Current Pharmacy Satisfaction Digest

Conclusion

The WilsonRx® 2006 Pharmacy Satisfaction Digest from Boehringer Ingelheim highlights both the pluses and minuses of current pharmacy practices and the critical importance of meeting customers' needs and expectations in a health care marketplace in radical transition. With the aging of America, the ascendancy of managed care, the growth of self-directed care and the rollout of Medicare prescription drug coverage, the gap between traditional pharmacy practice and the demands of a new health care dynamic has widened. As this survey shows, the retail pharmacy market operates on slippery ground. Consumers are generally satisfied with many of the services, medicines and health-oriented advice they find at their local pharmacy, but they're also keenly aware of the high costs of pharmaceuticals and quick to shift outlets if they feel their needs aren't being met. It's also clear that much work remains to be done to improve patients' compliance with their drug regimens. A majority of Americans are not always taking their medicines as prescribed, and millions of patients are often skipping them altogether. Many patients also remain uninsured, adding burdens to the health system. Those who are covered by prescription plans - including nearly 39 million Medicare patients enrolled in some kind of coverage - often feel overwhelmed by the complexities and co-pay issues they encounter at the pharmacy counter. So, too, do their pharmacists.

Driving customers into your stores

In our report on the 2006 survey, we've attempted to identify and measure the key elements that drive customer satisfaction. The thousands of household members who responded to the poll named the factors that drive them to one store over another for their prescription, health and beauty, and convenience product needs.

Among the pharmacy services customers say are most important to them are these:

  • Pharmacists who are courteous and available for counsel on drug therapy and health issues
  • Assurances that their prescriptions are filled safely and accurately, and that their medicines are in stock
  • Prescriptions that are filled within a reasonable time
  • Help untangling complicated insurance issues, and money-saving alternatives like generic drugs
  • A convenient and easy experience in filling prescriptions and purchasing additional products with an array of choices about how they order their medicines from the pharmacy

Understanding the elements of customer satisfaction

How pharmacy providers meet those expectations can mean the difference between merely surviving in an increasingly competitive arena and thriving as one of the chain or independent pharmacies that sets the local retail standard. The tools are here to gain a better understanding of your customers' needs and desires. We wish you the best in your ongoing effort to meet those needs, and long-term success in the pharmacy marketplace.