Effect of strategic planning education on attitudes and perceptions of independent community pharmacy owners/managers.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of formal education program participation on the attitudes and perceptions of independent community pharmacy owners/managers toward strategic planning.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

United States; June 4-July 30, 2004.

PARTICIPANTS

Nationwide random sample of 1,250 owners/managers of independent community pharmacies.

INTERVENTION

Mailed survey.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Strategic planning formal education program participation. Comprehensiveness of strategic planning. Attitudes and perceptions of owners/managers of independent community pharmacies toward strategic planning.

RESULTS

A total of 527 (42.1%) usable questionnaires were returned. Only 124 (23.5%) respondents indicated that they participated in a formal strategic planning education program. However, of the 141 (26.85%) respondents who indicated that they had conducted strategic planning for their community pharmacy, 111 (89.5%) had participated in a formal strategic planning education program. A significant association was detected between formal education program participation and the conducting of strategic planning (P< or =0.0001). Significant differences were observed for all attitudes and perceptions of independent community pharmacy owners/managers toward strategic planning based on program participation (P< or =0.0001). Finally, respondents who indicated that they had participated in a formal education program had a significantly higher comprehensiveness of strategic planning rating than those respondents who did not participate in an educational program (P< or =0.0001).

CONCLUSION

A significant association exists between formal strategic planning education program participation and the conducting of strategic planning by owner/managers of independent community pharmacies, and those participating in such programs have significantly different attitudes and perceptions toward the conducting of strategic planning and have a significantly higher comprehensiveness of strategic planning rating.