Investigation into the status quo of the contingent of pharmacists in medical institutions of Shanghai / 中华医院管理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To find out about the status quo of the contingent of pharmacists in medical institutions of Shanghai so as to provide basis for promoting reform in the mode of pharmacological work in the hospital and adopting the system of clinical pharmacists. Methods An investigation through questionnaires was made into over 6 000 pharmacists from 416 hospitals(28 third-tier hospitals, 52 second-tier hospitals, and 336 first-tier hospitals) with respect to their professional titles, educational backgrounds, and distribution of posts. Results On average, the number of personnel with senior or medium professional titles in third-tier hospitals was markedly higher than that in second- or first-tier hospitals; people with doctoral or master's degrees were distributed mosdy in third-tier hospitals; the proportion of personnel with senior or medium professional tides on emergency outpatient posts in second- or third-tier hospitals was lower than diat in other departments; and on average, the number of resident pharmacists per hundred beds was less than one. Conclusion There is a drastic shortage and unbalanced distribution of personnel with senior or medium professional titles in the contingent of pharmacists in Shanghai and the structures of the professional tides and educational backgrounds of the pharmacological personnel lag behind the needs for clinical pharmacological services. Efforts must be made to improve the overall quality and expertise of the contingent of pharmacists so as to get ready in terms of qualified personnel for the adoption of die system of clinical pharmacists.