Data Report: 2016 Indiana Pharmacist Licensure Survey

Abstract

Identifying supply and distribution of the pharmacist workforce is foundational to understanding Indiana’s capacity to strengthen overall population health. Data presented in this report provide a snapshot of key demographic and practice characteristics for Indiana’s pharmacist workforce. The 2016 Indiana Pharmacist Licensure Survey Data Report presents data collected from the pharmacist re-licensure survey administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA) during the biennial license renewal period. In 2016 there were 10,906 total pharmacist license renewals. Of these license renewals, 4,920 pharmacists were found to be actively working at an Indiana practice location. Criteria for inclusion are presented in the Methodology section of this report. Marion County has over four times (1,097) the quantity of reported pharmacist full-time equivalents (FTEs) as Lake County, the county with the next highest quantity of FTEs (273). Counties demonstrating the highest population-to-provider ratios (more than 5,000:1) were evenly split between those designated as urban and those designated as rural. Although this report does not describe trends, a 1997 standards change permitting only doctoral-level pharmacists to obtain licensing is reflected in the educational data presented within the current report. The proportion of pharmacists who reported having earned a bachelor’s degree (49.8%) as a qualifying professional entrance credential is nearly identical to the proportion who reported having earned a doctoral degree (49.4%) as the qualifying credential. This report provides pharmacist workforce demographic and practice characteristics as well as supply and distribution information. The 2016 Indiana Pharmacist Data Report provides stakeholders with salient information that will be useful in policymaking, workforce development, and resource allocation efforts to improve the quality of and accessibility to pharmaceutical services for Indiana residents.