Consumer knowledge and perceptions of formularies

A study was undertaken to determine consumer knowledge and perceptions of formularies. A prevalidated survey containing 11 scored items was administered to 714 consumers waiting to receive prescription medications at 72 community pharmacies in Houston. Overall, these consumers were satisfied with their prescription insurance plans, but their attitudes toward formularies were negative, and the negative perceptions were significantly correlated with satisfaction scores. However, only 25% of the surveyed population had a copy of the formulary, so that a large majority had no knowledge of their formulary or the types of drugs it covered. Efforts to educate patients may reduce the difficulty faced by pharmacists in explaining formulary issues to consumers.