurses, they are also an operationally focused support staff. In most cases, facilities also hire pharmacy technicians, as they also support improving patient satisfaction. When we consider and appreciate the role of pharmacists in our daily operations, they truly add value in support of our operational teams, but ultimately to the care and satisfaction of our patients.
- Improved medication safety allows for the elimination of costly errors.
- Ensure proper regulatory compliance and documentation.
- Improve patient experience through education and counseling.
Temporary vs. full-time pharmacist staffing: pros and cons
Choosing temporary vs. full-time pharmacist staffing is a significant choice for your operations, patient care, and financial performance. Each model has its benefits, and each has costs; it would be wise to consider these costs very seriously in your choice. Understanding these pros and cons will help align your staffing plan to the level of patient care and growth strategies you have for your facility. Many healthcare facilities discover that the decision is not strictly between temporary or full-time staffing, but rather depends on specific circumstances such as timing, available resources, and organizational priorities.
While pharmacist temporary staffing provides a great option for resolving challenges stemming from seasonal peaks, vacation coverage, or surprise shortages, it enables flexibility and can appear to be cost-effective in the short term. However, there can be several liabilities associated with temporary staffing, including limited continuity of care or a higher turnover ratio.
Whereas full-time pharmacist staffing may require a higher investment and longer involvement in the hiring process, it helps provide stability, retention, and teamwork enhancements with your facility’s respective teams. Therefore, each model can provide strong solutions in any healthcare facility, but understanding the differences and which suits each circumstance best is critical to the decision-making process.
Five considerations before making a staffing decision
A temporary staffing program or permanent staffing program is about more than just filling a position. The staffing you choose should fit your workforce’s vision for the future. Well-calculated choices will weigh short-term patient care requirements with long-term workforce needs. You will also want to consider costs, regulatory and compliance requirements, as well as how care delivery will possibly influence the patient experience. A bigger picture approach will support sound staffing decisions that sustain both your operations and quality outcomes. The following points highlight how costs, compliance, and patient experience play a direct role in shaping these staffing decisions.
- Patient volume and care demands: Look at your prescription volume and patient delivery to understand if you are sourcing for temporary coverage or long-term stability.
- Budget and cost considerations: Compare the flexibility of full-time staffing with the opportunity for savings from temporary hires.
- Workforce stability: Consider the cost of turnover and workforce continuity on patient safety.
- Regulatory and compliance needs: Ensure your staffing decisions align with your state requirements for credentialing and supervision.
- Organizational model and growth plans: Decide whether your healthcare facility’s vision fits better with temporary staffing flexibility or full-time staffing integration.
How to decide the best model for your healthcare facility
Determining whether to use temporary vs. full-time pharmacist staffing depends on your facility’s priorities. Start by examining your patient population, prescription volume, and desired pharmacy team integration. If your healthcare facility often experiences volume spikes or high turnover, pharmacist temporary staffing will provide the flexibility you need. Conversely, if you want stability, collaboration, and deeper commitment from your team, full-time pharmacist staffing is the best approach.
For many healthcare facilities, the best model might be a hybrid of both temporary staffing and full-time staffing. Utilizing workforce data and cooperative relationships with trustworthy pharmacist staffing partners will assist you with balancing cost-effectiveness with uninterrupted, high-quality care for your patients.
Using smarter staffing solutions for your pharmacy staffing needs
Pharmacists play an important role in the delivery of safe, efficient, and compliant healthcare. Deciding on temporary vs. full-time pharmacist staffing is only part of the challenge, as many healthcare facilities requiring immediate staffing solutions often turn to traditional staffing agencies. While this may seem like a simple approach to solving staffing needs, it can create barriers such as substantially increased costs beyond your budget and limited access to certified professionals who are prepared to work.
This situation can place both patient care and the operational stability you have worked to establish at risk. A modern healthcare staffing platform offers a better option; for example, platforms like MedSquirrels are the better choice available. MedSquirrels is a cost-effective pharmacist staffing platform that provides certified professionals to work in your facility on demand while keeping you on budget through unique staffing plans. With pharmacist temporary staffing, you can create demand when needed or choose full-time pharmacist staffing for consistent support.
