Exploring relationships among pharmacy service use, patronage motives, and patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVES

To describe and identify significant relationships among pharmacy service use, general and service-specific patient satisfaction, pharmacy patronage motives, and marketing awareness in a service-oriented, independent community pharmacy.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Midwest United States during May through July 2011.

PARTICIPANTS

Stratified random sample of 500 participants.

INTERVENTION

Self-reported questionnaire mailed to participants.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Patient satisfaction, pharmacy service use, patronage motives, marketing awareness, and demographics.

RESULTS

Study participants were mostly satisfied with the pharmacy services on global and service-specific measures. Patronage motives of relationships, pharmacy atmosphere, and quality previous experience were associated with increased pharmacy service use at the study pharmacy, while a unique service patronage motivation was associated with decreased pharmacy service use at the study pharmacy. Participants citing pharmacy atmosphere and personnel competency as patronage motives did not use pharmacies other than the study pharmacy more often, whereas participants citing unique services as a patronage motive used pharmacies other than the study pharmacy more often. Direct marketing awareness increased pharmacy service awareness but not use.

CONCLUSION

Offering unique services may not be enough to bring in patients loyal to all services provided in a pharmacy. Pharmacists should focus on developing strong relationships with patients and conveying competence when delivering appropriate, quality pharmacy services in a professional pharmacy atmosphere.