The Kansas Pharmacists Association (KPhA) is aware of and supports pharmacists and pharmacy personnel that are protesting unsafe working conditions that put their patients’ health at risk. All pharmacists take the Oath of a Pharmacist and in it, they vow to embrace and advocate changes that improve patient care. We support the pharmacists and pharmacy personnel who are, at risk to themselves and their jobs, advocating for better working conditions that protect the health and safety of their pharmacy teams and their patients. 

This is not a new issue but one that has become progressively worse over the last several years. A 2022 Kansas Board of Pharmacy survey found that 57% of pharmacists reported that they did not have adequate time to complete their job in a safe and effective manner. A survey completed in summer 2023 as a joint effort between the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, KPhA, and the Kansas Council of Health-Systems Pharmacists also found that more than 7 out of 10 pharmacists report that time and their current workload is an impediment to advancement of pharmacy practice. Seventy-four percent of pharmacists also reported that poor insurance reimbursement is a barrier, as it affects appropriate staffing levels in pharmacies and limits adding services that can serve their patients and their communities. When pharmacies are paid for the number of prescriptions that cross their counters instead of the clinical knowledge and services they provide for their patients, the system inappropriately values medication volume over safety and quality of healthcare. 

This is a multifaceted issue that will not be solved with a single change. Rather, this will take all stakeholders working together to appropriately value the welfare of patients alongside the well-being of the pharmacy personnel who serve them. Our membership and KPhA Board of Directors, representing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across many practice areas, works towards a better future for pharmacy by advocating for legislative changes, payment model changes, and supports those working for change. We know this work is far from done and we stand with the pharmacists and pharmacy personnel prioritizing patient safety and safe work environments today and in the years to come. 

Resources 

Our voices have more power when raised together. We encourage all pharmacists and pharmacy staff to fill out confidential and anonymous Pharmacy Workplace and Well-Being Reporting (PWWR). These reports are collected and analyzed by the Alliance for Patient Medication Safety to be used to drive lasting change in our industry. We also encourage pharmacy personnel to evaluate their Well-being Index on a regular basis – this collective knowledge assesses the pulse of a workforce stretched to their limits and encourages action from stakeholders based on those results. 

The Kansas Pharmacists Recovery Network (KsPRN) is available for Kansas pharmacy professionals whose health and/or professional effectiveness has been or is likely to be impaired by the disease of chemical dependency or other physical and/or mental health disorder. Confidential referrals can be made to 785-217-7091. 

For those whose jobs may be affected by this protest, we provide the KPhA Career Center, with job postings in pharmacies across the state of Kansas. 

KPhA Purpose and Mission 

The Kansas Pharmacists Association is a state professional organization of pharmacists, united for, and dedicated to the advancement and promotion of quality and rational public health, with particular reference to assuring optimal pharmacotherapy for the citizens of Kansas. The Association is founded upon its commitment to preserve, protect, and advance the interests of, and to serve the economic, educational, ethical, and social needs of the pharmacy profession.