TITLE:
It’s Not Just the Money: Why Consumers Do Not Purchase Pharmacist-Provided Services
AUTHORS:
Patricia R. Freeman, Mikael Jones, Karen Blumenschein
KEYWORDS:
Pharmacist-Provided Services, Pharmaceutical Care, Compensation
JOURNAL NAME:
Pharmacology & Pharmacy,
Vol.5 No.6,
June
10,
2014
ABSTRACT: The reimbursement model for pharmaceutical care remains a barrier to
successful widespread implementation of pharmacist-provided services. In some
instances, community pharmacists have been successful in obtaining direct
compensation for services from patients; however, evidence suggests that lack
of patient demand for pharmacist-services may ultimately undermine the campaign
for widespread third-party payment. The purpose of this study is to conduct a
secondary analysis of data indicating consumer/patients’ rationale for not
purchasing pharmacist-provided disease management services when offered the
opportunity to do so in community pharmacies. Our review of the data indicates
that while financial concerns are clearly important in consumer demand for pharmacist-provided
services, other considerations exist. The consumer/patient belief that
pharmacist-provided services are duplicative or that these services are not
needed are significant barriers to overcome. Intensive education and marketing
campaigns are needed to sway consumer opinion on the value of
pharmacist-provided services.