Expectations for ambulatory services in traditional and office-practice pharmacies

Expectation for and satisfaction with pharmaceutical services reported by patrons of an office-practice pharmacy were compared with those of patrons of a traditional pharmacy. In a rural town served by a traditional pharmacy and an office-practice pharmacy, questionnaires were sent in May 1980 to 25% of the households listed in the telephone directory. The questionnaire elicited respondent characteristics, pharmacy-use patterns, and expectation and satisfaction levels for 16 pharmaceutical services described in the APhA- AACP standards of practice. Overall mean expectation and satisfaction scores were computed. Sixty-two percent of the 529 questionnaires were returned. Of the respondents, 39% patronized the office practice exclusively, 44% the traditional pharmacy. Patrons of the office practice expressed significantly higher expectation and satisfaction scores than patrons of the traditional pharmacy. Patrons of the office-practice pharmacy also reported more frequent consultation with a pharmacist regarding drug-therapy and health issues. Controlling for the frequency of contact, office-practice patrons still reported higher expectation and satisfaction scores. Only 18% of office-practice patrons reported purchasing nonprescription drugs in a pharmacy compared with 42% of the patrons of the traditional pharmacy. By providing pharmacist contact in an appropriate ambulatory setting, increased patient satisfaction with and expectations for pharmaceutical services may ensue.