Theoretical Foundations Of Hospital Pharmacy Management

The lack of interest of researchers in relation to question of hospital pharmacy management, and the status quo of existing managerial practices serving the reforms, justifies analysis of theoretical foundations of hospital pharmacy management. The objective is twofold. First, provide an overview of the socio-historical eras of the organizational theories in order to position the hospital pharmacy management on the axis of the changing ways of thinking about the organization and management. Secondly, reconsider hospital pharmacy management by the structuration theory (new direction in organization theory). A systematic literature review of the Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, from 2010 to this day, was performed. The analysis of the theoretical notions discussed in the articles shows that the management of the hospital pharmacy departments stands on the concepts associated with the 'Modern era' of organizational theories. As a result, the hospital pharmacy management focuses on technical aspects. The reconsideration by structuration theory point out the strategic issues for hospital pharmacy practice underlie the interaction between the actors of the pharmacy department and the other stakeholders of the health system. A proper management of the hospital pharmacy department goes beyond the technical aspects. It should also target the development of strategic professional skills of the pharmacists. That said, a substantial work remains to be done to understand the ins and outs of the structuration of the pharmacy practice and the management of its strategic-professional aspects.