An examination of pharmacists' labor supply and wages

Analysis of 10-year income trends for pharmacists and other select health professionals

PURPOSE

To evaluate income trends among pharmacists and other select health professions (dentists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and physicians) in the US for the 10-year period of 2012 to 2021, with special attention given to the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 and 2021).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted of 2012 to 2021 income data for select health professions, collected from the American Community Survey. Univariate time series analysis was conducted using exponential smoothing to examine income patterns over the 10-year study period and forecast income for the next 5-year period (2022 to 2026) for each health profession. Additionally, time series regression models were constructed for each health profession. Descriptive statistics (mean percent change in income and SD) were calculated for each health profession for the prepandemic era (2012 to 2019) and the first 2 years of the pandemic (2020 and 2021).

RESULTS

Goodness-of-fit statistics for each forecast model indicate highly accurate forecasts. The model for each health profession indicates a significant positive trajectory in income (P < 0.001), although pharmacists are projected to have a lower rate of income growth among the 5 health professions for the next 5-year period, 2022 to 2026. During the first 2 years of the pandemic, pharmacists had the lowest mean percent change in income (mean, 2.0%; SD, 2.0%) among the 5 health professions.

CONCLUSION

Growth in pharmacist income is projected to lag behind that in other health professions in the near future. Individual-, organization-, and profession-level strategies may facilitate opportunities for income growth among pharmacists.

Nature and Composition of Earnings Reported by Health Economists and Related Professionals: Gender, Education, and job Characteristics Matter

Background

Despite the fast growth of the workforce comprising health economics (HE), outcomes research (OR), and market access (MA) professionals, little is known about their earnings determination. Only three studies have examined their earnings and none has considered the number of hours worked, traditionally a critical component of income determination models.

Objectives

(i) Estimate an indicator of annual earnings of HE/OR/MA professionals, comparing male versus female and U.S. versus non-U.S. earnings levels, and (ii) assess the magnitude of the effect of selected human-capital and job-related covariates on their annual earnings determination.

Methods

The study used 2019 self-reported survey data from a sample of 304 HE/OR/MA professionals registered in the HealthEconomics.com global subscriber list. A two-way classification model with multiple replications was used to identify and test earnings variations of HE/OR/MA professionals across genders and locations. An earnings determination function using ordinary least squares was used to identify disparities in response to covariates including average workweek, human-capital stock, and job-related variables by gender and location.

Results

Substantial earning disparities were observed between HE/OR/MA professionals living in the U.S. and those living in other countries. Non-U.S. respondents exhibited earnings gaps of 44.7% in wages/salaries and 46.8% in total earnings relative to their U.S. counterparts with greater gaps for women than men. The female earnings gap outside the U.S. was considerably greater than in the U.S. Holding a graduate degree; working in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology firm; age, a proxy for experience; and working remotely impacted earnings differentials across different subgroups.

Conclusions

The findings of this paper shed light into the nature and composition of earnings of HE/OR/MA professionals across genders and locations. Exploring the dynamics of earning disparities by gender and location has increased in relevance given the rapidly-changing and uncertain job market environment driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gender and Pharmacists' Career Satisfaction in the United States

Job satisfaction reflects pharmacists' evaluation of their current work experiences, while career satisfaction is an evaluation of how satisfied pharmacists are with their profession across various jobs. The objectives of this article were to measure career satisfaction and specific facets of current-job satisfaction of U.S. pharmacists, compare satisfaction across genders, and examine the determinants of career satisfaction. This study was based on self-reported survey data collected from a random sample of licensed pharmacists practicing throughout the United States. The sample consisted of 422 men and 315 women. Within each gender, pharmacists' career satisfaction was modeled using ordinary least squares as a function of three sets of variables: personal characteristics, earnings and workweek, and other job-related variables. Female pharmacists exhibited higher levels of contentment with their careers than their male counterparts. Their career-satisfaction levels were not affected by age, marital status, annual earnings, or average workweek, covariates that systematically influenced male pharmacists' career satisfaction. Job satisfaction substantially affected pharmacists' long-term career satisfaction. Male and female pharmacists responded differently to stimuli, so a uniform set of work-related incentives may not be effective for both genders. Initiatives perceived by male practitioners as increasing satisfaction may be adversely perceived by female practitioners, and vice-versa.

Disparities in the Wage-and-Salary Earnings, Determinants, and Distribution of Health Economics, Outcomes Research, and Market Access Professionals: An Exploratory Study

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to estimate the wage-and-salary earnings of a sample of health economics, outcomes research, and market access (HE/OR/MA) professionals; compare male versus female and US versus non-US earnings; assess the magnitude of the effect of several human-capital and job-related covariates on the determination of earnings; and examine inequality in the distribution of earnings.

METHODS

The study used self-reported survey data collected in 2017 from a subset of HE/OR/MA professionals in the HealthEconomics.com global subscriber list. HE/OR/MA professionals in this subset completed a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 372 participants who reported their wage-and-salary earnings and other indicators. The sample was not necessarily representative of the global HE/OR/MA community. The study methods included a two-way classification model with multiple replications, an ordinary least-squares model, and three inequality indicators.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

The results suggested substantial disparities between the wage-and-salary earnings of respondents living in the USA and those living in other countries; mild gender disparities in earnings; greater inequality outside the USA than within the USA; and, within each location, more unequal distribution of men's earnings than that of women's earnings.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the findings may not be extrapolated to the worldwide population of HE/OR/MA professionals, they provide a point of comparison with earlier studies and offer insights into the mechanics of one of the most innovative and fastest growing health-sector workforce segments in developed as well as emerging countries.

National Pharmacist Workforce Study (NPWS): Description of 2019 Survey Methods and Assessment of Nonresponse Bias

National Pharmacist Workforce Studies (NPWS) have been conducted in the U.S. every five years since 2000. This article describes the online survey methods used for the latest NPWS conducted in 2019 and provides an assessment for nonresponse bias. Three waves of emails containing a link to the online survey were sent to a random sample of about 96,000 pharmacists licensed in the United States. The survey asked about pharmacist employment, work activities, work–life balance, practice characteristics, pharmacist demographics and training. A total of 5467 usable responses were received, for a usable response rate of 5.8%. To assess for nonresponse bias, respondent characteristics were compared to the population of U.S. pharmacists and a benchmark, while a wave analysis compared early and late respondents. The pharmacist sample–population comparison and the benchmark comparison showed that the NPWS respondents had a higher percentage of female pharmacists and a lower proportion of young pharmacists compared to the population of U.S. pharmacists and the benchmark sample. In some contrast, the wave analysis showed that the early respondents had a higher percentage of males and older pharmacists compared to the late respondents. Both the wave analysis and the benchmark comparison showed that the NPWS respondents (and early respondents) had a lower percent of pharmacists with a PharmD degree than did the late respondents and the benchmark group. These differences should be considered when interpreting the findings from the 2019 NPWS.

A Probe into the Wages and Salaries of Health Economics, Outcomes Research, and Market Access Professionals

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the central tendency and spread of health economics, outcomes research, and market access (HE/OR/MA) professionals' wage-and-salary earnings; compare male versus female and US versus non-US earnings levels; and examine inequality in their distribution.

METHODS

Self-reported survey data were collected in 2015 from HE/OR/MA professionals in the HealthEconomics.com global subscriber list. The study design consisted of a two-way classification model with multiple replications and three inequality indicators. HE/OR/MA professionals from the HealthEconomics.com global subscriber list completed a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 403 participants.

RESULTS

Within each location, men earned higher wages and salaries than women, and within each gender, HE/OR/MA professionals living in the USA earned higher wages and salaries than those living outside the USA. Evidence of a gap was suggested by the presence of gender and location disparities in earnings determinants. Results also suggested the presence of moderate inequality that was similar for both genders and greater for non-US than US residents.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shed light into the labor market structure of HE/OR/MA professionals and may be conducive to more rational and efficient workforce management policies.

Pockets of Inequality in the Distribution of U.S. Pharmacists' Wages and Salaries: A Gender Comparison

Background

The literature contains conflicting arguments regarding inequalities in the distribution of U.S. pharmacists' wages and salaries and the existence of a gender earnings gap. Some authors argue that the dispersion is small compared to other professions and there is no gap; others report that after controlling for number of hours worked, human-capital stock, and job-related preferences, male pharmacists earn higher wages and salaries than female pharmacists.

Objectives

Estimate the central tendency and spread of wages and salaries of pharmacists practicing in the U.S., compare earning levels of male and female pharmacists, and examine the pockets of inequality within each gender.

Methods

The study used self-reported survey data collected from a random sample of licensed pharmacists practicing throughout the United States. The sample consisted of 375 men and 279 women. Means and standard deviations of wage-and-salary earnings for male and female pharmacists were estimated by age, number of hours worked, years of professional experience, marital status, type of pharmacy degree, main role as pharmacist, and type of practice site. The spread of wages and salaries within gender was analyzed using the Gini coefficient.

Results

A total of 654 pharmacists provided answers to all relevant questions in the questionnaire (28.9% response rate). Wages and salaries of male pharmacists exceeded those of female pharmacists, but the gap was restricted to practitioners with selected characteristics–older, married, with more experience, whose primary role was dispensing medications, and practicing in a hospital setting. The greatest wage-and-salary inequalities were observed among older pharmacists, with more years of professional experience, and whose primary role was dispensing medications. Different gender-specific pockets of inequality were identified in all variables studied and all categories within these variables.

Conclusion

The seemingly smooth gender-specific distribution of earnings in the pharmacy profession might be the result of opposing trends by different groups of practitioners that cancel each other when analyzed aggregately. By estimating the wages and salaries for selected categories of pharmacists and examining the pockets of inequality within each gender, this study shed light into recent labor market developments and will hopefully stimulate further research into the dynamics of the pharmacist workforce.

Gender and Age Variations in Pharmacists' Job Satisfaction in the United States

While several studies have attested the presence of systematic gender and age variations in pharmacists’ satisfaction with their jobs, only a few of them have considered both classifications simultaneously. None have done so while systematically examining multiple facets of practitioners’ work. This article estimated U.S. pharmacists’ satisfaction levels with various facets of their work, compared them simultaneously between genders and among age groups, and tested for the presence of gender–age interaction effects. The study was based on self-reported survey data collected from 701 pharmacists (31.0% response rate). Mean and standard deviation values for 18 indices related to pharmacists’ work were calculated. When age groups were controlled, female pharmacists expressed overall higher levels of satisfaction with their job than male pharmacists; they also expressed greater satisfaction with multiple specific facets and with the profession, as well as greater workload and stress than male pharmacists. The findings revealed few significant differences among age groups and a limited gender–age interaction effect for pharmacists’ satisfaction with key facets of their work. These findings should contribute to the development and refinement of rational criteria for increasing sources of satisfaction in pharmacy settings.

Gender differences in the measurement of pharmacists' job satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Men and women choose different levels of commitment in their careers and at home. Compared to men, women value the significance of tasks performed and social relations more and earnings less. The objective of this study was to explore whether male and female pharmacists show the same levels of satisfaction overall and with key facets of their job, whether overall satisfaction is associated with satisfaction with 12 key facets of pharmacists' jobs, and whether this association is similar for men and women.

METHODS

The study used self-reported survey data collected from a random sample of licensed pharmacists practicing throughout the United States. The sample consisted of 436 males and 300 females. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the association between overall job satisfaction and its key components. The 13 job satisfaction indices and the Pearson correlation coefficient values were compared by gender.

RESULTS

Women were consistently more satisfied than men. Variations in overall job satisfaction were at best accompanied by moderate variations in the 12 job satisfaction facets, raising concerns about the validity of configuring a composite index from multiple indices of satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study can be used by healthcare managers and policymakers to facilitate communication, enhance teamwork, and promote a better allocation of scarce resources. Since men and women responded differently to various facets of their jobs, a constant set of rewards and stimulants may not be equally effective for both genders as employers transform the workplace to more adequately meet practitioners' needs and increase their productivity.

A theoretical framework for the interpretation of pharmacist workforce studies throughout the world: The labor supply curve

Despite geographic, financial, and cultural diversity, publications dealing with the pharmacist workforce throughout the world share common concerns and focus on similar topics. Their findings are presented in the literature in a seemingly unrelated way even though they are connected to one another as parts of a comprehensive theoretical structure. The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model that relates some of the most salient topics addressed in the international literature on pharmacist workforce. The model is developed along two fundamental ideas. The first identifies the shape and location of the pharmacist's labor supply curve as the driving force behind all workforce decisions undertaken by pharmacists; the second argues that gender and age differences are two of the most important factors determining the shape and location of this supply curve. The paper then discusses movements along the curve attributed to changes in the wage rate, as well as displacements of the curve attributed to disparities in personal characteristics, investments in human capital, job-related preferences, opinions and perceptions, and institutional rigidities. The focus is on the individual pharmacist, not on groups of pharmacists or the profession as a whole. Works in multiple countries that address each topic are identified. Understanding these considerations is critical as employers' failure to accommodate pharmacists' preferences for work and leisure are associated with negative consequences not only for them but also for the healthcare system as a whole. Possible consequences include excessive job turnover, absenteeism, decreased institutional commitment, and lower quality of work.

A synthesis of recent analyses of human resources for health requirements and labour market dynamics in high-income OECD countries

BACKGROUND

Recognition of the importance of effective human resources for health (HRH) planning is evident in efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA) to facilitate, with partner organizations, the development of a global HRH strategy for the period 2016-2030. As part of efforts to inform the development of this strategy, the aims of this study, the first of a pair, were (a) to conduct a rapid review of recent analyses of HRH requirements and labour market dynamics in high-income countries who are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and (b) to identify a methodology to determine future HRH requirements for these countries.

METHODS

A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature, targeted website searches, and multi-stage reference mining were conducted. To supplement these efforts, an international Advisory Group provided additional potentially relevant documents. All documents were assessed against predefined inclusion criteria and reviewed using a standardized data extraction tool.

RESULTS

In total, 224 documents were included in the review. The HRH supply in the included countries is generally expected to grow, but it is not clear whether that growth will be adequate to meet health care system objectives in the future. Several recurring themes regarding factors of importance in HRH planning were evident across the documents reviewed, such as aging populations and health workforces as well as changes in disease patterns, models of care delivery, scopes of practice, and technologies in health care. However, the most common HRH planning approaches found through the review do not account for most of these factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The current evidence base on HRH labour markets in high-income OECD countries, although large and growing, does not provide a clear picture of the expected future HRH situation in these countries. Rather than HRH planning methods and analyses being guided by explicit HRH policy questions, most of the reviewed studies appeared to derive HRH policy questions based on predetermined planning methods. Informed by the findings of this review, a methodology to estimate future HRH requirements for these countries is described.

Pharmacists' wages and salaries: The part-time versus full-time dichotomy

BACKGROUND

Recent years have seen significant growth in part-time work among pharmacy personnel. If preferences and outlooks of part-time and full-time workers differ, job-related incentives may not have the same effect on both groups; different management practices may be necessary to cope with rapidly evolving workforces.

OBJECTIVE

To compare wage-and-salary responses to the number of hours worked, human-capital stock, and job-related preferences between full-time and part-time pharmacists. The analysis focused on the pharmacist workforce because, unlike other professions, remuneration is fairly linear with respect to the amount of time worked.

METHODS

Data were collected from a self-reported survey of licensed pharmacists in southern Florida (U.S. State). The sample consisted of 979 full-time and 254 part-time respondents. Using ordinary least squares, a model estimated, separately for full-time and part-time pharmacists, annual wage-and-salary earnings as functions of average workweek, human-capital stock, and job-related preferences.

RESULTS

Practitioners working less than 36 h/week were driven almost exclusively by pay, whereas practitioners working 36 h or more exhibited a more comprehensive approach to their work experience that included variables beyond monetary remuneration.

CONCLUSION

Managing part-time pharmacists calls for emphasis on wage-and-salary issues. Job-security and gender- and children-related concerns, such as flexibility, should be oriented toward full-time practitioners.

The life-cycle argument: age as a mediator of pharmacists' earnings

BACKGROUND

Age diversity poses challenges to pharmacy employers and managers. A life-cycle argument has been presented to explain pharmacists' age-related differences at work.

OBJECTIVES

Explore responses of pharmacists' wage-and-salary earnings in three age groups (younger than 40, 40-54 years, and 55 years plus) to labor input and human-capital variables.

METHODS

A survey questionnaire was mailed to registered pharmacists in South Florida, USA. An earnings function was formulated and tested, using ordinary least squares, for each age group separately to compare the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of each determinant on earnings. The covariates were number of hours worked, type of pharmacy degree, years of professional experience, gender, number of children, and whether the pharmacist had completed a residency and/or attained a specialty board certification.

RESULTS

The model showed better fit and statistical significance for practitioners under 40 and 55 years or older. The number of hours worked was the overwhelming determinant, but the magnitude of its influence was different for the three age groups. Human-capital indicators provided evidence in support of the life-cycle argument.

CONCLUSION

The wage-and-salary earnings of pharmacy practitioners were mediated by age group in their response to labor input and human-capital variables.

Pharmacists' earnings determinants: differences by ethnic group

Objectives

The purpose of this paper was to explore the behaviour of wage-and-salary earnings of non-Hispanic white, black and Hispanic pharmacists.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted based on the responses to a survey questionnaire. The survey was administered to licensed pharmacists in South Florida between September 2006 and March 2007. The main outcome measures of the study were the response of pharmacists' wage-and-salary earnings to the number of hours worked, human-capital stock and job-related preferences.

Key findings

The earnings responses of non-Hispanic white and Hispanic pharmacists largely conformed to patterns reported in the literature, but the earnings of black pharmacists did not. Significant ethnic differences in the effect of the explanatory variables were detected.

Conclusions

The earnings-determination model developed here was suitable for non-Hispanic white and Hispanic pharmacists, but not for black pharmacists. Pharmacists' earnings-determination processes must address ethnicity-related issues.