Bluesight’s 11th Annual Hospital Pharmacy Operations Report Highlights Complexities Hospitals Face and Strategies for Resolution.
Bluesight, the leader in hospital intelligence solutions, released the findings of its 11th annual Hospital Pharmacy Operations Report (HPOR). The report surveyed 258 hospital pharmacy participants in the first quarter of 2025 to gauge opinions on current challenges, priorities, and trends shaping hospital pharmacies nationwide.
Key Takeaways:
- Streamlining pharmacy purchasing to address top procurement challenges continues to increase in priority, with 95% of respondents noting it as important or very important compared to 72% last year.
- Most respondents (76%) expect an increase in 340B regulatory oversight in the next 2-3 years, but need to be more thoroughly prepared for audits.
- Drug diversion remains a top issue, with 66% of respondents reporting a diversion event within the past year.
- The report identifies smart pumps, IV prep tracking/clean room automation, and automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) as the top three areas for tech investment in 2025.
- As pharmacies support remote locations, standardization and increased visibility are key to help close the gaps between enhanced visibility and the limited financial resources to implement necessary solutions. 41% of respondents reported no visibility into oncology inventory in remote locations, and only 38% reported capital expenditures allocated to improve inventory visibility.
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“Hospitals are currently navigating a wide variety of challenges surrounding an unpredictable supply chain and regulatory issues,” said Kevin MacDonald, Bluesight CEO, and co-founder. “What the report highlights is a compelling opportunity for innovation in addressing these issues. Areas like 340B adherence and drug shortage management are not only critical for operational efficiency but present untapped potential for technological advancements. These are two key areas where we are focusing our efforts to drive innovation and deliver solutions to help hospitals reduce costs and achieve long-term stability.”
Additional key findings of the report include:
- Technology Investments Are Solving Pressing Issues: Hospitals continue to embrace technological solutions at increasing rates to address operational challenges. Our survey identifies smart pumps, IV prep tracking/clean room automation, and automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) as the top three areas for tech investment in 2025, with smart pumps dethroning controlled substance monitoring as the top technology initiative from last year.
- Diversion Software Becomes Critical in Prevention: More drug diversion is becoming easily identifiable due to a ramp-up of resources in the years prior. 66% of respondents reported a diversion event within the past year, and diversion monitoring software discovered 42% of these events, more than any other discovery method.
- Overcoming Procurement Challenges: Streamlining pharmacy purchasing to address top procurement challenges remains essential for most (95%) respondents, a stark increase from last year’s 71%. At the same time, 75% of respondents reported purchasing from four to nine different sources, highlighting the need for streamlined purchasing workflows.
- Smarter 340B Auditing Solutions Needed for Changing Regulatory Landscape: While a majority (76%) of respondents expect an increase in 340B regulatory oversight in the next 2-3 years, hospitals and health systems may be required to be more consistently and thoroughly prepared for audits by organizations like HRSA as half reported only auditing claims monthly.
- Centralized Distribution is Growing But Visibility Into Remote Locations is Constrained: As hospital pharmacies support more remote locations, standardization and enhanced visibility are essential. 87% of respondents reported that their pharmacies support remote locations. However, our survey found a gap between the need for enhanced visibility and the limited financial resources to implement necessary solutions, with 41% of respondents reporting no visibility into oncology inventory in remote locations and only 38% reporting capital expenditures allocated to improve inventory visibility.
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Report Methodology
The 11th annual Hospital Pharmacy Operations Report (HPOR) presents a detailed examination of the prevailing trends influencing hospital operations and pharmacy management across the United States in 2025. The survey includes 258 respondents and offers valuable insights into the challenges, priorities, and technological advancements guiding hospital decision-making. Notably, over 53.5% of respondents boasted a decade or more of hospital pharmacy experience, as well as a diverse set of perspectives made up of pharmacy management (20%), diversion specialists (13%), pharmacy buyers (13%), and many more.
