Bradley-Baker, LR. Getting Started as a Pharmacy Manager. Washington, D.C. American Pharmacists Association; 2012, 171 pp, $31.50 (paperback), ISBN 978-1-58212-154-3.

Rachel Deliere; Fadi M. Alkhateeb

doi:10.5688/ajpe76597

Getting Started as a Pharmacy Manager is a paperback book meant to be used as a guide for students and practitioners who are interested in learning the aspects of pharmacy management. The author, Lynette R. Bradley-Baker, states how a reference such as this one would have been helpful when she transitioned from community (retail) pharmacy practice to research, academia, and pharmacy association management. The book is the third in a reference series published by the American Pharmacists Association to help practitioners and students learn about the major aspects of pharmacy. The first book in the series was Getting Started as a Pharmacy Faculty Member, published in 2010, followed by the second in 2011, Getting Started as a Pharmacy Preceptor. The author achieves the books’ objectives through similarly organized chapters that contain question-and-answer format “wisdom” from pharmacy managers in a variety of pharmacy practice settings, tables and sidebars with concise tips, listings of resources at the end of each chapter, and exercises to help explore core topics covered in the chapter.

The book is divided into 6 chapters, 171 pages, and a complete index. Chapter 1, titled The Basics of Pharmacy Management, defines pharmacy manager and gives an example of a pharmacy manager’s job description. The many roles and relationships are discussed, as well as the responsibilities and expectations of a manager. The importance of building a team and what it takes to balance a team through different managerial styles is also explained. Exercise 1-1 is a chart that when completed will determine what kind of manager the reader wants to become, and exercise 1-2 is a checklist that identifies skills that a new manager may need to apply their focus.

Federal laws and regulations are discussed in Chapter 2. Table 2-1 gives a list of the employment laws, a brief description of the law, and how many employees are covered under the law. Sexual harassment, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 are all explained within the chapter. Quality assurance, regarding prescription errors and other mistakes, and the importance of having a workflow mechanism for recording and capturing these incidents are discussed.

The issues of staff roles and management considerations, the hiring process, handling conflicts and motivating, delegating, and coaching were the main topics of Chapter 3. The chapter described the duties of those employed or interning at a pharmacy. In addition, the 8 steps of the hiring process are outlined in detail.

Chapter 4 delves into pharmacy finances and basic accounting principles. Bolded sidebars with tips direct readers who are referencing information regarding budgets, forecasting, and planning. The elements of developing a business plan are discussed in Chapter 5. The chapter reviews all necessary steps including the preparation stage, the actual writing of the business plan, and reviewing the business plan.

Chapter 6 focuses on the pharmacy manager as a leader and building effective work relationships. The chapter begins by listing ideas to develop credibility such as leading by example, admitting mistakes, being organized, and giving credit when credit is due. An insert table highlights tips for maintaining effective work relationships. During this chapter, the author encourages the future manager to be a continuous leader, as well as work on improving his/her leadership skills. Exercise 6-1 is an online emotional intelligence test for pharmacy managers to use to identify their strengths and weaknesses in the area of emotional intelligence.

The book could be used during a pharmacy management advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) course. Getting Started as a Pharmacy Manager would provide the preceptor a guide to explain an overview of their job responsibilities and their position as pharmacy manager. While using this book as a reference, the student would benefit during the practice experience by reading and then experiencing the chapters of the book throughout their practice experience. The student would also have the opportunity to complete most of the exercises that are at the end of the chapters. The book could also be incorporated as a supplement to a management course during the pharmacy curriculum. Both faculty members and students could reference this book in order to grasp concepts of managerial techniques and processes. Students would be able to have a better understanding of pharmacy managers by using the exercises provided, as well as reviewing the question-and-answer sections with actual pharmacy managers. In addition, motivated third- and fourth-year pharmacy students would find this book to be a great source of information if they want to work as pharmacy managers in the future.

Overall, this book is an easy-to-read reference that provides future pharmacy managers a grasp of the multi-dimensional role, as well as the necessary responsibilities that affect patient outcomes, regardless of the practice setting. A strength of Getting Started as a Pharmacy Manager is that each chapter provides the reader with a question-and-answer format section with advice from actual pharmacy managers. This allows the reader to gain true perspective and insight to succeed in a managerial role. In addition, each chapter can easily be used as a manager’s toolkit to solve and handle standard managerial issues. As a whole, this book provides concise information on managing individuals, adhering to laws and regulations, dealing with financial issues, and meeting competency requirements to run a business.