Patients’ Perspectives on Services Provided by Community Pharmacies in Terms of Patients’ Perception and Satisfaction

Abstract

Objective: To assess patients' perspectives towards community pharmacists as health care professionals by evaluating their performance in terms of patients' perception and satisfaction. Methods: Patients' perception and satisfaction are widely used healthcare direct pointers to evaluate Pharmaceutical health care services. To examine these two parameters, a questionnaire was developed, including statements to assess the patients' level of compatibility towards their community pharmaceutical care settings, along with their demographic data. The responses of patients' satisfaction and perception of pharmaceutical care settings were interpreted as percentages. Results: The responses of patient perception estimated that the pharmacist knows well how to use medication and warns about the dose or any problem in taking the medications before dispensing the medication. However, pharmacist is not an expert in suggesting treatment for minor ailments and he should not advise patients on general health issues other than drugs. Patients satisfied with the simple, clear and understandable language used by the pharmacist in discussing drug related issues and the kind of care and, kindness and respect in communication, nevertheless they least satisfied with the privacy maintained by pharmacist while discussing with patients and dispensing medications. Conclusion: Patients' expectations from pharmacists as successful therapists with decent communication profiles were positively evaluated. Paradoxically, other aspects such as the amount of time spent with each patient and general health issues advice did not meet our prospects, which clarify the need for a more solid pharmaceutical health care system to meet the potentials for full patients' perception and satisfaction.

Patient satisfaction with clinical pharmacy services and the affecting factors: a literature review

“…Therefore, pharmacists need to fully practice their role for the benefit of their patients (El-Sharif et al 2017). Another study in the UAE was also conducted by Saad Ali et al, (2019) reported that 72.8% of patients were very satisfied with simple, understandable language used by the pharmacists. However, the patients were not satisfied with the privacy while pharmacists discussed with patients (Saad Ali et al 2019).…”

Public attitudes towards community pharmacy in Arabic speaking Middle Eastern countries: A systematic review

“…For instance, more than 30% of participants in 11 studies considered pharmacists as business people or mere vendors/dispensers of medications. 31,37,39,44,46,51,53,55,57,60,61,63 Expectations of pharmacist duties included treatment of minor health ailments, consultation on over-the-counter medications and parapharmaceutical products, and accuracy checking of dispensed medications. For instance, over 60% of participants in 5 studies expected the pharmacist to treat minor illnesses.…”

“…39,40,44,54,55 Another expected task was medication counseling with over 70% of participants in 6 studies agreeing that the pharmacist should provide counseling directions on medication use. 39,40,[52][53][54]63 Conducting screening for specific health conditions or diseases including hypertension and diabetes and monitoring or following up patient progress were not common The public views of the community pharmacy services currently provided in Qatar/(SA&A**%) -"When I am buying my prescription medications, the pharmacist hands me my prescriptions, provides me with thorough medication counseling, and encourages me to ask questions" (34%) -"When I am buying my prescription medications, privacy concerning my prescriptions is maintained by the pharmacist" (35%) -"When I go to the pharmacy with a problem the pharmacist gives me enough time to discuss my problem and listens to me carefully" (37%) -"When I go to the pharmacy to ask any drug-related question, the pharmacist is knowledgeable enough and always ready to answer my questions" (37%)…”

“…-On an average of 4 times per month (80.7%) Strategies to improve community pharmacy practice -The pharmacist should be reimbursed for providing a pharmaceutical care service that would potentially reduce medication-related problems by 50% (95.1%) Ali HS et al 63 United Arab Emirates (UAE)/Community pharmacies An analytical, descriptive and crosssectional study n = 210 Attitudes towards community pharmacist role (SA&A**%)…”

“…48,52 Less than 30% of participants had confidence or trust in the information provided by the pharmacist in 3 studies. 41,42,63 On the other hand, 4 studies conducted in Kuwait, Oman, KSA and UAE reported that over 50% of participants trusted the pharmacist's advice on the use of medications. 39,51,53,54 Interestingly, one study in UAE reported that participants believed to a certain extent that a pharmacist in Dubai has enough level of knowledge of medicines which makes him/her a trustworthy healthcare provider.…”