Hospitals face pharmacist shortage amid low pay

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's hospital pharmacists are grappling with low salaries and heavy workloads, a situation that is contributing to a growing shortage of these healthcare professionals despite the country having a higher ratio of pharmacists than the global average in advanced nations.

Wu Cheng-heng, a pharmacist, points out that the significant patient volume in teaching hospitals is not matched by adequate compensation.

Huang Chin-shun, chairman of the Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists Associations, highlights that only 26% of pharmacists work in hospitals, with the majority finding employment in pharmacies, clinics, and biotech companies, reflecting the diverse career paths available to pharmacy graduates.

Amid this backdrop, Hung Tzu-jen, vice superintendent of Shinkong Wu Ho-su Memorial Hospital, acknowledges that hospitals have been slowly increasing the salaries for pharmacists, targeting annual incomes of NT＄800,000 to NT＄900,000 to make hospital positions more attractive. He asserts that hospital environments offer superior opportunities for pharmacists to learn and grow professionally.

However, the salary disparities are stark, with hospital pharmacists earning between NT＄50,000 to NT＄60,000 per month, while those in other sectors can command between NT＄80,000 to NT＄90,000. This gap, alongside an extended six-year pharmacy education—equivalent to that for dentists—adds to the challenge of retaining qualified pharmacists in hospitals.

In response, some hospitals have introduced signing bonuses to retain staff, but these measures have yet to significantly curb the high turnover rates.

With the loss of medical personnel looming over Taiwan's healthcare system, experts are urging the government to re-evaluate the National Health Insurance system to avert a healthcare crisis.