Problem 7-49 (Algorithmic)

PharmaPlus operates a chain of 30 pharmacies. The pharmacies are staffed by licensed pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. The company currently employs 100 full-time-equivalent pharmacists (combination of full time and part time) and 175 full-time-equivalent technicians. Each spring management reviews current staffing levels and makes hiring plans for the year. A recent forecast of the prescription load for the next year shows that at least 280 full-time-equivalent employees (pharmacists and technicians) will be required to staff the pharmacies. The personnel department expects 10 pharmacists and 30 technicians to leave over the next year. To accommodate the expected attrition and prepare for future growth, management states that at least 15 new pharmacists must be hired. In addition, PharmaPluss new service quality guidelines specify no more than two technicians per licensed pharmacist. The average salary for licensed pharmacists is $35 per hour and the average salary for technicians is $15 per hour.

1. Determine a minimum-cost staffing plan for PharmaPlus. How many pharmacists and technicians are needed?

   Let P	=	number of full-time equivalent pharmacists
   T	=	number of full-time equivalent technicians

   MaxMin	fill in the blank 2 P	+	fill in the blank 3 T
   s.t.
   	fill in the blank 4 P	+	fill in the blank 5 T	=	fill in the blank 7	Full-time-equivalent employees
   	fill in the blank 8 P	-	fill in the blank 9 T	=	fill in the blank 11	Quality guideline
   	fill in the blank 12 P			=	fill in the blank 14	Number of pharmacists

   The optimal solution requires fill in the blank 15 full-time equivalent pharmacists and fill in the blank 16 full-time equivalent technicians. The total cost is $fill in the blank 17 per hour.
2. Given current staffing levels and expected attrition, how many new hires (if any) must be made to reach the level recommended in part (a)?

   	New Hires Required
   Pharmacists	fill in the blank 18
   Technicians	fill in the blank 19

   What will be the impact on the payroll? The payroll cost will

   go upgo down

   by $ fill in the blank 21 per hour.