Those findings are among the results of this year's Drug Topics Business Outlook Survey. Conducted between September 23 and October 5, 2009, the survey of nearly 800 Drug Topics readers reveals that community and hospital-based pharmacists alike share in the optimism about the profession.

More than 80% of the 541 community pharmacists who responded to the survey report that overall they are expecting 2009 to turn out to be an excellent, very good, or good business year for their pharmacies. Fully 73% of these respondents expect that good news to carry over into 2010.

Community pharmacists

Compared with their 2009 estimates, community pharmacists are expecting the following in 2010:

• 48% expect an increase in sales; only 13% expect sales to decrease.
• Among respondents who expect an increase in sales, the average expected increase is 8%. Among respondents who expect a decrease, the average expected decrease is 10%.
• 55% expect operating expenses to increase, and among this group the average expected increase is 6%. Meanwhile, 7% expect operating expenses to decrease, with the average decrease expected by this group being 10%.
• 29% expect an increase in net profits, while 30% expect a decrease. The former group expects an average increase of 7%; the latter group expects an average decrease of 6%.
• 56% of community pharmacists say they expect that, in their pharmacies, pharmacist salaries will increase in 2010; 31% do not expect an increase. Among respondents who expect an increase for 2010, the average expected increase is 3%.