The Patient-Pharmacist Interaction in Two Ambulatory Settings — It's Relationship to Patient Satisfaction and Drug Misuse

Abstract

Seventy-five clinic outpatients were randomly assigned to a Satellite Pharmacy with a private consultation room or a centralized Traditional Pharmacy with an open-window setting. A comparison of the patient-pharmacist interaction and its relationship to the patient's satisfaction with pharmacy services and his drug-taking behavior was measured by the use of two questionnaires. A significant difference was found in the quantity of consultation activities performed by the pharmacists in the two settings. Patients were significantly more satisfied with the Satellite Pharmacy and seemed to favor the private setting over the open-window. Patient satisfaction was significantly correlated with the waiting time, the amount of time spent with the pharmacist, the total activities received during the interaction, and satisfaction with hospital services in general. Medication errors were not significantly different for the two patient groups when measured by verbal reports but compliance scores were significantly different for those patients taking drugs for which a tablet count could be done. Although analysis of the data showed a significant difference for only one measure of drug-taking behavior, improvement of drug use as a result of the interaction with the pharmacist in the Satellite Pharmacy was suggested. Compliance scores for regularly scheduled drugs correlated with the financial status of the patient, total interaction activities, and interaction time. Financial status, satisfaction with the drug, and the day of the second interview were significantly correlated with the PRN compliance scores.