Charting the demand for pharmacists in the managed care era

Projecting the future size of the Lebanese pharmacy workforce: forecasts until the year 2050

BACKGROUND

Despite the rigorous regulations governing the pharmacy profession in Lebanon, the increasing numbers of pharmacy graduates seem to be the greatest threat of demise. No forecast is available to assess the long-term projections of pharmacists supply.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this manuscript is to project the future size of the Lebanese pharmacy workforce till 2050 and discuss their potential consequences on the labour market.

METHODS

This study was carried out in collaboration with the Lebanese Order of Pharmacists (OPL), where official numbers were retrieved from the registered pharmacists' database from 2006 to 2017. The data were analyzed as time series using the Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) method. Projected numbers were plotted using Microsoft Excel office.

RESULTS

The ratio of pharmacists to 10 000 inhabitants up till the end of 2017 was estimated at 17.52, compared with a worldwide mean of 5.09, with a continuous increase seen with the coming years, possibly reaching an estimated 41.17 pharmacists per 10 000 inhabitants by the year 2050. The total number of pharmacies increased from 1546 in 2006 up to 3174 at the end of 2017 nationwide, with a major increase seen in Bekaa (206.35%) and South Lebanon (171.08%) governorates, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that the dramatic increase in pharmacy graduates will worsen with time. To curb it, it is important to vote and apply new laws, and initiate a collaborative work between academia, professional associations, and employers from all sectors to find innovative solutions.

Consumers' Lack of Awareness on Issues Pertaining to Their Prescription Drug Coverage

Prescription drug coverage is an increasingly important component of any health insurance plan. Previous research has indicated that the optimal use of health insurance by plan members is at least somewhat dependent upon their understanding of its design and inherent cost-containment features. This study employed face-to-face interviews of pharmacy patrons with at least some sort of prescription drug coverage to determine their understanding of any pharmacy plan's limitations, the use of formularies, and the concept of generic versus branded drugs, in addition to assessing their sources for obtaining information about their prescription drug plans. Most respondents were able to differentiate between generic and branded drugs, but few of them understood the other cost-containment components of their prescription drug plans. Many subjects relied on their pharmacist, rather than their employer or insurer to provide such information. Despite statistically significant contributions by income level and other demographic and health-related variables, little of the variation in knowledge of these prescription drug issues was explained.

Rural Illinois Hospital Chief Executive Officers? Perceptions of Provider Shortages and Issues in Rural Recruitment and Retention

BACKGROUND

It is important to assess rural health professions workforce needs and identify variables in recruitment and retention of rural health professionals.

PURPOSE

This study examined the perspectives of rural hospital chief executive officers (CEOs) regarding workforce needs and their views of factors in the recruitment and retention process.

METHODS

A survey was mailed to CEOs of 28 Illinois rural hospitals, in towns ranging from 3,396 to 33,530 in population size. The survey addressed CEO perceptions of number of physicians needed by specialty, need for other health professionals, and variables important to recruitment and retention.

FINDINGS

Twenty-two CEOs (79%) responded to the survey. Eighty-six percent indicated a physician shortage in the community, with 64% reporting the need for family physicians. CEOs also indicated the need for physicians in obstetrics-gynecology, general and orthopedic surgery, general internal medicine, cardiology, and psychiatry. In terms of needs for other health professionals, most often mentioned were registered nurses (91%), pharmacists (64%), and nurses' aides (46%). Related to recruitment and retention, most often mentioned by the CEOs was community attractiveness in general, followed by practice and physician career opportunities.

CONCLUSIONS

CEOs offer 1 important perspective on health professions needs, recruitment, and retention in rural communities. While expressing a range of opinions, rural hospital CEOs clearly indicate the need for more primary care physicians, call for an increased capacity in nursing, and point to community development as a key factor in recruitment and retention.

Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy use by older Mexican-American women

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of current hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use and describe its correlates among community-dwelling, Mexican-American women aged 67 and older.

DESIGN

A population-based survey of older Mexican-Americans conducted in 1995/1996.

SETTING

Five Southwestern states: Texas, New Mexico, California, Arizona, and Colorado.

PARTICIPANTS

An area probability sample of 1,424 noninstitutionalized Mexican-American women aged 67 and older (mean age = 75.1) completed the survey instrument via a 90-minute in-home interview, which included examination and recording of all medications taken.

MEASUREMENTS

Current use of HRT.

RESULTS

In this sample of older Mexican-American women, 4.7% were current users of HRT. Controlling for sociodemographic characteristics (age, marital status, living arrangements, years of education, income, language of interview), current HRT use is significantly related to years of education (per each year) (odds ratio (OR) = 1.13; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-1.20), having had a hysterectomy (OR = 4.37; 95% CI 2.50-7.64), a diagnosis of osteoporosis (OR = 3.40, 95% CI = 1.58-7.33), age at menopause (per each year) (OR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.03-1.12), ever having a mammogram (OR = 3.72; 95% CI = 1.66-8.37), ever having a Pap test/pelvic examination (OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 1.08-4.12), having spoken with a pharmacist within the past year regarding health conditions (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.06-3.65), and having Medicare plus private insurance (OR = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.14-3.97).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of HRT use is lower than that reported in the older non-Hispanic white female population. In general, these findings indicate that access to and utilization of the traditional U.S. health care system are indicators of HRT use.